Saint-Narcisse

Saint-Narcisse
Parish municipality
Saint-Narcisse Church
Location within Les Chenaux RCM.
Saint-Narcisse Location in central Quebec.
Coordinates: 46°34′N 72°28′W / 46.567°N 72.467°W / 46.567; -72.467Coordinates: 46°34′N 72°28′W / 46.567°N 72.467°W / 46.567; -72.467[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Mauricie
RCM	Les Chenaux
Constituted	July 1, 1855
Government[2]
• Mayor	Guy Veillette
• Federal riding	Saint-Maurice—Champlain
• Prov. riding	Champlain
Area[2][3]
• Total	106.90 km2 (41.27 sq mi)
• Land	104.87 km2 (40.49 sq mi)
Population (2011)[3]
• Total	1,762
• Density	16.8/km2 (44/sq mi)
• Pop 2006-2011	2.4%
• Dwellings	818
Time zone	EST (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
Postal code(s)	G0X 2Y0
Area code(s)	418 and 581
Highways	Route 352 Route 359 Route 361

Saint-Narcisse is a parish municipality located in the regional county municipality (MRC) Chenaux, in the administrative region of Mauricie, in the province of Quebec, in Canada.^[4] Located on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence River, about thirty kilometers from downtown Trois-Rivières, the parish of Saint-Narcisse is the heart of the Mauricie region.

Geography

With an area of 104.87 square kilometers, the city territory is divided by rows: Grande Ligne (Great line), the second highest rank Saint-Felix, row Sainte-Marguerite and row "Du Barrage" (row of the Dam). The territory also includes the "lake Morin" (popularly referred to as "Petit lac" - Little Lake) which is located north of the Grande Ligne (Great Line). A line of mountains crosses the municipal territory along its entire length, separating the plate of Middle Mauricie with the plain of the Lower Mauricie.

Its watershed is mostly part of the Batiscanie, except the southwest area, the limit of Champlain and of Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes. The municipality is crossed by five rivers: Batiscan River, "Rivière-des-Chutes" (River of the falls)River des Chutes, "Rivière-au-Lard" (Bacon River), "Rivière-aux-Fourches" (River of the forks), and "Rivière La Tortue" (Turtle River). The route of the "Turtle River" enter into Saint-Narcisse by the northwest end (row "Côte St-Pierre - Northeast area"), where it crosses four lots on 1.4 km. Then the river continues to flow in Saint-Séverin to go jump into the Rivière des Envies (River cravings).

Wetland

A sector of wetland covering three municipalities, is located south-east of Lac-à-la-Tortue, head of water between the watershed of Lac-à-la-Tortue (including the outlet of Lake Atocas), the rivière à la Tortue (Turtle River) and "Rivière des chutes" (River des Chutes):

1. Row "Cote Saint-Pierre Coté Sud-Ouest", a few lands in southeast of Hérouxville and a dozen lands of Saint-Narcisse;
2. Row "Cote Saint-Pierre Coté Northeast" in Saint-Narcisse, a few limited and isolated wetlands covering about 14 lots (near the road linking the Lac-à-la-Tortue and Saint-Narcisse);
3. Row X 's in Hérouxville, some isolated areas at the southeast of the row, spread on eight lots;
4. Row IX Lac-à-la-Tortue in Radnor Township, three lots (near the limit of Hérouxville);
5. Forefront of Radnor in Saint-Narcisse, north-east of the row, is the head area of the River des Chutes.^[5]

History

The first pioneer Louis Cosset, came from Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, was established in Saint-Narcisse about 1804. Among the other early settlers, many came from the neighboring parishes of St. Lawrence River. The settlement expansion forced the new pioneers to cross a moraine an estimated one kilometer wide.^[6] This moraine path of the Mauricie, between Saint-Paulin at the west end and Saint-Raymond at the East end, is about 120 kilometers length. It is referred to as "Saint-Narcisse Moraine" because this moraine is more prominent at the height of Saint-Narcisse. This geological formation was shaped about 11,000 years ago, at the end of the last glacial period, with the deposition of various layers of rock at the foot of the gigantic glaciers.^[7]

Solidarity Fair (August)

From August 1982 until 2012, the community of Saint-Narcisse organized a festival that caters to the whole family. The "Fête de la Solidarité" (Solidarity Fair) was born during the economic downturn. While business people watching to consolidate the economic structure of the square, a group of young people organized the first Day of Solidarity. Their idea was to strengthen the social fabric of the city so that people have reason to celebrate despite the economic environment was difficult and they create links between them in order to overcome obstacles together. The Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary in the summer of 2011.

The programming of the festival included the solidarity between other musical performances, exhibitions and fireworks. A parade of fantastic night has already taken place during the festival, but this was abandoned activated for the 2008 edition because of volunteers. A park for children included games and entertainment organized. The town park gives out game shows organized for the benefit of children.

The decision that the party no longer exists fell in early 2013, following a meeting with the population of the municipality. The lack of volunteers led to the end of the festival that brought new tourists every year for over 30 years.

Industry

The town is known for the making of mattresses, prefabricated homes, and the sale of farm tractors.

Catholic Church

The architecture of the church of Saint-Narcisse transcends in a Gothic style. It was built from 1871 to 1874. The bishop of the diocese of Trois-Rivières, Bishop Louis-François Richer Laflèche chaired the official blessing. In 1894, following a meeting of parishioners, the factory has made purchasing a system with four bells chime (bigger than the previous ones) made in Haute-Savoie, France, that is their teintement heard in the distance by the parishioners. In 1916, the factory decided on a 30-foot extension of the church building a new facade with two towers. The factory also allows the acquisition of a Casavant organ. The interior of the church is the work of the painter Monti.

