Saint-Hyacinthe at a Glance
At a Glance
 Located in the Montérégie region, near Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe and the surrounding area invite you to discover a perfect blend of town and country.
Consider as a veritable granary in Québec, this beautiful area is well known for its lush fields and bountiful harvests. It is divided from north to south by the Yamaska River, and at the centre of it lies the city of Saint-Hyacinthe, which is the heart of the area.
The region owes much of its economic activity to the agri-food industry and everything related to it is known as the agri-food capital of Québec and why it became the first Canadian member of the prestigious international Association of Science Parks, as early as 1993. Saint-Hyacinthe boasts an agri-food science park, a new economy centre and a veritable biotechnology park in the making.
Supported by strong agricultural activity, the city of Saint-Hyacinthe has continued its economic and industrial development. The MRC des Maskoutains, our regional county municipality, is made up with 17 local municipalities. It covers an area of 1310 km2 and is home to 82 478 people of whom 52 713 live in Saint-Hyacinthe, the central town.
A little history
 In 1748, Louis XV, King of France, granted the Maska seigneury to Pierre-François Rigaud de Vaudreuil as a reward for his good and loyal services. The Marquis de Vaudreuil never saw this seigneury, which lay on either side of the Yamaska River in the heart of the forest, since he was forced to sell it 5 years later to Jacques-Hyacinthe Simon Delorme, who only arrived at the seigneury in 1757. The first settlers landed at a place known as " le Rapide Plat " and soon began to clear the land and plant crops there on both sides of the river.
Delorme later found a better location for a settlement, at the foot of a waterfall capable of providing the hydraulic power needed for business to grow. Called " la Cascade " by Delorme, this place near the waterfall became the new heart of the seigneury. The mills, the church, the market, and all community activities were centralised there. Even the manor house was built on the hill, overlooking the river.
Searching for your ancestors
 Do you wish to explore your family history and learn more about your ancestors from our region or elsewhere? Here are a few links that should prove helpful in your search.
A few interesting facts
 The MRC des Maskoutains is Quebec's regional county municipality with the most agricultural concerns.- Some movies have been shot on location in our region, in part or entirely, in the last 10 years:
- Barney's Great Adventure
- Juliette Pomerleau
- Les Boys 1
- Félix Leclerc, one of Quebec's great poets and songwriters, married his second wife, Gaétane Morin, on December 23, 1969, at Saint-Jean Church, in Saint-Hyacinthe, which is now a restaurant and art gallery called Le Parvis.
- Saint-Hyacinthe boasts one of the last public markets still in operation in Quebec.
- Willie Lamothe, a country singer well known in Quebec, opened Chez Willie in 1963. This tavern is said to be where writers found the inspiration for the characters in the play Broue (Brew).
- The weekly Le Courrier de Saint-Hyacinthe is the oldest French newspaper in America.
- Early in his career as a journalist, former Prime Minister René Lévesque wrote a few film reviews for the newspaper Le Clairon, national edition.
- Famous Quebec artist Ozias Leduc painted the Heavenly Father, that you can admire on the chancel vault of the Cathedral in Saint-Hyacinthe.
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