Lawrenceville, Quebec, is a quaint village municipality nestled in the Le Val-Saint-François Regional County Municipality in the Estrie region of Quebec, Canada. Located west of Sherbrooke and near the Black River, this charming village spans an area of 17 square kilometers and is home to approximately 650 residents.
The village of Lawrenceville, Quebec, owes its name to Mr. Henry Lawrence, a settler from Canaan, Connecticut. Henry, the son of Isaac Lawrence, moved his family to Shefford Township in 1794, settling near Lake Waterloo between Fulford and Waterloo.
In 1800, the township of Stukely was created, and Henry, along with his brother Erastus, became associates of Samuel Willard. Both brothers relocated to South Stukely in 1804. Unfortunately, Erastus passed away just eight years later.
In 1836, Henry Lawrence moved to the northern part of Stukely and built a sawmill and flourmill on an island that later became part of Lawrenceville. However, the village of Lawrenceville was not officially constituted until 1905 when it was detached from the township of North-Stukely.
Today, remnants of the past can still be found on Henry's Island. Two 19th-century dwellings still stand: the Victorian-style Island Park House and another house with a double-slope roof. Henry Lawrence passed away in 1864, outliving his first wife, Polly Day, and later remarrying Elizabeth Lewis, the daughter of Waterloo's precursor, Captain Ezekiel Lewis.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Lawrenceville, Quebec, had a population of 618 living in 283 of its 295 total private dwellings. This represented a slight decrease of -2.7% from its 2016 population of 635.
With a land area of 16.73 km2 (6.46 sq mi), Lawrenceville had a population density of 36.9/km2 (95.7/sq mi) in 2021. The mother tongue of the majority of the residents, as of the 2011 census, further adds to the rich cultural tapestry of Lawrenceville, Quebec.
Lawrenceville, Quebec, with its rich history and charming landscape, offers a unique blend of past and present, making it a must-visit destination for history buffs and nature lovers alike.
