*** Welcome to piglix ***

Laprairie, Quebec

La Prairie
City
Old La Prairie
Old La Prairie
Coat of arms of La Prairie
Coat of arms
Motto: Victor Hostium et Sui
(Latin for "Master of our Enemies and Oneself")
Location within Roussillon RCM
Location within Roussillon RCM
La Prairie is located in Southern Quebec
La Prairie
La Prairie
Location in southern Quebec
Coordinates: 45°25′N 73°30′W / 45.42°N 73.5°W / 45.42; -73.5Coordinates: 45°25′N 73°30′W / 45.42°N 73.5°W / 45.42; -73.5
Country  Canada
Province  Quebec
Region Montérégie
RCM Roussillon
Constituted March 30, 1846
Government
 • Mayor Donat Serres
 • Federal riding La Prairie
 • Prov. riding La Prairie
Area
 • Total 54.80 km2 (21.16 sq mi)
 • Land 43.28 km2 (16.71 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • Total 23,357
 • Density 539.7/km2 (1,398/sq mi)
 • Pop 2006-2011 Increase 7.3%
 • Dwellings 9,346
Time zone EST (UTC−5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC−4)
Postal code(s) J5R
Area code(s) 450 and 579
Highways
A-15
A-30

Route 104
Route 132
Route 134
Route 217
Website www.ville.laprairie.qc.ca

La Prairie is an off-island suburb (south shore) of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saint-Jacques River and the Saint Lawrence River in the Regional County Municipality of Roussillon. The population as of the Canada 2011 Census was 23,357.

French Jesuits were the first Europeans to occupy the area, which was named La Prairie de la Magdelaine but was also called François-Xavier-des-Prés. The land was given to the Jesuits by Jacques de La Ferté and the Company of One Hundred Associates in 1647. It is in La Prairie that the story Kateri Tekakwitha took place.

In 1668, the site was named Kentaké, the Iroquois name for "at the prairie". In the beginning of modern Quebec history, the territory of La Prairie would be visited on numerous occasions by Iroquois and English settlers from New York, among others at the time of the Anglo-Iroquois expedition of Pieter Schuyler in 1691, who commanded two battles on August 11, 1691.

In 1845, the village of La Prairie was established. One year later, La Prairie-de-la-Magdelaine was established. In 1909, La Prairie obtained official city status.

Historically, the city has been an important transportation hub. The first railway line in British North America, the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad, connected it with Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu on July 21, 1836; the railway has 16 miles (26 km). The construction of a rail line between La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu would greatly accelerate the commercial development of the village. Sea transport equally played an important role in La Prairie's history.


...
Wikipedia

...