Haut-Saint-François
Wander the scenic roads and highlands bordering the St. Francis River and enjoy their many exceptional viewpoints. Immerse yourself in the history of our built heritage as you admire our covered bridges, churches, and ancestral homes.
Discover tangible signs of the rich heritage left by the American, British, Scottish, and Irish pioneers who settled in the townships of Bury, Dudswell, Eaton, and Lingwick beginning in 1800. The cohabitation of peoples of various origins has left a legacy of cultural richness with a Scottish cachet in the hearts of the villages along this stretch of the Townships Trail.
Cookshire-Eaton (Eaton Corner)
374, route 253, Cookshire-Eaton J0B 1M0 819 875-5256 Website
The Eaton Corner heritage site is a must-see for history buffs. Established in the 19th century, this area is home to a former Congregationalist church (1840-1841) and academy (1864), both classified as heritage buildings, as well as residences dating from the 1820s to 1860s. These wood-and-brick buildings reflect the typical architecture of the period, with their gable roofs. Located in the village of Eaton Corner, Cookshire-Eaton, this site offers an immersion in the history and architecture of the region, while retaining its picturesque charm. An ideal stopover for heritage enthusiasts!
Cookshire-Eaton
85, rue du Parc, Cookshire-Eaton J0B 1M0 819 560-8585 Website
The Town of Cookshire-Eaton was established following the 2002 merger of the Town of Cookshire with the Municipality of Eaton. Scenic roads cross through its 567 km2 taking travelers through rural communities to discover many interesting sites. Among them is Cookshire, founded by Loyalists, on a route long traveled by the Abenaki who had maintained seasonal camps in the area.
Cookshire was named for Captain John Cook, who, in 1795, was the first settler to acquire land. Today, agriculture and forestry predominate. Several buildings have been designated historic monuments.
Bury
528, rue Main, Bury J0B 1J0 819 560-8414 Website
The Municipality of Bury is home to a number of houses that reflect a former era and another culture, that of the families who immigrated to the Township of Bury in 1836, prior to founding the municipality of the same name in 1855. Of modest means, the ancestors of Bury residents came from the rural regions of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Kent in England. After 1837, a few Gaelic families from the Isle of Lewis and Lochbroom settled in the area. They made their living from farming and forestry, as do their descendants today.
Dudswell
167, rue Main, Bishopton (Dudswell) J0B 1G0 819 560-8484 Website
Dudswell was founded as a township by John Bishop’s family in about 1865 and established as a municipality in 1895. It encompasses Bishopton (1912) and Marbleton (1895), the latter chosen in 2001 to be part of the Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec network. Both are nestled in the valley of a vast, mountainous area. The rapid evolution of the limestone industry led to development in the Township of Dudswell, attracting French Canadians.
Eva-Tanguay Park
900, rue du Lac, Marbleton (Dudswell) J0B 1G0 819 560-8484 Website
After the Maison de la culture was demolished in June 2020, the municipality decided to make this new public space all about nature, taking steps to naturalize and revegetate the shorelines. Now, it’s the perfect place to relax and soak up the scenery or even take in a spot of fishing. The panoramic sheds circuit uses architectural features to celebrate the landscapes of the Haut-Saint-François region, and one of its highlights is the Dudswell shed, which offers a stunning vista of Lac Adolphe and the hill on the horizon. The walls are hung with interpretation panels and artwork that pay tribute to legendary artist Éva Tanguay.
Éva Tanguay was born in Dudswell in 1878. Her parents emigrated to the United States when she was just four years old. She emerged on the scene as a singer and a theatre actor, and by 1904, had become a household name in the United States and a star attraction in major European cities. At the height of her career, no other artist in the world was more widely imitated—or higher paid.
Eaton corner Musuem
374, route 253, Cookshire-Eaton (Eaton Corner) J0B 1M0 819 875-5256 Email Website
Temporarily closed for the season
The Eaton Corner Museum, a seasonal Museum, is located in the historic village of Eaton Corner. Come explore our permanent exhibit "A Tale of the Townships" in the Church building and our reserve collections in the Academy depicting life and work on the homestead, in the village, and in school, in the late 1800's to early 1900's. Many Eastern Townships family genealogy records are available for research.
