Trois-Rivières is a city of 127000 people, in the province of
Québec,
Canada, located halfway between
Montréal and
Québec City. The current mayor is
Yves Lévesque.
Since January 1, 2002, Trois-Rivières absorbed the cities of Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Pointe-du-Lac, Saint-Louis-de-France, Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap, and Trois-Rivières-Ouest, turning them into one unified force!
The name Trois-Rivières is French for "Three Rivers" (or really "Three Tributaries", as "fleuve" is the word for "river"). It is so called because, at the confluence of the St. Maurice River, and the larger St. Lawrence River, the St. Maurice divides into a delta of three mouths.
In the 16th century, after Jacques Cartier made his voyages in the region, the land where the city is currently situated becomes a place that the French and the (largely Algonquin) First Nations People can trade. In 1634, an actual trading post is established by one M. Laviolette. In 1738, ironwork forges were installed at the northernmost part of town. In 1760, the British take Trois-Rivières by force; anglophones take over much of the economic control of the region. At this time, Aaron Hart, the first Jewish settler in Canada came to live in Trois-Rivières. In 1776, when the Americans tried to invade Trois-Rivières, they were defeated.
In the 1850s, the English take control of the lumber and mining industries, which become extremely fruitful because of new sawmills, and port-trading. The French take on politics, economics, and other professional jobs. In the 1920s, the advent of electricity increases modes of production and consumption, and there is a population boom. In the 1950s, the whole province of Québec undergoes the Quiet Revolution, and urbanization, and education come to the people of Québec. The cégep was opened in 1968, and the university in 1969.
In June and July, the resident circus group, Cirque Éloize makes it performances in town. In the beginning of August, Trois-Rivières hosts the Grand Prix car racing event. It is really noisy. At the beginning of October, there is the International Poetry Festival.
Weather in Trois-Rivières is generally quite humid, with temperatures reaching as low as -30°, and as high as 35°. Total annual snowfall often surpasses 2½m.
Features of the city include:
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.
Cégep de Trois-Rivières
Bloc de dessin
Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi de Francheville
The Hippodrome (car and horse racing track)
Seminaire St.-Joseph (ciné-campus)
People of Trois-Rivières:
Pierre Boucher
Rapha
Benjamin Sulte
Noders from or in Trois-Rivières:
asterion
Keray
There is also a Trois-Rivières in Guadeloupe.