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  History of Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

Journey back in time to Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

Visit Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and genealogy.

     

• In 1802, Gilbert Hyatt established a first flour mill at the confluence of the Magog and Saint-François rivers.
  From that moment, the city, bordered by mountains and forests, located in the heart of the Eastern Townships, was born.
  
  First known as Grandes-Fourches or Big Forks, the site became Hyatt's Mills, but in 1818, the name of the Governor General of Canada, Sir John Coape Sherbrooke was assigned to...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1823 - Barn Accident
  A most shocking accident occurred at Sherbrooke on the 12th inst. while erecting a barn on the farm of C. Whircher, Esq. occasioned by part of the frame falling. One fine young man was so much bruised that he expired upon the spot, two were dangerously wounded, and another has an arm so broken as...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1832 - The village of Sherbrooke
  occupies and elevated situation on both banks of the river Magog, at the Forks of the St. Francis. It contains about 75 houses, and its settlements are connected by a tolerably good bridge, near which are Mr. Goodhue's mills. The churches and the greater part of the village are in Orford, but the...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1835 - Parish of St-Michel is established at Sherbrooke
  
  Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique - Univeriste de Montreal
  
  
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  Canadian Scenery,
  by N.P. Willis, Illustrated by William Henry Bartlett, 1842
  Artwork
  
• 1852 - The first railroad station in Sherbrooke was built by the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway (later Grand Trunk) in 1852 along the Montreal-Portland line.
  
  townshipsheritage.com/ attraction/ railway-stations-eastern-townships
  
  
• 1867 - Sherbrooke
  Sherbrooke, the metropolis of the Eastern Townships of Canada, was incorporated a town in the year 1862. In extent of population, wealtb, and commercial importance, it occupies the leading position in this portion of the Province. It is an active, enterprising place of about 4,600 inhabitants,...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1870 - The Massawippi Valley Railway opened its Sherbrooke terminus at the railroad station built in 1852 by the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway.
  
  townshipsheritage.com/ attraction/ railway-stations-eastern-townships
  
  
• 1872 - Basilique-Cathédrale Saint-Michel established at Sherbrooke
  
  www.gcatholic.org
  
  
• 1873
  SHERBROOKE, a county of Quebec, comprises an area of 140,300 acres. It is traversed by three railways — the Grand Trunk, Massawippi Valley, and
  St. Francis and Lake Megantic International, and watered by the River St. Francis and other streams. Capital, Sherbrooke. Pop. 8,516.
  
  SEHERBROOKE, an ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1874 - New Railway
  The new Sherbrooke (Canada), Eastern Townships and Kennebec railway shortens the distance from Quebec to Boston 39 miles, and from Quebec to New York, in comparison with the shortest existing line, 58 miles. The president of the new road is J. R. Robertson. The cost so far has been about $200,000...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1877 - Two men with O'Brien's circus were arrested at Sherbrooke, Quebec, for stabbing a man named Dupont, who lies in a critical condition.
  
  St. Albans Advertiser
  St. Albans, Vermont
  July 27, 1877
  
  
• 1885 - In 1885, a second train station was built in Sherbrooke, with the completion of a line from Magog by the Waterloo & Magog Railway.
  
  townshipsheritage.com/ attraction/ railway-stations-eastern-townships
  
  
• 1887 - Église de Saint-Patrick established at Sherbrooke
  
  www.gcatholic.org
  
  
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  Église de Saint-Patrick
  20, rue Gordon, Sherbrooke, QUÉBEC
  Established 1887
  Source: Google maps
  Photograph
  
•  1888 - Leda Montagne, accused of the murder of her husband, has been acquitted.
  SHERBROOKE, Oct. 10 - Lemieux's address in her defence is pronounced the most poweful and eloquent ever delivered in this district. All were deeply moved by the pathetic appeal. The Crown prosecutor had an arduous task to restore the feelings of the jurors, and afterwards made an able addres, which ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1889 - Two Men Blown to Atoms
  By Associated Press.
  SHERBROOKE, Que., Jan. 18. - Dennis Conture and Joseph Noel were endeavoring to thaw a stick of dynamite this morning at the mines of the Albert copper company at Capeton, when it exploded, blowing them to atoms.
  Harrisburg Telegraph
  Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  January 18, 1889
  
