Beauport

Beauport

Beauport, Qué, Borough, pop 74 881 (2006c), 72 813 (2001c). Beauport is Québec City's most eastern borough and is located where the Beauport and Montmorency rivers flow into the St Lawrence River. At the mouth of Rivière Montmorency is Montmorency Falls.

In 1634, Robert Giffard received the seigneury of Beauport from the Compagnie des cent associes. In 1698, 444 French colonists settled just east of Rivière Beauport, attracted by the flour mill and agricultural land. During the 19th century Beauport's proximity to Québec City allowed industry to develop. The economy diversified from its agricultural base to the manufacture of a variety of wood products.

In 1845 Beauport was recognized as a municipality. By the end of the century the population had quadrupled and the farmland was slowly urbanized. This urbanization led to the breakup of Beauport into 7 different municipalities including Giffard, Villeneuve and Montmorency.

After 1960 much of the population began to commute to Québec City for work. In the early 1970s the population again quadrupled, completing Beauport's transformation into a suburban community. In 1976, the 7 municipalities were reassembled into one city and in 2002 that city was itself amalgamated into Québec City.

Beauport's unique architecture spans 350 years. Each of the 7 former municipalities holds a wealth of history in its residential constructions and churches.