Chambly Canal
Historical Background[edit | edit source]
The Chambly Canal along a part of the upper Richelieu River helps connect the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec to Lake Champlain in Vermont and New York. The canal and its locks allowed boats to bypass the Richelieu River rapids near Chambly and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Work began on this canal in 1831 and was completed in 1843. The canal from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to Chambly is 12 miles (19 km) long.[1]
The Richelieu River in Quebec flows north from Lake Champlain near the United States border about 106 miles (171 km) to Sorel-Tracy where it joins the Saint Lawrence River.[2]
Indians and French settlers used the Richelieu River and recognized its strategic military importance as a probable invasion route. A series of forts were built in the 1600s and 1700s to help defend it.[3]
The Chambly Canal was part of a network of canals, lakes and rivers connecting New York City to the Saint Lawrence River and Montréal. Freight such as lumber and coal could be shipped from the St. Lawrence River, up the Richelieu River and Chambly Canal to Lake Champlain, and down the Champlain Canal to the Hudson River to New York City. The Hudson River is also connected to the Erie Canal. The Chambly Canal was an important part of increasing Canadian-American trade into the 20th Century. After World War I (1914-1918) freight traffic declined, but has partially been replaced since with tourist pleasure cruises.[3]
Route[edit | edit source]
The Chambly Canal is connected to the Richelieu River at the south end in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Jean County, and to the same river at the north end in Chambly, Chambly County, Quebec Genealogy.
The Richelieu River flows north out of Lake Champlain in the Montérégie region in the far south of Quebec as follows:
- Lake Champlain (Clinton County, New York Genealogy, and Grand Isle, and Franklin counties in Vermont)
- Missisquoi
- Saint-Jean (now Le Haut-Richelieu)
- Iberville
- Rouville
- Chambly
- Verchères
- Saint-Hyacinthe
- Richelieu (now Pierre-De Saurel (before 2009 Le Bas-Richelieu))
- St. Lawrence River
Connecting Migration Routes. The Richelieu River and Chambly Canal are linked to other migration routes at each end.
The migration pathways connected at the south end included:
- Lake Champlain with connections to:
-
- Erie Canal 1825
- the Atlantic Ocean
- and several trails out of Albany and New York City
The migration pathways connected at the north end included:
- Saint Lawrence River
- Halifax Road or Grand Communication Route
Also, the Chambly Canal and Richelieu River run parallel to part of the Lake Champlain Trail from Albany, New York to Sorel-Tracy, Quebec.
Settlers and Records[edit | edit source]
The earliest European settlers in the Richelieu River area were French. Irish laborers were used to build the Chambly Canal by hand.[4]
No complete list of settlers who used the Richelieu River - Chambly Canal is known to exist. Nevertheless, local and county histories along that route may reveal pioneer settlers who arrived after 1843 and therefore who were the most likely candidates to have traveled the Richelieu River - Chambly Canal.
External Links[edit | edit source]
- Chambly Canal at Wikipedia
- Chambly Canal National Historic Site Parks Canada
Sources[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Chambly Canal" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambly_Canal (accessed 7 June 2011).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Richelieu River" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richelieu_River (accessed 8 June 2011).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Parks Canada, "Waterway History," Chambly Canal National Historic Site Canada at http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/chambly/natcul/natcul2/natcul2a.aspx (8 June 2011).
- ↑ Parks Canada, "Did you know?," Chambly Canal National Historic Site Canada at http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/chambly/natcul/natcul2/natcul2e.aspx (9 June 2011).
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- Counties of Quebec, Canada
- United States Migration Internal
- US Migration Canals
- Migration Routes
- New York Migration Routes
- Clinton County, New York
- Vermont Migration Routes
- Grand Isle County, Vermont
- Franklin County, Vermont
- Quebec Migration Routes
- Missisquoi County, Quebec
- Saint-Jean County, Quebec
- Iberville County, Quebec
- Rouville County, Quebec
- Chambly County, Quebec
- Verchères County, Quebec
- Saint-Hyacinthe County, Quebec
- Richelieu County, Quebec