History
the st-albert timeline
Origins: A place of passage for the Anishinabe
We wish to recognize that the village of St-Albert is located and operates on unceded and non-abandoned aboriginal territory of the Anishinaabe Nation and the Kanien'kahà:ka Nation. It is important for us to emphasize the unique and enduring relationship between the First Peoples...
Foundation of a village
At the heart of St. Albert's history lies a key moment: the establishment of the post office on August 1, 1874, a date imbued with profound significance. According to historian Brault, this was not simply the birth of the post office, but that of an entire community. Indeed, in the past...
Arrival of the first colonists
According to municipal assessment documents, the first groups of settlers in Cambridge Township were mainly Scottish and Anglo-Saxon families. By the 1850s, French-Canadian families were arriving in the area.
The parish is born
Since 1858, the good people of St-Albert have lived as a Christian community. It was the missionaries who first provided for the spiritual needs of the township. The Cambridge Mission, as it was called, was first served by Father Michel, a French missionary from Cumberland. Around 1858...
Building a bridge: the story of St-Albert's bridges
The first means of communication between the two banks of River 9 was a ferry installed around 1875. As there weren't many cars or people to transship, it was in existence until the first bridge was built, some five or six years later. The arrival of the first parish priest in 1878...
The St-Albert Co-operative Cheese Manufacturing Association
La Fromagerie St-Albert
In the 1880s, the era of dairy production began. Cheese was still made by hand. In the 1890s, a group of visionary farmers banded together to lay the foundations for a cooperative system to process the milk produced on their farms. On January 8, 1894, the Saint-Albert...
Cooperation at the heart of St. Albert's economic development
The cooperative movement began in St. Albert in the late 1800s, with the arrival of pioneers who had become farmers. Dedicated visionaries set in motion a movement centered on mutual aid and community needs. Times were tough, but citizens had deep-rooted values of family...
Building a school in the heart of the village
Schools in the village of St. Albert
To keep up to date with school activity in St. Albert, it's important to trace the history of French schools through the Ontario system: the first school in Ontario, a French school in Windsor, was founded in 1786. In 1912, Regulation 17 prohibited the teaching
The apogee of commerce
The forestry industry was the first to develop in the township. There can be no doubt that, before the arrival of the white man, native peoples hunted and fished here.
Community and municipal life
Vanished communities
It's fascinating to step back in time and explore the remains of some of the communities that once enlivened the region of what is now St-Albert. Names like Mayerville, Longtinville and St-Albert-Station resonate in history, but have disappeared over time, each for unique reaso
Tragedy in the heart of winter
It was a sunny winter Sunday morning when, just after 10am, a large cloud of black smoke could be seen in the sky over the village of St-Albert. This dark cloud over our little community was about to shake up our peaceful daily life.
An event that breaks records
St-Albert has twice written its name in history, thanks to an initiative led by François Latour, a passionate collector of antiques and a native of St-Albert.These events not only highlighted the community's determination, but also contributed to noble causes.
A vibrant French-speaking community
Monument to the French-speaking world
In the heart of Ontario, St. Albert stands out as a jewel of Francophone heritage. Our small community has etched its Franco-Ontarian history over the years.
Eyes turned to the future
In 2024, Saint-Albert proudly celebrates its 150th anniversary, marking a rich and forward-looking history. Our small community is brimming with promising projects that strengthen our identity. In the heart of our village, La Fromagerie, the emblem of our community, is growing rapidly.
