Did Louise Mauger ever imagine her likeness would grace a bustling Montreal street? Here at the corner of Ontario and Morgan, stands La Fermière, a bronze and granite testament to her pioneering spirit. La Fermière, sculpted by Alfred Laliberté, was unveiled in 1915. It depicts Louise as a market gardener, basket overflowing with the bounty of her land. The statue, a tribute to the first farmer of Ville-Marie, serves as a poignant reminder of Montreal’s humble beginnings. Louise, born in France in 1598, journeyed across the Atlantic with her husband, Pierre Gadoys. In 1648, Maisonneuve granted Pierre forty arpents of land, stretching northeast from Rue Saint-Paul. This land, the first officially granted plot in Montreal, made Pierre the city’s first farmer, and Louise, his indispensable partner. La Fermière isn’t just a statue. It’s a symbol of perseverance, a celebration of the unsung heroes who toiled the land and laid the foundation for a thriving metropolis. The fountain at the base of the statue murmurs a gentle tribute to Louise and Pierre’s enduring legacy. Look closely at the statue’s details. You can almost feel the weight of the basket, sense the strength in Louise’s stance. She embodies the resilience of the early settlers who carved a life out of the wilderness. La Fermière, a timeless tribute, connects us to Montreal’s roots.
Parc Dickie-Moore
Who needs a time machine when you’ve got Parc Dickie-Moore? This little slice of Parc-Extension holds a century of Montreal