Date Published:
January 2005

L’Encyclopédie de l’histoire du Québec / The Quebec History Encyclopedia

Arthabaska [City]

Arthabaska, the county town of Arthabaska county, Quebec , on the banks of the Nicolet river, and 2 miles from Victoriaville station, on the Canadian National Railway, and 80 miles from Lévis. The name is derived from the Cree word Ayakaskaw, signifying "places where rushes are found", and the town is built on a hill, called by the first settlers, who came about 1838, Monte Cristo. It has, beside the county buildings, a hospital, a newspaper (Union des Cantons de l'Est), two furniture factories, a sash and door factory, a grist mill, and a carding mill; and it is the centre of a good agricultural district, in which market gardening, fruit-growing, and dairying are well developed. It was for many years the summer home of Sir Wilfrid Laurier; and his house is now converted into a museum.

Source: W. Stewart WALLACE, ed., The Encyclopedia of Canada, Vol. 1, Toronto, University Associates of Canada, 1948, 398p., pp. 111-112.