Dupont House

Dupont House

The Dupont House was built in 1871, adjacent to the church. This building has long served as a public meeting place for parishioners on Sundays, especially after church services celebrated in the church. This house of a classic 19th century style is now owned by the municipality. The historical committee of the parish of Saint-Narcisse administers this historical house. The mission of the Dupont House has been transformed into arts center and exhibition hall.

Hydroelectric plant on Batiscan River

The hydroelectric power station of Saint-Narcisse was built between 1895 and 1897 to arnacher the great falls of the Batiscan River. This plant helped build the first high voltage line of the British Empire and it linked Saint-Narcisse to Trois-Rivières. Electricity Saint-Narcisse fed the electrical distribution system of the city of Trois-Rivières, including street lighting.

From the village of Saint-Narcisse, visitors access to the barrage of Batiscan River using the Route 361 on about 2.4 km, then just follow road signs of Hydro-Quebec.

In the area of the falls of the Batiscan River, a park was built in the wilderness, there to practice outdoor activities such as camping, walking the trails, biking, observing of flora and fauna ...

Demographics

Population trend ^[8]

Year	Population	Variation (%)
2011	1,762	2.4%
2006	1,806	2.7%
2001	1,858	4.1%
1996	1,937	2.9%
1991	1,995	N/A

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 798 (total dwellings: 818) Mother tongue:

• English as first language: 0.6%

• French as first language: 98.6%

• English and French as first language: 0%

• Other as first language: 0.8%

Toponymy

The town was named in honor of Saint Narcissus.^[9] A statue of Saint-Narcisse sits atop the main altar of the church of Saint-Narcisse. Narcisse was born in Palestine in the late first century of the Christian era. Third Bishop of Jerusalem, he was appointed bishop at the age of 80 years. With Theophilus of Caesarea, he presided in the year 195 a council under the auspices of Pope Victor.^[10]

Municipal timeline

The territory of Saint-Narcisse is part of two old lordship, Lordship of Batiscan and Lordship of Champlain, separated by the path of the "Grande ligne" (Great Line). The municipality was erected on December 29, 1954. A second decree of April 14, 1859 precised more clearly the boundaries of the municipality. On July 25, 1894 Louis-François Richer Laflèche ordered by the detachment of several batches of rows Sainte-Marguerite (lots 790-800) and St. Felix (lots 688-701), the parish of Saint-Maurice to attach them to the parish of Saint-Narcisse.^[11]

The parish municipality of Saint-Narcisse is one of the municipalities resulting from the first municipal boundaries of the province of Quebec. Initially part of the Champlain County, Saint-Narcisse was included in the Regional County Municipality of Francheville in 1982. In 2002, the municipality of Saint-Narcisse went to the regional county municipality of Les Chenaux.

Famous people born in Saint-Narcisse

• Jacob Leonce (27 May 1917 – 24 December 2008), 91 years, Quebec musician, educator priest (csv: Cleric of Saint Viator).
• Marcel Trudel (29 May 1917 - 11 January 2011), 93 years, Quebec historian.
• Yanni Gourde, hockey player in the Quebec Major Junior League changing with the Victoriaville Tigers.
• Jean Hamelin, historian.
• Dr. Pierre Grondin, surgeon and cardiologist.
• Dr. Claude Grondin, surgeon.

Publications on the history of Saint-Narcisse

• "Saint-Narcisse : baptêmes, 1992-2002, mariages, 1992-2002, sépultures, 1992-2002" (Saint-Narcisse: baptisms, 1992-2002, marriages, 1992-2002, burials, 1992-2002), 2003, published by "La Société d'histoire de Saint-Narcisse" (Historical committee of Saint-Narcisse). (in French)
• Historical volume "Saint-Narcisse 1804-1979", written by Jean Gagnon, Éditions du Bien public, 325 pages. This parish monograph is richly illustrated of historic photos. (in French)
• Historical volume "Jos Noé Veillette et Aurore Cossette : histoire et généalogie d'une famille d'entrepreneurs forestiers" (Jos Noah Veillette and Aurore Cossette: history and genealogy of a family of loggers), written by Luc Veillette (1939 -), 2012, APLAB Publishing (Trois-Rivières), 242 pages. (in French)
• Historical volume "Saint-Narcisse-de-Champlain, au pays de la Batiscan" (Saint-Narcisse-de-Champlain, the country of the Batiscan), municipality of Saint-Narcisse, 2001. (in French)
• Brigitte Hamel, "Recensement de la paroisse de Saint-Narcisse en 1886" (Census of the parish of Saint-Narcisse in 1886), Archives of the Diocese of Trois-Rivières, 1988, 108 pages. (in French)
• "Saint-Narcisse-de-Champlain, Album Souvenir", produced by the organizing committee of the centenary, 1954, 96 pages. (in French)

See also

• Batiscan River
• Batiscanie, Quebec
• Lordship of Batiscan
• Lordship of Champlain
• Rivière des chutes
• Hydro-electric dam of Saint-Narcisse
• Park of Batiscan River
• Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan
• Saint-Stanislas

References

External links

• Media related to Saint-Narcisse (Québec) at Wikimedia Commons