Forests Bring the French

Forests Bring the French. Crossroads of the Adirondacks Trail. French Canadians, the largest immigrant population to the area, brought their culture and religion to Tupper Lake. , French Canadians were attracted to Tupper Lake from Quebec, Canada, to make their living in the woods. They were the largest immigrant population in Tupper Lake. In the early 20th century, French was heard on the village streets as often as English. A section of the village near the uptown St. Alphonsus Church became and is still known as French Village. , As a result of the mass migration of French Canadians to the area, the community was and remains predominantly Roman Catholic. The Sisters of the Holy Ghost arrived in 1903 and established Holy Ghost Academy, providing parochial education until the early 2000s. The Sisters of St. Joseph operated Holy Name School, associated with the downtown church of the same name, for a shorter period of time. , Settlement brings other faiths. , Methodist and Episcopal churches were among the first churches in the community. John Hurd, railroad builder and lumberman, was an Episcopalian and hosted the first Sunday school and church service in 1890 in the loft over his railroad station. , Hurd ran a special train every Sunday, called the "Gospel Mission Train" by early settlers, to encourage people to attend services. By the 1970s, the Presbyterians and Methodists has united to form the United Community Church of Tupper Lake. , Education Assimilates. , Immigrants learned to speak English and assimilate into their new home. While the older generation often spoke in the language of the ld country, their children and grandchildren spoke English.. A strong tradition of publis education in Tupper Lake has its roots in the first decade of permanent settlement. Public and parochial schools, along with the public library, were fundamental to building the Tupper Lake community. Generations of Tupper Lakers have benefitted from a well-rounded education in academics, theater, music, art and sports.