Shawinigan - A history of water and energy - Julie Boulianne et Laurie Therrien

Hello ! Julie Boulianne and Laurie Therrien, real estate brokers in Shawinigan. A great experience in presenting the city of Shawinigan was the historical research. A lot has happened in Shawi! Come on in! Follow us.

Achawenekane

For centuries, the Amerindians occupied this corner of the country, which they called "Achawenekane", meaning "portage on the ridge or portage on the slope" in the Atikamekw language. This name refers to the waterfall they had to overcome over rocks to continue their journey on the Saint-Maurice River.

It wasn't until the mid-17th century that the first Europeans, Jesuit missionaries, sailed down the Saint-Maurice River to evangelize the natives. However, the real settlement of the land only began over the next two hundred years, with the creation of Shawinigan township in 1848 and the arrival of the first settlers as part of the Mauricie logging industry.

Here's a video clip presenting the history of Shawinigan: "Once upon a time... Shawinigan Falls" is a real journey from the early 20th century to the 1960s. We were unable to find the authors to congratulate them on their souvenir document. We invite you to go to Youtube and give them a thumbs-up.

Forest industry

In 1851, the development of the Saint-Maurice River and 1852, as well as Shawinigan Falls and Grand-Mère Falls, encouraged the development of the forestry industry. Logging, sawmills, log driving, log booms and log driving began in the village of Sainte-Flore, founded in 1863 (annexed to Grand-Mère in 1970), and considered the oldest settlement site in the city of Shawinigan. At that time, the region's timber accounted for 20% of all Quebec lumber.

The arrival of electricity

As early as the end of the 19th century, visionary industrialists recognized the potential of the Saint-Maurice River to build hydroelectric power stations and attract numerous industries. In 1901, the town of Shawinigan Falls was officially founded, and underwent meteoric growth in terms of employment and residential development, rapidly becoming a major industrial hub in Quebec. For several decades, the local economy was dominated by large companies such as Alcoa, Westinghouse and Alcan, which took advantage of the abundance and low cost of electricity.

Business closures and economic renewal

However, in the 1970s and 1980s, the city faced profound economic change as old industries gradually closed down. Shawinigan reinvented itself, betting on the development of new growth sectors such as biotechnology, green technologies and tourism. It's a challenge that Shawinigan continues to take up, in order to revive the city's growth dynamic, while preserving its rich industrial heritage, which is an important part of its identity.

Never-before-seen historical anecdotes

Did you know that Shawinigan was the first city in Canada to have its urban development planned from A to Z, based on the New York model?
Parc St-Maurice was even designed by the same firm that designed Central Park!
The Northern Aluminium Company was the first aluminum smelter to produce the 1st aluminum ingot in Canada.
In the 1930s, Shawinigan was home to the country's largest petrochemical plant, Union Carbide, which around 1931 produced Canada's first cellophane film and surgical latex (where Wal-Mart now stands).
Shawinigan Falls and Belgoville (Baie-de-Shawinigan) are among the towns named after the local company, as are Noranda and Arvida.

Continue exploring the history of the Shawinigan region

Find out more about Shawinigan :

What are Shawinigan's main attractions?

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Put your trust in Julie Boulianne and Laurie Therrien from Sutton Alliance. Their local market expertise, winning strategies and personalized service guarantee the best results.

Whether it's a house, condo or land, they'll guide you every step of the way to the successful conclusion of your sale. Their passion and extensive real estate network make them the ideal partners to support you in your real estate project.

Shawinigan – A history of water and energy