Trois-Rivières

Trois-Rivières, city in southern Québec, Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and St. Lawrence rivers and midway between the cities of Québec and Montréal. It is a deepwater port and an industrial center, producing great quantities of paper, especially newsprint. Other products include electrical and electronic equipment, metal items, textiles, clothing, printed materials, and processed food. Trois-Rivières is the site of Laviolette Bridge, the only bridge to span the St. Lawrence River between the cities of Québec and Montréal. The city is served by the Trois-Rivières Regional Airport.

The city is home to several educational institutions, including the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Points of interest include the buildings that survived a 1908 fire. Among these buildings are the Boucher de Niverville Manor; St. James’ Anglican church; the Ursuline Convent, which houses a museum of art and artifacts; the Cathédrale de Trois-Rivières, an example of Gothic architecture; and the Tonnancour Manor, site of a gallery of contemporary art. Additional attractions in the city include the Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site, where the iron industry began in Canada; the Pulp and Papers Industry Exhibition Center; the Flame, a monument erected for the city’s 300th anniversary; and Harbourfront Park. Annual events include the Players Limited Grand Prix and the Festival international de la poésie, a poetry festival.

The second oldest settlement in Canada after Québec, Trois-Rivières was established as a fur-trading post in 1634 by the Frenchman Sieur de Laviolette under the direction of the explorer Samuel de Champlain. The community grew as it began to produce iron in the 1730s. The forestry industry developed in the 1850s, and Trois-Rivières incorporated in 1857. The city urbanized rapidly as hydroelectric power was developed on the rivers in the early part of the 20th century. Trois-Rivières was considered the world's capital for the manufacture of paper products around 1930. Its name means “three rivers” for the three channels through which the Saint-Maurice River enters the St. Lawrence River.

Trois-Rivières covers a land area of 77.8 sq km (30 sq mi). Population 49,426 (1991); 46,264 (2001).