You are now at the heart of the ancestral village of Portneuf, which was once called the Fort. The area features a series of 19th-century houses grouped very tightly together. The appearance of these buildings, most of which have been renovated, hide a history that astute observers may be able to note by paying close attention to the foundations. The foundations with irregular stones, called rubble stone, are good indicators of the houses’ old age.
If you look closely at our surroundings, you will notice that a vital village element is missing: a church! It wasn’t until the creation of the parish of Portneuf in 1861 that a place of worship was built in the village, on the other side of the river. The lack of a church at the time can be explained by the fact that residents would go to services in Cap-Santé or Deschambault, as the current territory of Portneuf was divided into multiple parishes. This link with Cap-Santé is also apparent due to the fact that some of the oldest houses in Portneuf are found to the east, about a kilometre from where you are now, as the colonists came from the direction of Cap-Santé.
Thus, the first town centre was made up of a dense collection of houses, but it also included a school, businesses and, at one time, the manor of the barony. The old school still stands today: the massive rectangular wooden building found at number 165. Built in 1872, it holds four classrooms. It was constructed as a replacement for the first school built in 1817, which only had one classroom. The original school building still stands, further down 1re Avenue at number 72. These government-funded schools were not the only sources of education for young residents of Portneuf. Several dissident schools were built by minority groups, especially Anglicans. These schools allowed for children to be educated according to their own religion, rather than according to the Catholic doctrine that was common in so-called “public” schools.
Now, make your way towards the Jacques-Leneuf bridge by continuing down 1re Avenue.
