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Île de la Visitation

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Map of the Hochelaga Archipelago, Île de la Visitation is between Île de Montréal and Île Jésus

Île de la Visitation is a small island in the Rivière des Prairies, part of the Hochelaga Archipelago, and part of the city of Montreal in Quebec, Canada.

Located within the boroughs of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Montréal-Nord, the island is the site of the L'Île-de-la-Visitation Nature Park, as well as the remaining buildings of the historic Sault-au-Récollet district.

The island also includes the former hydraulic installations, l'île du Cheval-de-Terre, which is connected to Laval by the Rivière des Prairies generating station, as well as a wooded area left intact along the Rivière des Prairies.

History

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Known as Branchereau Island until 1750, Île de la Visitation borrows its name from the parish of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin-Mary which was founded in 1736. In order to control the force of the current, the Sulpician landlords connected the island to the shore by a causeway. Between 1724 and 1726, Simon Sicar, engineer, built the dam and a sawmill near the island. He built a stone mill to grind corn, another for carding wool.

In 1785, the island was surveyed and subdivided.[1]

Mills

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Over time, the mills have had several owners.

  • 1726-1837: Séminaire de Montréal
  • 1837-1867: Pascal Persillier-Lachapelle & Succession
  • 1867-1872: Basile Piché
  • 1872-1878: M. Ouimet
  • 1878-1883: Wail McGauvran & Tucken
  • 1883-1890: R. Gagnon père et fils
  • 1890-1906: Dominion Leather Board Company
  • 1906-1950: Back River Power Co
  • 1950-1980: Milmont Fibreboards Co

There have been a few kinds of mills over the years.

Maison du Pressoir

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The Maison du Pressoir was built in 1806 by Didier Joubert who used it to press apples into cider. It then became a house.

The remains of the stone foundation which served as base for the machine still exist.

References

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  1. ^ Gordon Lefebbre, Montréal-Nord, d'hier à aujourd'hui, Comité d'histoire de Montréal-Nord, 2000, p. 10
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See also

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