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April 2009 meeting. The History of the Como-Oka Ferry by owner Claude Desjardins.

 The Como-Oka FerryThe Como-Oka Ferry

Hudson Historical Society Marks 100 Years of Ferry Service to Oka - Martin Smith writes:

One of the favourite tourist features of Hudson is the Oka Ferry. As I mow my lawn on Saturday mornings, I am regularly asked by passersby where the ferry is located (along with requests for directions to Finnigans, and the Willow Inn). Over the years, the unique tug and barge system kept us fascinated, and in awe of the skill of the crews to perform the docking procedure (you know what I mean)!

I have been a regular user of this service since university days. My first experience was as part of a car rally, but have since regularly used it while cycling. The ferry also gives me a practical short cut when driving to visit my parents in the Lanaudiere. I am a regular.

This year marks 100 years of operation of this service. On Monday April 13th, Claude Desjardins will share stories and photos from over the years. From its humble beginnings to today's modern and unobtrusive self-propelled units, the story of le Traversier Oka should be one to enjoy. The presentation will be bilingual, and Claude will answer questions in either language.

Please join us at St. James Church Hall at 7:30 PM on Monday April 13th to enjoy this visit with our past, and perhaps our future.

Martin Smith


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Meeting of March 9, 2009. 7:30 pm at St James Church Hall

Sentiers Vaudreuil Soulanges (SVS) Thanksgiving Weekend Trek - 11 and 12 
October 2008.

Presentation by Gary Dover of Sentiers Vaudreuil-Soulanges

Early on the 11th of October 2008, on a warm endless blue sky day, amidst the dazzling majesty of Mother Nature's autumn colours, seventeen hikers of the Sentiers Vaudreuil Soulanges Trail Association made their way from the trail head at Mount Pleasant School into the wetland core of Hudson. Over the next two days they would trek 30 miles through the heartland of the Vaudreuil Soulanges region all the way across the St-Lazare plateau, over Mont Rigaud and down into Rigaud town. With picture-perfect weather behind them, they would experience the beauty, serenity and bio-diversity of one of Quebec's most picturesque regions. They would pass through an 8,000 year old peat bog, rub shoulders with an old-growth hemlock and beech forest, pass through the alpine splendor of  St-Lazare's beautiful conservation area "La Pinière," cross the fast-flowing Riviere Raquette, gaze at the European village beauty of the Ste. Marthe countryside, climb to the top and connect with Rigaud's impressive Escapade trail network and descend into Rigaud town just in time to join the party at the Festival des Colours. This is their story. Gary Dover will review the events leading up to and including this two day trek as well as provide a wide-ranging slide show of over 120 photos, showing the lush and vibrant eco-corridors.


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February Meeting. The Story of the Dragon Munitions Factory 1907-1917

Dragon 2008: Present day view of DragonDragon 2008: Present day view of Dragon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture shows a tranquil scene where the meandering Rivière Raquette crosses Route 342 a mile east of Rigaud. But on a Saturday morning in August 1917 it was far from peaceful. It was hell on earth when the wartime munitions factory of the Curtis and Harvey Company disappeared in a series of explosions as workers and residents fled the scene among showers of flaming debris.

At our meeting on February 9th, Martin Hofton will talk about the various types of explosives which were made there, the history of the Curtis and Harvey Company and the events surrounding three explosions during the Company's ten year occupation of the site.

The meeting will be at 7:30 pm at St. James's Hall. See you there! Dragon Explosion (1917)Dragon Explosion (1917)


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Dragon 2008

Dragon 2008

Present day view of Dragon


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The Museum is Open!!

  

The new Hudson Museum and Tourist Information Centre opened its doors to coincide with the Hudson Street Fair on August 1 2009.  By means of old photos, artifacts and video screenings. the Museum presents a lively overview of our Town's history.

It will also function as a Tourist Information Centre where visitors will be able to  find directions to our wonderful hiking trails, Sandy Beach, the Greenwood Centre for Living History and other interesting local attractions. We hope in time to accumulate more artifacts and historical information about Hudson and the immediate surrounding communities of St Lazare, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Rigaud and Ste Marthe to make this small museum an integral addition to this amazing community. 

If you have any artifacts that you would be willing to donate or loan to the Museum for its display, please contact us via this link.

Please note that we have not yet established our regular opening hours, so please refer back to this site for more information.


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New Home of the Hudson Historical Society

New Home of the Hudson Historical Society

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Members of the Executive Committee

Updated May 2017 

PRESIDENT (past, but standing) Paul Laflamme

1st. VICE PRESIDENT                      Marilyn Donaldson


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Last Meeting Monday November 10 2008 at 7:30 pm

St. James Anglican Church, 642 Main Road, Hudson

"BLOODY VICTORY"
New WWII Documentary
Produced by St.Lazare Historian David O’Keefe<!--break-->
David O’Keefe has presented two documentaries on the Normandy invasion to the Hudson Historical Society. The first, Black Watch: Massacre at Verrières Ridge, tells the story of the ill fated (or ill advised) raid on Verrières Ridge. The second, Bloody Normandy tells the story of Canadian infantrymen during the last year of the Second World War.


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March 12, 2007 Meeting: "That Was Then" by Thelma McCourt

7.30pm, St. James Anglican Church, 642 Main Road, Hudson

One of the most popular features in the Hudson/St. Lazare Gazette is the That Was Then photograph adorning the editorial page. Astute readers will recall that over the years Thelma McCourt has furnished many of these photographs. Thelma McCourt, a lifelong resident of Hudson, has amassed a considerable collection of pictures of this area taken by herself, her relatives and neighbours. She also has an interesting visual record of her great-great-great-grandfather James Day, born in 1768 on the Isle of Wight off the southern coast of England.


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Website updates

We have just finished updating the HHS website to a new version of the content management system (CMS) that we use to run this website. We have recently been having some problems with spammers trying to gain access to the website by creating accounts or sending emails via the contact form. This new version allows us to add in some extra security in an attempt to block these people. We have also banned certain IP address from accessing this website altogether. Most are in the Ukraine, so if you know anyone there that wants to access the site, let us know.


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