Photograph of James Franceeschini riding his Palomino quarter horse, Mt. Tremblant, 1943

Black and white photograph of James Franceschini on one of his early Palomino quarter horses in Mt. Tremblant, QC, 1943.

James is wearing a peaked hat, a jacket, riding pants, and riding boots. He is shown in semi-profile mounted on his horse. There is a mound of rubble in the near background and the vast mountainous landscape in the far background.

James arrived in Canada in 1906. By 1912, he had founded Dufferin Construction and became well known nationally. As the company became increasingly more successful, James was able to move into the construction of highways, provincial roads, rail lines and suburbs. Within three years – at the age of 25 – James became a millionaire.

On June 10, 1940, he was arrested and interned as a threat to the Canadian state.