Local History

O Canada! Our home and native land
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise
The True North strong and free!

As of January 2002, the independent municipality of Bromptonville (formerly Brompton Falls) became Brompton, District #1 of the City of Sherbrooke. Bromptonville has joined other area towns as "boroughs" of Greater Sherbrooke. Lennoxville, Rock Forest, Fleurimont, Deauville, Saint-Élie-d'Orford, Stoke, and Ascot have all gone the same way.

Remnants of our past are everywhere. The same is true of our early one-room schoolhouses. Many of these unpretentious little buildings are still visible at crossroads throughout the Townships, testifying to an era when the neighbourhood schoolhouse was the place to send one's children.

The year was 1942. A village mechanic awoke from a vivid dream, a dream that would eventually have international repercussions. It has now been more than half a century since Joseph-Armand Bombardier realized his dream and patented the first tracked vehicle, the B7, and formed L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée.

Like most kids, when I was growing up, I enjoyed reading Peanuts, especially the adventures of Snoopy and the Red Baron, which were based on the German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen and his World War I exploits. It's funny how something from your childhood you had forgotten can suddenly come back to life.

Hector Macdonald (right) was reputed to be “ Canada’s largest St. Bernard.” So, at least, declared this eye-catching business card, published after the dog’s death in 1907.

It's rare that a golf course attracts visitors just for the view. Dufferin Heights Country Club, at 1500 feet (457 metres), is one such course. Indeed, Dufferin Heights is considered one of the most beautiful golf courses "found anywhere,"(1) and one of the jewels of the Eastern Townships.

La direction du domaine de 200 acres a accordé la permission au représentant du Reflet du Lac d'y effectuer une petite visite en compagnie de l'historien Jacques Boisvert. La condition : ne dévoiler aucun nom des membres, ni de prendre des photos des 44 charmantes et luxueuses résidences érigées en bordure du lac.

La navigation de plaisance s'est avérée un passe-temps estival populaire depuis des générations. Les Victoriens et Edwardiens étaient particulièrement entichés de leurs bateaux. Skiffs, bateaux de plaisance, bateaux à vapeur et yachts de toutes dimensions affichaient les symboles estivaux de richesse et de statut.

Cet article, veut souligner le fait que Paquetteville est toujours présent dans nos pensées. Nous ne passons pas une semaine sans mentionner ce petit village et ses habitants, dans nos nombreux courriels sur Internet. Nous nous sommes appropriés ce territoire dès notre tendre enfance et il fera parti de nous, à tout jamais.