Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site

The Saint-Maurice Forges hold a foundational place in the industrial history of French North America: established in 1730 by François Poulin de Francheville, they constitute the continent's first iron-working facility, where abundant iron ore from the surrounding marshes was exploited to produce cast iron and iron for countless uses, from domestic cookware to military cannonballs. Over nearly a century and a half of continuous operation, the Forges employed generations of molders, charcoal workers, and blacksmiths, creating one of Canada's first industrial working communities long before such labor organization became widespread elsewhere on the continent. Today designated a national historic site and administered by Parks Canada, the site preserves the archaeological remains of the blast furnaces and associated buildings from this production era, enhanced by interpretive installations that illuminate the rudimentary yet ingenious technical processes used by period craftsmen to transform raw ore into usable metal. Located approximately seven kilometers northwest of downtown Trois-Rivières, the site serves as a natural historical complement to a visit of Old Trois-Rivières, allowing visitors to grasp the significant role this region played in the emergence of an industrial economy in French, and later British, North America.