Cornwall in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
The French Presence in Cornwall
A vital cultural force in Eastern Ontario, the Franco-Ontarian community in Cornwall was established during the late 1870s when large-scale industrial expansion led to an influx of workers and tradesmen from Québec. By 1881 French-speaking residents comprised the largest single cultural group in the town. Supported by a number of religious and scholastic institutions, including l'église de la Nativité de la Bienheureuse Vierge Marie, the Francophone community grew steadily in the decades that followed. Increasingly it asserted its cultural distinctiveness, paying particular attention to language preservation and French education. Long-standing efforts to protect and advance the community's rights and interests in these spheres culminated in the opening in 1974 of La Citadelle, an all-French secondary school.
Erected by Ontario Heritage Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Communication.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 45° 1.115′ N, 74° 42.69′ W. Marker is in Cornwall, Ontario, in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties. Marker is on Montreal Road (County Highway 2) 0.2 kilometers west of McConnell Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located on the front lawn of the presbytery of the church de la Nativité de la Bienheureuse Vierge Marie. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Montreal Road, Cornwall ON K6H 1B6, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Co-Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (within shouting distance of this marker); The Glengarry Fencibles (approx. 0.9 kilometers away); The Flying Frenchmen (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); The Cornwall Orphanage / L'orphelinat de Cornwall (approx. 1.2 kilometers away); United Empire Loyalists (approx. 1.2 kilometers away); War of 1812 (approx. 1.3 kilometers away); United Counties of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry (approx. 1.3 kilometers away); District Court-House and Gaol 1833 (approx. 1.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cornwall.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 1, 2017. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2017, by Kevin Craft of Bedford, Quebec. This page has been viewed 201 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 23, 2017, by Kevin Craft of Bedford, Quebec.