Princess Louise, who was the sixth child of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, and wife of the Marquess of Lorne, governor general of Canada from 1878 to 1883, first came to the Cascapedia in 1879 on a fishing excursion with her husband.
Unlike Ottawa, which was not to her liking, Princess Louise fell in love with the Cascapedia wilderness almost immediately. And she loved the sport of fly fishing.
The Atlantic salmon is one of the most fascinating fish in the world. For hundreds of years the Atlantic salmon has generated a rich cultural heritage, based on sport fishing and on the mystique of the fish itself. This silvery creature is a world traveler that spawns in fresh water but spends much of its life at sea. It can jump a 3-metre waterfall and has become a symbol of the environment and of healthy river systems.
“Such a beautiful country is not an accident. God must have created this wonderful wilderness, where all is happiness, all is peace.”
Fishing on the Grand Cascapedia by Edmund W. Davis, 1904.
A gun shot was fired on the morning of June 19, 1908. The sound must have disturbed the tranquil stillness of a morning on the Cascapedia River.
The fabled Grand Cascapedia River is known by most fishermen for its large Atlantic salmon that are sometimes called the Cascapedia Giants. This is a place where fishing stories are told and the dreams of catching an Atlantic salmon come to life when one finally gets to throw a fishing line across its waters. The history of the Cascapedia tells the tale of a destination that was chosen by ardent fishermen who were fortunate enough to secure the right to fish this magnificent stream.
The Kempffer Cultural and Interpretation Centre's permanent exhibition, through eight themes and more than 150 artefacts, retraces the history of New Carlisle, from the arrival of the loyalist pioneers up to and including World War II. During this diversified and original exhibition, visitors can take advantage of this little municipality's richness from the past and get a better sense of the local distinguishing features.
A New Beginning
River and sea run together in the broad waters of the Lower St. Lawrence. Though fields first cleared by French farmers 250 years ago still ripen in rolling strips of green between historic towns and villages, a number of these settlements also have Anglophone roots, some dating to the close of the Seven Years’ War.
The young boy was standing in front of a small wooden table on which laid a birthday cake with four lit candles. You could see the gleam in the little guy’s face, and his underlying smile of knowing that this was his day to be celebrated, and his day alone. Dressed in a clean white shirt, dark slacks, and a clip-on bow tie, we could sense what he was thinking as he continued his bright-eyed stare into the candles. We could almost feel his wonder at what other miracles life would bring, and that this birthday was certainly one of them.
The cod banks of the Gaspé coast were crowded waters on the fringe of an unknown land.
Occupying the former St. John United Church, at the intersection of Route 132 and Kempt Road in Matapedia, the Kempt Road Interpretation Centre is both a local historical museum and a boutique featuring locally produced artwork and handicrafts.
The town of Saint-Fabien, mid-way between Trois-Pistoles and Rimouski on the Lower St. Lawrence, has a highly unusual barn. What makes this barn so special is that it has eight sides. It also has four floors and two access ramps.