Cookshire-Eaton

The town of Cookshire-Eaton is the result of merger of the Town of Cookshire and the Municipality of Eaton, including Sawyerville. With a population of 5253, it is the largest municipality in the Haut-Saint-François region with 298 km2 of beautiful hamlets and criss-crossing scenic roads. Cookshire itself was founded by Loyalists in 1892, following the Abenakis who had once set seasonal camps there. The town drew its name from Captain John Cook, its first colonist who, in 1795, acquired hundreds of hectares of land for agricultural purposes. The architecture of several residences and particularly that of St. Peters Anglican Church demonstrate a blend of American and Anglo-Saxon architecture. Converted into a medical clinic, the former home of senator John Henry Pope, a pioneer and the founder of Canadian Pacific, is a jewel in our heritage. Taking the scenic route and the Loyalists’ Circuit, towardsread more > East Angus, you’ll find the John Cook covered bridge, built on the former riverbed of the Eaton River. To the west is Johnville where you’ll find the Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix church and, a few kilometres from the village, the trails of the Parc écoforestier, where you can explore a rare ecosystem with remarkable diversity. Route 253 towards Sawyerville passes through Eaton Corner, a charming village recognized as the oldest town in the Townships. Agriculture and forestry dominate the local economy. Several buildings are classified as historical monuments; note the church dating back to 1840-41 that now houses the Musée de la Société d’histoire du comté de Compton and the former Eaton Academy. The area is also home to a delightful and well-preserved home of classical architecture and with a notable enclosed balcony, in which Canada’s first operation under anesthetic took place. Still on the 253, you’ll arrive in Sawyerville, a picturesque Haut-Saint-François village. It was named for Josiah Sawyer, who left his home in Missisquoi Bay in 1792 to re-establish himself in the “Townships.” After seven years of hard work, this American trailblazer began to see his work shaping the future of the Townships. Today, local entrepreneurs rely on the long-time mainstays of sawmills and wood transformation. Two small churches – one Baptist, the other Anglican – are fellow witnesses to the past. The nearby McDermott covered bridge, spanning the falls of the North Eaton River, is also worth a visit. In the municipality one could also find the hamlets of Birchton, Bulwer and Sand Hill.