  
•  1890 - Hanged
  William Wallace Blanchard Hanged at Sherbrooke, Quebec
  
  Sherbrooke, Que., Dec. 12. - William Wallace Blanchard was hanged here this morning for the murder of Chas. A. Clakins on the eighteenth of Nov., 1889. The drop fell at 9:06 1/ 2 and at 9:30 the jail surgeon pronounced him dead. The execution ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1890 - Église de Saint-Jean-Baptiste established at Sherbrooke
  
  www.gcatholic.org
  
  
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  Wellington St. Looking North
  Postcard
  
•  1891 - Gas Works Explosion
  SHERBROOKE, Que., Jan. 1. - There was a serious explosion a the gas works here late last night. The force of the explosion tore out one side of the building and the structure took fire. Charles Dinsmore, an employe, was found half an hour after the explosion, under a heavy iron door which had been...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1895 - Sherbrooke
  SHERBROOKE, a county of Quebec, comprises an area of 140,300 acres. It is traversed by four railways- the G. T. R., B. & M. R., Quebec Central Ry. and C. P. R., and watered by the Rivers St. Francis and Magog. Capital, Sherbrooke. Pop. in 1871, 8516; in 1891, 16088.
  Crossby, Peter Alfred. Lovell's gazetteer of British North America. (John Lovell & Son)., 1895
  
  
• 1895 - Sherbrooke
  Sherbrooke, a town of Quebec, capital of the co.o Sherbrooke, on the river Magog, and on the Grand Trunk and Massawippi Valley Railways, at the W. terminus o the St. Francis & Lake Megantic International Railway 101 miles E. of Montreal, 121 miles S.S.W. of Quebec, an 196 miles N.N.W. of Portland....Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1896 - A Bridge Disaster
  Sherbrooke, Que., April 18. - The Quebec central bridge across the St. Francis river has been swept away by the high water. It is roughly estimated that the loss of the St. Anselm bridge and this will be $100,000.
  The Davenport Democrat and Leader
  Davenport, Iowa
  April 19, 1896
  
  
•  1896 - A Town Flooded
  SHERBROOKE (Que.), April 17. - The river here has been rising for several days and there is now over three feet of water on the floors of the many manufacturing establishments on the flats, stopping work therein. The central business part of the town of Richmond is completely inundated.
  The Record-Union
  Sacramento, California
  April 18, 1896
  
  
•  1896 - French Canadian Immigration
  SHERBROOKE, Que., April 17. - The exodus of the French Canadians into the United States goes one uninterruptedly. Fully 250 French Canadians from eastern Quebec left here last night via the Boston & Maine railroad for the United States, and 150 more left via the Grand Trunk railway. Railroad people ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1896 - Église de Saint-Roch established at Sherbrooke
  
  www.gcatholic.org
  
  
• 1897 - Church Burned
  Sherbrooke, Que., May 11. St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church was gutted by fire and several thousand dollars' worth of damage done.
  Trenton Evening Times
  Trenton, New Jersey
  May 11, 1897
  
  
•  1898 - Fire in Quebec
  Sherbrooke, Quebec, Aug 14 - The works of the Jencks Machine company, the largest industry of the kind in Canada, were destroyed by fire, supposed to have started in the Rand Drill company's plant. The estimated loss is $225,000, probably covered by insurance.
  Gazette-Telegraph
  Colorado
  August 15, 1898
  
  
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  Moore Street
  Postcard
  
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  Magog River and Bridge
  Postcard
  
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  St. Vincent de Paul Hospital
  Postcard
  
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  Melbourne Street, Sherbrooke, Que.
  Postcard
  
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  Sun Life Building, Sherbrooke, Que.
  Postcard
  
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  Hospital, Sherbrooke, P.Q.
  Postcard
  
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  Rue Dufferin - Dufferin Avenue, Sherbrooke, P.Q.
  Postcard
  