Lime Ridge House
191, rue Principale Est, Marbleton (Dudswell) J0B 1G0 819 560-8484, p. 2700 Email Website
Limestone exploitation has been practiced for a very long time in Dudswell.
Although the Lime Interpretation Center had to close in 2018, the Miner's Gardens around the Lime Ridge house still remain in place and provide an opportunity to learn more about the history of lime in Dudswell.
Louis-Emile-Beauregard collection
191, rue Principale Est, Marbleton (Dudswell) J0B 1G0 819 887-1021 Email Website
The Louis-Émile-Beauregard collection includes 64 miniature works carved in wood. Born in Dudswell, Quebec, Louis-Émile Beauregard began his model collection at the age of 55, depicting scenes of rural life from the 1920s to the 1940s. The artist spends between 40 and 500 hours designing each one.
Visitors can discover these works from June to Labor Day, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on public holidays.
Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery
125, rue Principale ouest , Cookshire-Eaton J0B1M0 819-578-4383 Email Website
The Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery offers, from April to December, a program of exhibitions of works by contemporary, mid-career or established artists working in the field of visual arts, mainly in painting, sculpture and photography, on a heritage and cultural site in the Eastern Townships.
Circuit des sheds panoramiques
, Cookshire-Eaton Email Website
The Circuit des sheds panoramiques is a course currently featuring nine sheds or pavilions, distributed across the Haut-Saint-François territory and situated in select locations to take in the region’s most beautiful scenery. Let us guide you through our region, where each shed tells a unique story, while letting you gaze at the beauty of our valleys, mountains, and rivers.
Explanations mostly in French.
Maison de la culture John-Henry-Pope
25, rue Principale Est, Cookshire-Eaton J0B 1M0 1 (873) 825-7003 Email Website
The Maison de la culture John-Henry-Pope is located in the former Anglican presbytery, in the heart of the village of Cookshire-Eaton. During the summer period, it houses the tourist information office. The Maison de la culture offers a visit to the John-Henry-Pope exhibition in the St-Peters Anglican Church.
85, avenue du Parc, Cookshire-Eaton J0B 1M0 Website
Saison 2024 : du 20 juin au 7 septembre, les jeudis, vendredis et samedis.
"Les murmures du canton" is a video projection animation presented on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays on the walls of Victoria Hall, St-Peters Church and the English School. This production of The Unknown in the Dark with the Maison de la culture John-Henry-Pope is a free artistic interpretation of the history of Eaton Township and the surrounding area. It explores the presence of the Abenakis, colonization by different populations as well as the territory.
Free activity.
BaladoDiscovery
85 Av. du Parc, Cookshire-Eaton Website
Timothy, the old wanderer who hears the voices of the past, invites you to discover the beginnings of Cookshire-Eaton and the buildings that are found along the route. All he asks of you is a little piece of your ear to put his stories in!
Throughout your ride, the interactive map of the locations offers you, on your cell phone, historical multimedia information in addition to indicating your position by GPS throughout the course.
The Scottish Trail
891, chemin Gisla, Val-Racine G0Y 1E1 819.200.3425 Email Website
Discover the cemeteries and remains of the first Scottish settlers to the Eastern Townships over 150 years ago. As you walk along the Sentier des Écossais, you'll follow in the footsteps of the generations who passed on memories and customs of their native Scotland to succeeding generations. Part of the route is on foot, and part is accessible by car, motorcycle or all-terrain vehicle.
Listen to the Sentier des Écossais podcast (not available in english) for more information along the way.
79, chemin Victoria Ouest, Scotstown J0B 3B0 Website
In four self-guided tours (french only), discover Scotstown, a town rich in history where many buildings bear witness to typical 19th-century Eastern Townships architecture. A former stronghold of Scottish settlers, this charming village founded in 1892 has proudly preserved legacies of its distinctive history. To discover it, four themes are offered:
▸ Remnants of Scotstown's industrial heartland past
▸ The economic heart of the Scotstown of yesteryear
▸ La Côte-du-Rond, the town hall and heart of the elite of yesteryear
▸ Historic tour of the bourgeois heart of Scotstown
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