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ABSTRACT
The arrival of the railroad, the construction of the Paton complex and the electrification in the 19th century ushered Sherbrooke into the industrial era. However, difficult economic trends and dwindling industrial activity throughout the 20th century have made the industrial building, industrial sites and even the purpose of the city obsolete. The gradual disappearance of the vestiges of the period challenges our understanding of the phenomena.
Using fire insurance plans as a historical source is nothing new for historians. Moreover, the rectification of the plans over a GIS platform can shed new light on Sherbrooke's industrialization and the contemporaneity of certain buildings.
RÉSUMÉ
L'arrivée du ehemin de fer, ľ implantation de la Paton et ľelectrification au XIXе siecle ont poussé Sherbrooke vers son industrialisation. Cependant, les nombreux cycles économiques difficiles et la cessation des activités industrielles tout au long du XXe siecle ont rendu obsolete le bâtiment industriel, les aires a vocations industrielles et meme la vocation de cette ville. La disparition progressive des vestiges de cette période remet en question notre compréhension de ce phénomene.
L'utilisation des plans d'assurance-incendie comme source historique n'est rien de nouveau pour les historiens. Pourtant, la rectification de ces plans sur une plateforme SIG peut apporter une nouvelle lumiere sur l'industrialisation de Sherbrooke et la contemporanéité de certains bâtiments.
INTRODUCTION
A quick hike through downtown Sherbrooke gives us a glimpse of iconic industrial sites, but doesn't help us understand the transformation of the landscape. In fact, most of the sites have been transformed and have long lost their primary purpose. Moreover, some zones experienced urban densiñcation while some lots are still unoccupied today. Squatting, the abandonment of industrial activities and mass closures occurred only 20 years ago.
Sherbrooke played an important role during industrialisation. By the 1930s, the town was densely populated with a diversified economy, but began to decline, slowed temporarily by the outbreak of World War II. The city's industrial base crumbled over several rounds of closures, the last phase of which lasted from 1985 to 1995. During this time, the businesses that made Sherbrooke world-renowned mostly ceased operating. Even with the importance of the industrial spaces in the landscape, few seem to be interested in studying the period.
Jean-Pierre Kesteman recognized the fact and...