Saint-Joseph

History of the Municipality of SAINT JOSEPH

A Long Battle

The struggle for Saint-Joseph to become a commune was no small feat!

It all began when the private council of the colony decided in 1842 to build a chapel in Lamentin. Located in the northern part of Lamentin, in a territory known as "la Chapelle," this building would be the first of the future commune of Saint-Joseph!

Named Rivière-Blanche due to its location between this river and the Lézarde River, it depended on Lamentin.

From then on, La Chapelle became a gathering point for the entire surrounding population.

The residents decided to develop the area and build houses.

Shortly afterward, La Chapelle became a parish with the appointment of a priest.

Work was carried out to expand it to accommodate the growing number of worshipers.

The parish then took on the appearance of a small town.

Other structures were created, such as a free boys' school run by the Brothers of Ploërmel.

In 1863 and then in 1866, a nursery was respectively created for boys and another for girls on the Charlery estate.

But a problem remained: Rivière Blanche was not a suitable place for the development of a strong community.

The authorities therefore wanted to move the parish and took advantage of the deterioration of the Church to order its closure in 1874.

The disgruntled residents still moved a few kilometers south to a place called La Rosière.

Quite quickly, they decided to move 3km north of La Rosière.

Father Benoît Justin, also known as Maillard Eugène, decided to name this new parish "Saint-Joseph."

The new goal for Saint-Joseph was to become a commune!

This battle between the former residents of Rivière Blanche and the colonial administration officially began in 1862.

The former residents emphasized:

• The geographical distance of their parish from the administrations
• The number of inhabitants living in the territory, which was 2400
• The need to have a special deputy in charge of civil status on-site
• The existence of a chapel, a cemetery, a presbytery, a school, and a gendarmerie barracks within their parish.

The Attorney General, a member of the private council, did not see things the same way.

Furthermore, the Church, in disrepair, could no longer accommodate its worshipers.

He therefore made the decision to close it.

Abbé Maillard was undeterred!

His parish would become a commune.

He even had a large statue of "Saint-Joseph," the patron saint of the town, installed between two palm trees on a hill overlooking the town.

The parish officially took the name of the saint in 1888, once it was freed from the administrative and financial control of Lamentin.

In 1879, it was the turn of the Church of La Rosière to close its doors.

But that was without counting on the determination of the new priest, Abbé Lambolez, who, with teams of volunteers of all ages, would breathe new life into this old building.

Day and night, parishioners worked enthusiastically on the restoration of their church.

Then, on April 19, 1888, following the promulgation of the law of March 24 of the same year, Saint-Joseph was established as a commune!

URBANISM

As a member of CACEM, the commune of Saint-Joseph Martinique is part of the island's central transport network: Martinique Transport (formerly Mozaik).

Saint-Joseph can be reached via the D15 and D15B from the north and the 13A and 57 from the south.

GEOGRAPHY of this Central Island Municipality

From City to Countryside

Saint Joseph Martinique covers an area of 43.29 square kilometers and is home to 16,494 people.

Located in the center of Martinique, atop a hill, Saint-Joseph is surrounded by Fort-de-France to the west, Le Lamentin to the south, Fond-Saint-Denis to the extreme north, and Le Gros-Morne to the east.

The municipality, with its 17 districts, enjoys a dual climate due to its central location on the island. In the north, it is more humid with a mountainous landscape, while in the south, it is drier with flatter terrain.

POLITICS

Unwavering Dedication!

Mayor Yan Montplaisir has held his position for over 30 years with unwavering dedication.

Born in Schoelcher and an adopted resident of Saint-Joseph, he wholeheartedly devotes himself to the well-being and interests of this municipality.

YOUTH

The municipality of Saint-Joseph has 11 educational institutions from Nursery to Middle School:

• 1 nursery school
• 9 primary schools
• 1 middle school

The town does not have a high school but is part of the Lamentin district, where a large number of high schools, including general, technical, and vocational, can be found.

Did you know? The town is the hometown of international basketball player Sandrine Gruda, among many others. To honor them, a mural was created in the town center featuring all its champions.

CULTURE

What to Do in Saint-Joseph, Day and Night?

Nature Escape

Although it doesn't have beaches, Saint-Joseph is a municipality where activities abound, especially when it comes to communing with nature!

• Picnic by the Rivière-Blanche
• Swimming at Cœur Bouliki
• Walking on the Rabuchon trail
• Hiking on "La route des gués"
• Discovery hikes
• The Lourdes cave
• Day at the Rivière-Blanche estate (mountain biking, 4X4, hiking, seasonal product tastings)
• The Centenary Garden

The History of Saint-Joseph Through Stone

In terms of architecture, whether it's religious or cultural monuments, Martinique's history has left us with traces of the past.

In the category of religious monuments, you can find in Saint-Joseph:

• Saint-Joseph Church

In the category of museums and monuments, you can find in Saint-Joseph:

• The Jubilee Tower
• The Stele (dedicated to the plane crash on August 16, 2005)
• The War Memorial

IN SUMMARY

Although ideally located, the municipality of Saint-Joseph is often underrated.

Yet, it has managed to turn what seemed like a disadvantage to its advantage.

The watchword for the city is "green tourism," and it's safe to say that it is making every effort to achieve this.

At the crossroads of the city and the countryside, Saint-Joseph is a municipality whose resources must still be preserved in order to continue enjoying them.