Updated on Jul 14, 2023

Our cities and towns all have something unique to offer you. Whether it’s a place, a product, a landscape, an attraction or an event, you’ll always have at least five good reasons for visiting them! Here's Barnston-Ouest.

By Carolyne Parent

Far on the horizon, your eyes embrace a vast panorama including Mount Orford, and Vermont’s Jay Peak. Right in front of you, you discover a seemingly prosperous dairy farm, and some frisky horses out in the field. Further off, two pretty hamlets offer a backdrop like the ones we see in movies. This is Barnston-Ouest, a quiet municipality, located at an equal distance of both Ayer’s Cliff and Coaticook, in the MRC with the same name.

This destination, however, is far from being a newly established one… In fact, according to the municipal archives, the first immigrants to settle in what was then recently named the township of Barnston, arrived from Massachusetts and Connecticut in 1801. Soon settlers from Great Britain joined them, and later, throughout the second half of the 19th century, French-speaking settlers made their homesteads here as well. Because the area was becoming somewhat crowded, several hamlets were created. Among these, Way’s Mills and Kingscroft survived and invite us to travel back in time.

1

Admire the Stanley-Holmes Round Barn

At the turn of the 20th century, circular cattle and hay barns were quite popular on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. And it wasn’t just because they were pretty, but rather because they were very efficient when it came to dairy farm productivity, according to Culture et Communications Québec. (New England Shakers explained that they built them this way so the devil couldn’t find a corner to hide in!) Situated between Kingscroft and Way’s Mills, on Holmes Road, the barn, named in honour of its owner, is protected by the municipality. It dates back to 1907 and is really worth the stop.
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2

Walk in Way’s Mills

A heritage territory, this hamlet owes its charm as much to the natural landscape surrounding it as for its built landscape. It owes its name to Daniel Way, an entrepreneur who established a wool carding mill by the Niger River, as well as a successful wool fabric manufacturing plant. A novelty to discover here: A firehouse that dates back to the 1950s, with a 19-metre tower used to dry the water hoses, which were made with cotton.
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3

Discover the Centre d’art Rozynski

This old village schoolhouse was purchased in 1964 by Stanley et Wanda Rozynsky. The two Polish artists contributed greatly to the promotion of the arts in the region by establishing a school for pottery here. Today, their spirit lives on in the art centre and has become a place for exhibiting art, for learning and for collaborating between ceramists. The Centre also organizes the Céramystic event, an outdoor exhibition gathering several artists and ceramists, held in July.
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4

Hike Away From the Crowds

Three trails run across the municipality to lead you into the forest: The Peter-Kilburn trail (2.5 km), in the Forêt-témoin, the Onès-Cloutier trail (1.1 km) which runs along a part of the river and the Michèle-Dutrisac forest trail.
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5

Participate in the Shazam Fest

A few steps away from the farm that gave its name to the happening, in a forest clearing where first nations would hold gatherings, a festival amalgamates “music, theatre, circus performances, and camping […] inside a carnival ambiance,” says the event organizer on their website. The objective to be reached for this colourful July weekend? To support local or up-and-coming artists. An excellent initiative!
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