•  1901 - Two Children Perished in a Sherbrooke Fire - Caused by a Lamp Explosion.
  Sherbrooke, Que., June 24. - Paul, aged 14, and Antoine, aged 5, sons of B. Durocher, were burned to death in their father's barn at East Sherbrooke, Saturday night. The fire was caused by a lamp explosion.
  The Winnipeg Tribune
  Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  June 24, 1901
  
  
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  1904 ad
  Dutch Mike
  W. R. Webster & Co., Makers, Sherbrooke, P.Q.
  St. John Daily Sun, St. John, New Brunswick - June 29, 1904
  Advertisement
  
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  King Street, looking towards Sherbrooke East
  Postcard
  
• 1906
  Sherbrooke, a city and port of Quebec, capital of the co. of Sherbrooke, on the river Magog, and its junction with the St. Francis, and on the Boston and Maine, the Grand Trunk and other railroads, 101 miles E. of Montreal. It has manufactures of woollen and cotton goods, flannels, iron casting,...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Avenue Dufferin
  Postcard
  
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  Art Building and Market Street
  Postcard
  
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  Boulevard Queen - Queen Street
  Postcard
  
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  Digue sur la riviere Magog - The Gorge of the Magog River
  Postcard
  
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  Sherbrooke Academy
  Postcard
  
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  Sherbrooke, Que., Manege Militaire (Armoury)
  Postcard
  
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  Quebec Central and Grand Trunk Station
  Postcard
  
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  The Beautiful St. Francis Valley, near Sherbrooke, P.Q.
  Postcard
  
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  Victoria Park
  Postcard
  
• 1913 - Église de Notre-Dame-du-Perpétuel-Secours established at Sherbrooke
  
  www.gcatholic.org
  
  
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  The "New Sherbrooke"
  Postcard
  
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  Eastern Townships Bank, Head office
  Postcard
  
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  Wolfe Street Bridge
  Postcard
  
• 1916 - August 15, 1916 - World War I - Embarkation of the 117th Sherbrooke Infantry Battalion for service in France.
  
  canadachannel.ca/ todayincanadianhistory/ index.php/ August_15
  
  
•  1917 - Typhoid Breaks Out At Sherbrooke, Que. Fifty Cases of Most Malignant Type Attributed to Bad Drinking Water.
  Special to the Journal.
  SHERBROOKE, Que., March 2. - There are fifty cases of typhoid fever here now and the health authorities attribute the cause to impure drinking water. The disease is of a very malignant type and a number of deaths have occurred. In one family, father, mother and two sons...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Sherbrooke, PQ, Canada - postcard dated 1919
  
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  Map
  
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  Canadian National Station
  Postcard
  
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  Dufferin Avenue, Showing Canadian Bank of Commerce
  Post Office and Magog House
  Postcard
  
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  Wellington Street, Looking South
  Postcard
  
• 1921 - Église de Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc established at Sherbrooke
  
  www.gcatholic.org
  
  
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  Bishop's Palace
  Postcard
  
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  Power Dam and Kaysers Silk Mills
  Postcard
  
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  Chateau Frontenac, Sherbrooke, Que., 1949
  Postcard
  
• 1954 - October 17 - Education - Official opening of the new Université de Sherbrooke.
  
  canadachannel.ca/ todayincanadianhistory/ index.php/ October_17
  
  
• Sherbrooke
  Located on Abenaki land, Sherbrooke was initially known as Ktinékétolékouac or Grandes Fourches ("The Large Forks"), and was the site of a portage at the foot of the falls of the Rivière Magog. The first permanent settlement was established in 1802 when American pioneers from Vermont built several...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 2002 - City of Sherbrooke is formed
  On January 1, 2002, eight entities were merged -Ascot, Bromptonville, Deauville, Fleurimont, Lennoxville, Rock Forest, Saint-Élie-d'Orford and Sherbrooke, thus creating the new city of Sherbrooke, a major urban, economic, industrial and commercial.
  
  The distance between Sherbrooke and Montreal is ...Read MORE...