Exhibits

<strong>INKWELL AND NIB PENS.</strong> These were used by students at their desks when paper was available. (Compton County Museum Collection / Photo - Jackie Hyman)
Early Education in Compton County

There was little time for educating their families when the first settlers arrived in Eaton in the early 1800s.

A nineteenth century blacksmith's shop. (Photo - Courtesy of LivingArchives.ca)
The Village Blacksmith: Mr. Everything

The first New England settlers arrived in what would become Eaton Corner in the late 18th century.

<strong>The Cape Cod style - </strong> This simple and charming style of house is a snug, 1.5 storey frame structure with a pitched roof. At first, fireplaces were the only source of heat, with the low winter sun adding warmth to the front rooms. The entrance would be on the side under the roof slope. A full Cape has a door in the centre flanked by two windows on either side, and was usually 30 x 40 ft. A three-quarter Cape has two windows on one side of the door and one on the other. <strong>The Alger Ho
Architectural Styles in Eaton Corner

Eaton Corner is one of the oldest settlements in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Settlement began in the 1790s.

In 1898, a Fenian Raid Medal was presented by the Canadian government to each defender in the Fenian Raids as an expression of gratitude for their bravery and duty. This medal was presented to Private H. H. Hastings, Philipsburg I. Co. 1866. (Missisquoi Historical Society Collections)
For the Sake of Ireland: The Fenian Raids of Missisquoi County 1866 & 1870

“With the reduction of Montreal, a demand will be made upon the United States for a formal recognition of Canada, whose name will be changed at once to New Ireland."

The laying of the cornerstone of the Haskell took place in 1901. The ceremony was presided over by Masons from both Canada and the United States, including Col. Haskell himself. Martha Haskell may be seen in this photograph, seated at the centre. Col. Haskell (wearing a bowler hat) is standing directly behind her. (Photo - Haskell Archives)
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House: A Century of History on the Canada-U.S. Border

The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, located in Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont, was constructed intentionally astride the boundary line separating Canada from the United States.

Items from Hodge's General Store, Stanbridge East, c.1930s-1940s. It is often assumed that our ancestors lived a very restricted life with few luxury goods. The Missisquoi ledgers confirm that customers bought apples, potatoes and turnips, rum, gun powder and tallow; but they could also buy velvet, expensive green tea and spices, port wine and brandy, a large variety of cloth including silk, scholarly books, window panes and even chocolate. (Missisquoi Historical Society Collections)
Missisquoi’s Mercantile Past: As Seen through Consumer Goods and Ledgers at the Missisquoi Museum

Business account books or ledgers from the 19th and early twentieth centuries are a valuable resource for the study of rural history.

The Ten Eyck Red coat, c.1770s. Loyalists like Andres Ten Eyck passed through or settled at "Missiskoui Bay" beginning in the 1780s. The Ten Eyck Red coat was brought to the Townships when Andres Ten Eyck settled in Dunham in 1794. (Missisquoi Historical Society Collections)
A New Life: The Settlement of the Eastern Townships

The conclusion of the American Revolution in 1783 brought forth profound changes to Quebec.

Tin cheese protector, c.1890. Cheese making was a laborious process carried out mainly by women in the household. Milk was heated on the stove and then poured into warm pans. Rennet was added to coagulate the milk to curds and whey. When the curds reached the right consistency, the whey was drained and the curds were mixed with salt. The salted curd was then placed into a cheese press to remove the remaining whey and to create a cheese. After a day in the press the cheese was allowed to age or rest in barr
All In A Day’s Work: The Domestic Working Life of Women in Missisquoi County

“Woman is a bit of a slave in this country”
The Journals of Anne Langton, 1839.

"The White House," Stanbridge East. Now a private residence, "the White House" is one of the oldest masonry structures in the village of Stanbridge East. It was built as a school house between 1812 and 1820 to replace a log cabin. In the 1820s, American President Chester A. Arthur's father taught in the school and, in 1831, it was the first meeting place of the Stanbridge Temperance Society. In 1837, just prior to the start of the Rebellions, Patriote leader Louis Joseph Papineau spoke to his fol
The Rebellion Comes to Missisquoi

The rise of the Patriote movement in the 1820s and 1830s was a crucial turning point in Quebec’s history.

Since 1959, the Compton County Museum in Eaton Corner has been housed in the former Congregational Church, built in 1841. (Photo - Matthew Farfan)
Compton County Museum: Transporting Visitors Back in Time in Eaton Corner

Compton County Museum’s large and unique collections transport the visitors back to everyday life in the early homesteads and villages of Eaton Corner and Compton County in the 1800s.

The Brome County Historical Society in Knowlton was founded in1897. It is the oldest historical society in the Eastern Townships. (Photo - Matthew Farfan)
Brome County Museum: 200 Years of History Under Several Rooves

Situated in the heart of beautiful Knowlton, the Brome County Museum is a must for anyone who fancies a glimpse of life in Brome County a century or two ago.

The Cornell Mill, seen here from the opposite bank of the Pike River, was built in 1830. It has been home to the Missisquoi Historical Society since 1964.
Missisquoi Museum And Historic Stanbridge East

The Missisquoi Museum is a highlight of any trip through Missisquoi County, and an excellent starting point for a walking tour around the picturesque village of Stanbridge East.