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The French presence in Hearst

Exh Franco French Presence In Hearst 3
Credit: Courtesy of Marielle Carbonneau. Hearst Logging, n.d.

French Canadians began to settle in Hearst in 1912 during the construction of the National Transcontinental Railway. Most came to farm but soon turned to the more lucrative forest industry. Sawmills established by French Canadians prospered as family enterprises for decades, before being amalgamated into large forest-product companies by the end of the 20th century.

  • Visit the plaque – In front of Grotto Park, located on Ninth Street opposite the intersection of Kitchener Street in Hearst.

Learn more …

Read “Our francophone heritage,” by Karen Bachmann, to learn more about French settlement in northern Ontario – an article from June 2008 of Heritage Matters


Photo gallery

  • Exh Franco French Presence In Hearst 4
    Credit: Photo courtesy of Yves Frenette
  • Exh Franco French Presence In Hearst 2
    Credit: Centre for Research on French-Canadian Culture, University of Ottawa, J. Conrad Lavigne Collection (P282), Ph72-6Lumberjacks employed by the Ripco company, Hearst, Ontario, 1946
  • Exh Franco French Presence In Hearst 3
    Credit: Courtesy of Marielle CarbonneauHearst Logging, n.d.