Eugène-Étienne Taché

Eugène-Étienne Taché, born on October twenty-fifth, eighteen thirty-six, was a prominent French Canadian architect, painter, and civil engineer. He was the son of Étienne-Paschal Taché, a cabinet minister and future premier, which afforded him a diverse and extensive education across various locations, including the Petit Séminaire de Québec and Upper Canada College in Toronto.

In eighteen fifty-six, Taché embarked on a three-year course in surveying, honing his skills under the tutelage of notable figures such as Frederick Preston Rubidge, Walter Shanly, and Charles Baillairgé. By eighteen sixty-one, he had joined the Department of Crown Lands, and in eighteen sixty-nine, he ascended to the role of assistant commissioner of Crown Lands for Quebec, a position he held until his passing.

Despite not having formal training in architecture, Taché's passion for the field led him to extensive self-study through books and journals. His architectural legacy includes the design of the second-Empire style Parliament Building in Quebec City, which he worked on from spring eighteen seventy-six to eighteen eighty-seven. He also contributed to the design of a new courthouse and various other structures, including a monastery.

In addition to his architectural achievements, Taché is renowned for devising Quebec's provincial coat-of-arms and the motto Je me souviens, meaning 'I remember.' His contributions to the province were recognized in nineteen hundred and three when he was made a Companion of the Imperial Service Order. Eugène-Étienne Taché passed away in Quebec City, leaving behind a lasting legacy.