"THE FRENCH PRESENCE IN HEARST" - Hearst, Ontario - Ontario Provincial Plaques on Waymarking.com

A plaque that notes the significance of French settlement in Hearst. It is still very much a Francophone-first community. The plaque is located on the grounds of Universite de Hearst.


The plaque reads:
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. Over the years, the French-speaking community in Hearst - once a minority - grew to 89% of the population with Francophones taking on leading cultural, economic and political roles. Institutions such as the Catholic Church and the Université de Hearst, founded in 1953, have played important roles in Franco-Ontarian education and society.

Address or location of plaque: 9th Street at the end of Kitchener Street Physical location of plaque: Town "Ontario Plaques" Website for this "Plaque": [Web Link] Description of any physical remains at site of "Historical Plaque": the Universite de Hearst is found at this location This 'Plaque' describes: A 'Location' Condition of sign: excellent Is this a bilingual sign?: Yes ! What is the second/third language?: French (or English in Hearst!) A web-site for more details.: Not listed

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