Courtemelon
Origin of the name Courtemelon
The origin of the name has not yet been explained, and no dated early mention is known.
Founding of Courtemelon
Early Iron Age pottery shows that the place was already frequented, but no early foundation is known. Today's Courtemelon, a locality of the municipality of Courtételle between Delémont and Courtételle, arose from a political choice. The Jura agricultural school, housed in Porrentruy castle, lacked land for practical work. The Bernese Grand Council therefore decided to establish it at Courtemelon, where the Bernese government bought an estate.[1][2][3]
History of Courtemelon
early Iron Age. Pottery is left on the site, where it has since been found.[1]
1821-1822. Construction of the Delémont-Courtemelon-Courtételle road.[3]
1897. The agricultural school of the Jura opens in the castle of Porrentruy.[2]
1921. On 16 November the Bernese Grand Council decides to establish the agricultural school at Courtemelon.[3]
1923. The Bernese government buys an estate at Courtemelon. The Grand Council ratifies the purchase on 3 November.[3]
1927. The École cantonale d'agriculture du Jura opens at Courtemelon on 17 May. It is inaugurated on 17 November.[1][2][3]
1928. A home economics school opens at Courtemelon in the spring.[2]
1929. Fire at the school on 12 February.[3]
1939. The school is requisitioned as a military hospital during the war.[3]
1959. Fire in the cowsheds on 23 July.[3]
1968. The home economics school gets its own buildings, inaugurated on 21 February 1969.[2][3]
1975. Fire in the farm building, rebuilt thanks to a credit voted in 1976.[3]
1989. The school becomes the Institut agricole du Jura.[1][2]
1994. On 6 December the old school buildings are entered in the catalogue of protected historic sites.[3]
1996. Discovery of a Bronze Age necropolis.[3]
2004. On 1 August the Institute joins the Centre de formation et de vulgarisation agricole du Jura bernois and the associations of rural study groups to create the Fondation rurale interjurassienne (FRI).[2]
2005. On 1 January the FRI takes over the management, under Olivier Girardin.[2]
Historic sites in Courtemelon
Agricultural school buildings. Buildings erected in 1926-1927 for the École cantonale d'agriculture du Jura, opened in 1927. The old school buildings have been listed since 1994 in the catalogue of protected historic sites. Today they house the Fondation rurale interjurassienne.[3]
Remains in Courtemelon
Early Iron Age pottery. Pottery fragments from the early Iron Age found at Courtemelon, evidence of human presence long before the school.[1]
Bronze Age necropolis. Bronze Age necropolis reported as discovered in 1996.[3]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Courtételle » (François Kohler)
- Dictionnaire du Jura, « Institut agricole du Jura » (Emma Chatelain)
- Chronologie jurassienne, « Courtemelon »
- Statistique Jura, tableau JU-T.01.01.03, population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025
- geo.admin.ch (swisstopo), recherche de lieux « Courtemelon »
Other villages near Courtemelon
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