Maison Jacob Oldham

The Maison Jacob Oldham is one of the oldest houses in Vieux-Terrebonne. Built in 1805, it served as a store or warehouse for a few years for the North West Company, for Jacob Oldham's company, and for members of the Mackenzie family.

In 1805, Jacob Oldham barters his land to builder Joseph Augé. In exchange for the land, Oldham requires the builder to raise a house to very precise specifications. It has to be of the exact same size as the store owned by his brother, Pierre Augé, then located where Collège Saint-Sacrement is today. The size, height and frame had to be identical. John Mackenzie, Jacob Oldham's son-in-law, inherited the house when he died. The Terrebonne post office then stands there between 1823 and 1881. In the twentieth century, it becomes the meeting hall of Club de Terrebonne, followed by the offices of Dr. Lacroix and now the offices of sexologist Alain Gariépy.

Observe the large building on the other side of the street, the one facing the Maison Jacob Oldham.

WHY WAS THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTED IN 1882-1883?

CHOICES
1) To open a new school for boys.
2) It was a guest house for Madame Masson’s numerous visitors.
3) To open a new convent to replace the old Notre-Dame convent.
4) To house an orphanage and hospital.

3) To open a new convent to replace the old Notre-Dame Convent.

In 1882, the convent near the river is at full capacity and new submissions are in a constant rise. The time has come to choose between expanding and building a new convent. The second option is decided upon and the former convent is given to the Clerics of Saint-Viateur to convert it to a school for boys. The school had been in operation for only four years before being destroyed by fire on December 6th, 1887.

The location chosen for the new convent, the one located in front of you and  named the Convent Marguerite-Bourgeois, was ideal as it is located right next to the church. To make this possible, Seigneuresse Masson gave another part of her land to Father Piché (she had done this before for the church construction). The nuns of the Congregation Notre-Dame occupied the monastery until 1974. Two years later, the Manoir School Board established their headquarters within its walls and today it houses the educational services of Des Affluents School Board.