History

One of the oldest settlements in Canada, Trois Rivières was colonized by the French under the watchful eye of Sieur de Laviolette at a site previously occupied by the Algonquins. The settlement was fortified along the river by the first settlers in 1650. As a consequentce, growth and development spread northwest and Trois Rivières eventually came to rest on the three hillsides which make up the lower-city. In 1663, it became the capital of one of the three governments of New France. By the end of the 17^th century, the Ursuline nuns established themselves in the region. With the king’s permission in 1730, a certain Monsieur de Francheville set out to build the first iron forges of St. Maurice. This industry dominated the regional economy until the mid-19^th century when the St. Maurice River was identified by the lumber (and later, the pulp and paper) industry as an asset favouring the flow of lumber upstream and on higher ground.

In 1908, after a fire destroyed a number of historic buildings, a portion of the downtown area was rebuilt. This led to the birth of new businesses, notably the textile industry, and to an influx of new immigrants to the region. In 1984, Trois Rivières celebrated its 350^th anniversary.

The ambience of the city – charming, luminous, notable – acts as a memorable backdop to many festival events.

Its industrial decline over the past few decades has forced the city to diversify its economy. Today, despite a very dynamic pulp and paper industry, Trois Rivières has developed a more a service-based economy. In 1968, the Centre d'études universitaires was converted into a campus of the University of Quebec, which proved to be a major step forward in the diversification of the Trifluvian economy and the exploration of new avenues for economic development: eg. research into the hydrogen motor, opportunities for cultural expansion of the city, including the organization of major events such as the International Poetry Festival.

L'Agora extract