Forges du Saint-Maurice

Forges du Saint-Maurice "("St. Maurice Ironworks")", just outside of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, is one of Canada's national historic sites, and birthplace of the country's iron industry.

Forges du Saint-Maurice was created on 25 March 1730, the second company (after the failure of the first) granted a monopoly to employ the iron ore deposits at Trois-Rivières. [Miquelon, Dale. "Les Forges Saint-Maurice", in "The Canadian Encyclopedia" (Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1988), Volume 2, p.817.]

The forge started working in 1738 [Miquelon, p.817.] and remained in virtually continuous operation until closing. It employed about 100 craftsmen (most originally from Burgundy) [Miquelon, p.817.] and 300-400 labourers [Miquelon, p.817.] in production of forged and molded iron products, including pots, pans, and stoves. Director F. E. Cugnet went bankrupt in 1742, [Miquelon, p.817.] leading to a state takeover [Miquelon, p.817.] and handover to Britain after the Treaty of Paris. [Miquelon, p.817.]

In 1747, the company experimented unsuccessfully with cannon making and steel production. [Miquelon, p.817.]

From 1738 into the mid-1830s, the Forges were "the most technologically advanced ironworks in America", [Miquelon, p.817.] but had become the oldest operating blast furnace in North America, and far out of date, [Miquelon, p.817.] by the time it shut down for good in March 1883.

In 1973, Forges du Saint-Maurice became a national historic park. Archaeological research there continues. [Miquelon, p.817.]

Notes

References

* Miquelon, Dale. "Les Forges Saint-Maurice", in "The Canadian Encyclopedia", Volume 2, p.817. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1988.

ee also

* François Poulin de Francheville
* List of National Historic Sites of Canada

External links

* [http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/saintmaurice/default.asp Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site of Canada]