Richer - Côteau des chênes: Marker #5

SEE GOOGLE MAP LOCATION:

From Lake Riviera, continue eastward on Dawson Road #207 and remain on it for 7 kilometers (do not turn north where signs reroute #207 along the Trans-Canada, just remain on the rural paved road).

After this point the road is just called "Dawson Road" not Hwy #207 anymore. You will arrive at Richer.

On your right you will see the Richer Young at Hearts Club - the marker is located in front of the building.

Richer: Côteau des chênes

Richer, aka Côteau à Cheval (Horse Ridge) / Thibaultville / Côteau des chênes (Little Oak Ridge)

    “The village of Richer, then called Thibaultville, was built on a gravel ridge. Prior to M. Giroux’s regular visit to the settlers of this region, one would commonly say “on va au côteau” meaning “we are going to the ridge” in referencing this area. M. Giroux baptized the ridge “Thibaultville” in memory of the parish pastor who had spent many months with local lumberjacks in the forests of this region, harvesting the wood needed to construct the new cathedral at St. Boniface.

    "The “little oak ridge”, as it was called in the early 1900s, referred to an oak ridge that could be observed at the “Champagnes”, a local pioneer family. Within ¾ of a mille from the church, one could find the old school where the first mass is said to have been held. Mr. Lucien Pattyn was the first child baptized within the walls of this school on August 12, 1901.”

Pierrette Sherwood, local resident

Located about 40 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg, the village of Richer has a history that is intimately linked to that of its neighbouring parish of Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes. As in the case of Sainte-Anne, what attracted the first settlers to the area, which was then called Côteau-de-Chênes, was the woods. The region is rich in small game and in firewood and construction wood. In fact, during the winters of 1861 and 1862, many lumbermen came here to gather the wood needed to build the third St. Boniface Cathedral. These lumbermen were accompanied by missionary Jean-Baptiste Thibault, who is said to have celebrated the first mass in the region.

The construction of the Dawson Road in 1869 encouraged the arrival of settlers in Côteau-de-Chênes who joined the Métis inhabitants who had been living in the region for several years. The Catholic population was then served by the priests who resided in Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes. In addition, it was around the 1890s that several families immigrated from France to settle in Thibaultville. In 1895, many families were already established on both sides of Dawson Road, including the Lemire, Vandal, Hupé, d'Hellencourt, Nault, Bossé, Godard, Mercier, Pattyn, Harisson and Renaud families.

    “This road plays an essential role in the development of Richer since it brings not only settlers but also customers for its businesses.”

Anonymous member of the Société historique de Saint-Boniface

Source: Anonymous member of the Société historique de Saint-Boniface. (1902, Oct 15). Les Cloches de Saint-Boniface, volume 1, numéro 14 (P.352-356). Retrieved June 27, 2020 from https://shsb.mb.ca/Sainte-Anne/PDF/Route-Dawson

Jean-Baptiste Thibault (Thibaud, Thebo). He arrived at Saint-Boniface in June, 1833, and began to study the Cree and Saulteux languages. On 8 September he was ordained priest by Bishop Joseph-Norbert Provencher*. As a missionary, Thibault opened up the way to the west and north in America; as a government emissary, he defended the interests of those whom he was supposed to appease. He then became Vicar General of the Diocese of St. Boniface. In 1872, he returned to the East where he died on April 4, 1879. Archives de la Société historique de Saint Boniface, HSBS General Collection, HSBS 56. Retrieved June 30, 2020 from http://shsb.mb.ca/Richer/Jean-Baptiste_Thibault Collection générale de la SHSB 566

Sawmill of the (Charles) Saindon family in the vicinity of Richer around 1930. For many years, the forestry industry remained the main economic activity in the community of Richer. There were therefore many sawmills in operation in the area. But excessive logging caused the forest to disappear and many residents had to leave Richer to settle on better land or in the towns. Source: Archives of the St. Boniface Historical Society, Fonds Paroisse de l'Enfant-Jésus de Richer, SHSB 8910. Retrieved June 30, 2020 from http://shsb.mb.ca/Richer/Moulin_a_scie_Saindon_1930_SHSB8910

Photograph of Richer's small parish hall taken around 1935. This building was first used as a chapel before being converted into a parish hall when a new church was built. Source: Archives of the St. Boniface Historical Society, HSBS General Collection, HSBS 16436. Retrieved June 30, 2020 from http://shsb.mb.ca/Richer/Salle_paroissiale_1935_SHSB16436

Cheese factory and corner store in 1930 located on Dawson Road in Richer. The road, on which most immigrants travelling westward travelled, attracted many customers to the businesses in Richer. Source: Archives of the St. Boniface Historical Society, Fonds Paroisse de l'Enfant-Jésus de Richer, SHSB 8891. Retrieved June 30, 2020 from http://shsb.mb.ca/Richer/Fromagerie_magasin_1930_SHSB8891

Photograph of the village of Richer in 1930 and the Dawson Road that runs through the village. You can also see how rocky the land is and how unsuitable it is for farming. Source: Archives of the Historical Society of Saint Boniface, Fonds Paroisse de l'Enfant-Jésus de Richer, SHSB 8971. Retrieved June 30, 2020 from http://shsb.mb.ca/Richer/Richer_et_chemin_Dawson_1930_SHSB8971

Tauffenbach children circa 1875 near Thibeaultville (aka Richer). Mr. Tauffenbach was a well-known painter and decorator in the area. Isabelle, Jean-Baptiste and Thérèse Tauffenbach, children of Constantin Nicholas Tauffenbach, painter, and Anne-Marie Ponzen, circa 1875. Originally from Alsace-Lorraine, the Tauffenbach family emigrated to Canada after the Franco-Prussian War and settled in the vicinity of Thibaultville (Richer) in 1882 after a stay in Montreal. A talented painter-decorator, Constantin Tauffenbach painted many commissioned portraits and decorated churches in Franco-Manitoban parishes, notably Lorette and Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes, as well as the ceiling of the Bon Secours chapel in Saint-Norbert at the end of the 19th century. Source: Archives of the Historical Society of Saint Boniface, HSBS General Collection, HSBS 228. Retrieved June 30, 2020 from http://shsb.mb.ca/Famille_Tauffenbach_1875_SHSB228

École Rouge of Richer. Classe of Mr. St Pierre. Source: Archives de la Société historique de Saint-Boniface, Fonds Paroisse de l’Enfant-Jésus de Richer, SHSB 8802. Retrieved June 30, 2020 from http://shsb.mb.ca/Richer/Ecole_Rouge_SHSB8802

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