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Saint-Denis, Quebec, incorporated in 1903, population 1,048 (2021 census), 985 (2016 census). Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu is located on the Richelieu River, 30 km northwest of Saint-Hyacinthe.
History
Saint-Denis took its name from the Saint-Denis seigneury, granted in 1694 to Louis de Gannes, Sieur de Falaise, and named in honour of his wife, Barbe Denis.
In the early 19th century Saint-Denis was a major centre for grain shipments to Quebec City. It also had business dealings with Montreal and was the fastest-developing centre in the lower Richelieu region. It was home to Canada's largest hat-making industry as well as to several craft and pottery workshops.
During the Rebellions of 1837–38, Saint-Denis became a centre for the Patriotes who fought against and forced the retreat of Colonel Charles Gore's troops. In retaliation, the village was burned (see Battle of Saint-Denis).
The development of the railway and the automobile caused Saint-Denis to decline as a commercial centre and become the centre of a thriving dairy industry.
