Roads map of Drummondville and Centre-du-Quebec, Canada

Drummondville and Centre-du-Quebec      

In 1815, after the Treaty of Ghent ended the Americans'  attempts to invade Canada, Maj. Gen. Frederick George Heriot,  superintendent of Lower Canada colonization, was ordered to found a  military and agricultural territory in the Riviere Saint-Francois area,  and Drummondville was born. The city became a significant industrial and  business center with the establishment of ironworks in the 1860s, and  later, a sawmill and factories that were crucial to the First World War  effort. As the unofficial capital of the Centre-du-Quebec region along  the southern St. Lawrence plain, Drummondville today offers everything  from UFOs to pioneer villages, gardening to sailing, and museums  dedicated to mining and cuisine.      

Asbestos [B5] You'll know you're there when you see the 200 t  asbestos truck parked at the town's entrance. Home to one of the world's  largest open-pit mines, Asbestos also has camping facilities, hiking,  snowshoeing and ski trails, swimming at Trois-Lacs, and guided tours of  the mine.      

Drummondville [A1] Named after Sir Gordon Drummond,  Commander-in-Chief of Canada in 1815, Drummondville is a dynamic  industrial city, and a regional center for commerce. Drummondville isn't  all business, however-it hosts an annual folklore festival in July,  there are greenhouses bursting with blooming roses, a museum devoted to  the kitchen, sailing, a turn-of-the-century pioneer village, and over 60  km of scenic cycling paths.      

Richmond [C3] An influential railway hub, Richmond was founded  by settlers arriving in 1798 from Montreal and New England.  Architecture buffs will delight in tours of the Richmond Convent (1884)  and ;  Roman Catholic church (1880). Across the Saint-Francois River  lies Melbourne, home to St. Andrew's Church, once made famous on the  back of the two-dollar bill.      

Ulverton [C3] A genuine small town (pop. 300) situated in a  valley formed by the Saint-Francois and Ulverton rivers, Ulverton's  outstanding scenery, fine architecture, and well-maintained heritage  buildings reflect its prosperous Anglo-Saxon past. Visit the Wool Mill,  which operated from 1850 to 1945. Now the only textile interpretation  center in Canada, the mill has a perfectly preserved turbine and other  equipment that dates back to the turn of the 20th century.      

Valcourt [E2] Valcourt became a major industrial center in  1937 thanks to Joseph-Armand Bombardier's invention of the snowmobile.  The Bombardier Recreational Products Plant-Quebec's largest private  science and technology museum-may be toured throughout the year by  reservation. During the summer, you can learn about extraterrestrials  and space exploration at UFOIand, and, in nearby Bonsecours, discover  the art of crystals at the only quartz crystal mine in Canada.      

Windsor [D4] A friendly refuge on the banks of the  Saint-Francois River, Windsor offers diverse walking trails, heritage  sites, and many green areas. Along the Watopeka River, visit a museum  unique in Canada:the Windsor Gunpowder Plant and Museum, first  established by three American defenders in 1864. You'll discover rare  pieces of Windsor history at the museum's General Store.      

ATTRACTIONS      

ASBESTOS      

JM Asbestos Mine Mineral and Mine Historical Museum      

DRUMMONDVILLE      

Route Verte Cycling Trails Musee de la cuisine (The Kitchen  Museum) Le Village Quebecois d'Antan (Antan Quebecois Village Museum)  Car and Collection Museum Drummondville      

Art Gallery Rose Drummond Greenhouses Drummondville Sailing Club and Public Beach      

RICHMOND      

Richmond Convent      

Slate Museum Richmond County Historical Society Museum      

ULVERTON      

Ulverton Wool Mill      

VALCOURT AND AREA      

Bombardier Recreational Products Plant and Museum UFOIand Mine Cristal Quebec (Quebec Crystal Mine), Bonsecours      

WINDSOR      

Watopeka Park Windsor Gunpowder Plant and Museum