Yamachiche, Quebec
| Yamachiche | |
|---|---|
| Municipality | |
 |
|
| Motto: Harmonie et Fierté ("Harmony and Pride") |
|
 Location within Maskinongé RCM. |
|
 Yamachiche
|
|
| Coordinates: 46°16′N 72°50′W / 46.267°N 72.833°WCoordinates: 46°16′N 72°50′W / 46.267°N 72.833°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
|
| Province |
 Quebec
|
| Region | Mauricie |
| RCM | Maskinongé |
| Settled | 1702 |
| Constituted | December 26, 1987 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Michel Isabelle |
| • Federal riding | Berthier—Maskinongé |
| • Prov. riding | Maskinongé |
| Area | |
| • Total | 106.90 km2 (41.27 sq mi) |
| • Land | 106.51 km2 (41.12 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 2,787 |
| • Density | 26.2/km2 (68/sq mi) |
| • Pop 2006-2011 |
 1.0% |
| • Dwellings | 1,226 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC−5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC−4) |
| Postal code(s) | G0X 3L0 |
| Area code(s) | 819 |
Highways A-40
|
 Route 138 Route 153
|
| Website | www |
Yamachiche (French pronunciation: [ja.ma.ʃiʃ]) is a municipality in the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada.
The name Yamachiche was first used to identify the Little Yamachiche River (Petite rivière Yamachiche) which runs through the town. It came from the Native American (possibly Cree) words iyamitaw (meaning "much") and achichki (meaning "mud"). Therefore Yamachiche could have the general meaning of "muddy river", which is a characteristic of this stream. In Abenaki, it was identified as Namasis (small fish) and Obamasis (small white fish).
The name has gone through many spelling variations: Machiche, Ouabmachiche, Yabamachiche, Hyamachiche, Yamachiste, Amachis, à Machis, à Mashis, Machis, Augmachiche, Ouamachiche, Yabmachiche, etc., which have mainly affected the name of the river, whereas the parish and municipal names have remained more stable.
In 1653, the area was part of a fief granted to Pierre Boucher de Grosbois, Governor of Trois-Rivières, and in 1672, it was formally ceded to Grosbois. The Grosbois or Machiche Seignory was 1.5 leagues long by 2 leagues deep along the shores of Lac Saint-Pierre. But because of war with the Iroquois, it could not be colonized until the beginning of the 18th century.
In 1703, the first colonists, the three Gélinas brothers, settled in the area and by 1706, there were 7 families. That same year, the name Yamachiche first appeared in the census. In 1711, the first chapel was built, dedicated to Sainte Anne by Récollet Siméon Dupont, and the Parish of Sainte-Anne was formed in 1722. A year later, the settlement consisted of about 20 families and 100 persons.
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