Forges du Saint-Maurice ("St. Maurice Ironworks"), just outside of
Trois-Rivières,
Quebec, is one of
Canada's national historic sites, and birthplace of the country's iron industry.
Forges du Saint-Maurice was created on
25 March 1730, the second company (after the failure of the first) granted a
monopoly to employ the iron ore deposits at Trois-Rivières.
The forge started working in
1738[Miquelon, p.817.] and remained in virtually continuous operation until closing. It employed about 100 craftsmen (most originally from
Burgundy)
and 300-400 labourers
in production of
forged and molded iron products, including pots, pans, and stoves. Director
F. E. Cugnet went bankrupt in
1742,
leading to a state takeover
and handover to Britain after the
Treaty of Paris.
In 1747, the company experimented unsuccessfully with cannon making and steel production.
From 1738 into the mid-1830s, the Forges were "the most technologically advanced ironworks in America",
but had become the oldest operating
blast furnace in
North America, and far out of date,
by the time it shut down for good in March 1883.
In 1973, Forges du Saint-Maurice became a national historic park. Archaeological research there continues.