Saint-Quentin, New Brunswick
Encyclopedia
Saint-Quentin is a Canadian
town in Restigouche County
, New Brunswick
.
Saint-Quentin is located in the Appalachian Mountains
, 50 kilometres west of Mount Carleton
, the province's highest elevation point.
The town has undergone depopulation in recent years with a 5.9% decrease in population since 1996. The majority of residents are francophone
.
and St-Léonard, two towns in northwestern New Brunswick
. The progress of its construction sent workers deep into the forest. In 1909, Simon Gallant, an Acadian working as a blacksmith, decided to settle his family by a stream near Five Fingers
where he found a stray cow.
At the same time, authorities began to worry about the emigration of Québec families to the United States and to Western Canada, resulting in a population decline. Msgr. Joseph Arthur Melanson
, the largest settler and missionary in the parish of Saint-Quentin, originally named Anderson Siding, launched a large program of colonization. Valuing farming and agriculture, he encouraged Acadien and Québécois families to settle in the Restigouche region of New Brunswick on the fertile lands along the length of the newly built train line.
The village of Anderson Siding was founded in 1910; its first mass was held in Simon Gallant's round log cabin in the forest. The first chapel was built in 1911, its first post office in 1912, its first school in 1913, and its first church in 1918. The name Anderson Siding was changed to the present name of Saint-Quentin in 1919 in commemoration of the Canadian victory in the French town of the same name during the Battle of the Somme
in the First World War
. Its first hospital, Hotel-Dieu-Saint-Joseph, was built in 1947 and is still in operation today.
Saint-Quentin was incorporated as a district in 1947, as a village in 1966, and as a town in 1992.
of the area's rich forests is Saint-Quentin's largest industry. The two sawmill
s, Groupe Savoie and North American Forest Products, are Saint-Quentin's largest employers, employing 400 and 225 employees respectively. Agriculture is another major industry in the region near Saint-Quentin. Livestock is raised for dairy, beef and pork production, and potatoes, grain and hay are grown on the area's many farms. The production of maple syrup and other maple sugar products is the third major industry in the region; there are over 35 commercial maple plantations as well as 25 traditional sugar shacks in the area.
. Run by Le Festival Western de Saint-Quentin, Inc., it now includes rodeo, a parade, fireworks, children's activities and much more. The largest event is the "Pow-Pow", a flea market and gathering of local musicians and performers which takes place on Rue Canada, the main street of the town, which is closed to traffic for the occasion.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
town in Restigouche County
Restigouche County, New Brunswick
Restigouche County is located in north-central New Brunswick, Canada. The county is named for the Restigouche River which flows through the county and is famous for its salmon pools, which have attracted wealthy American and Canadian tourists to the region's summer colonies for decades...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
.
Saint-Quentin is located in the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
, 50 kilometres west of Mount Carleton
Mount Carleton
Mount Carleton, in Mount Carleton Provincial Park, is the highest elevation in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, and is also the highest peak in the Canadian Maritime Provinces. It is one of the highlights of the Canadian portion of the International Appalachian Trail...
, the province's highest elevation point.
The town has undergone depopulation in recent years with a 5.9% decrease in population since 1996. The majority of residents are francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
.
History
In 1897, the Restigouche and Western Railway Company embarked on a project to build a railway linking CampbelltonCampbellton, New Brunswick
Campbellton is a Canadian city in Restigouche County, New Brunswick.Situated on the south bank of the Restigouche River opposite Pointe-à-la-Croix, Quebec, Campbellton was officially incorporated in 1889 and achieved city status in 1958.Forestry and tourism are major industries in the regional...
and St-Léonard, two towns in northwestern New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. The progress of its construction sent workers deep into the forest. In 1909, Simon Gallant, an Acadian working as a blacksmith, decided to settle his family by a stream near Five Fingers
Five Fingers, New Brunswick
Five Fingers is a settlement in New Brunswick....
where he found a stray cow.
At the same time, authorities began to worry about the emigration of Québec families to the United States and to Western Canada, resulting in a population decline. Msgr. Joseph Arthur Melanson
Louis-Joseph-Arthur Melanson
Louis-Joseph-Arthur Melanson was a Canadian priest and the first Archbishop of Moncton, New Brunswick....
, the largest settler and missionary in the parish of Saint-Quentin, originally named Anderson Siding, launched a large program of colonization. Valuing farming and agriculture, he encouraged Acadien and Québécois families to settle in the Restigouche region of New Brunswick on the fertile lands along the length of the newly built train line.
The village of Anderson Siding was founded in 1910; its first mass was held in Simon Gallant's round log cabin in the forest. The first chapel was built in 1911, its first post office in 1912, its first school in 1913, and its first church in 1918. The name Anderson Siding was changed to the present name of Saint-Quentin in 1919 in commemoration of the Canadian victory in the French town of the same name during the Battle of the Somme
Battle of the Somme (1916)
The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
in the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Its first hospital, Hotel-Dieu-Saint-Joseph, was built in 1947 and is still in operation today.
Saint-Quentin was incorporated as a district in 1947, as a village in 1966, and as a town in 1992.
Population
Population trend| Census | Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2,250 | 1.3% |
| 2001 | 2,280 | 5.9% |
| 1996 | 2,424 | 6.8% |
| 1991 | 2,269 | N/A |
Language
Mother tongue language (2006)| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| French only | 2,085 | 97.43% |
| English only | 0 | 0.00% |
| Both English and French | 10 | 0.47% |
| Other languages | 35 | 1.63% |
Industry
LoggingLogging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
of the area's rich forests is Saint-Quentin's largest industry. The two sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s, Groupe Savoie and North American Forest Products, are Saint-Quentin's largest employers, employing 400 and 225 employees respectively. Agriculture is another major industry in the region near Saint-Quentin. Livestock is raised for dairy, beef and pork production, and potatoes, grain and hay are grown on the area's many farms. The production of maple syrup and other maple sugar products is the third major industry in the region; there are over 35 commercial maple plantations as well as 25 traditional sugar shacks in the area.
Festival Western
Since 1984, Saint-Quentin has hosted the Festival Western (Western Festival) in mid-July of each year, the largest Western-themed festival of its kind in New BrunswickNew Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. Run by Le Festival Western de Saint-Quentin, Inc., it now includes rodeo, a parade, fireworks, children's activities and much more. The largest event is the "Pow-Pow", a flea market and gathering of local musicians and performers which takes place on Rue Canada, the main street of the town, which is closed to traffic for the occasion.
Old train station
In 2005, the former train station, which was reconstructed in its original location, reopened as a tourist centre as well as the offices of the Chamber of Commerce and the Festival Western. The route of the train tracks, which have been removed, has been transformed into a trail for walking, bicycling, and riding all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles.Other events and activities
- The Festival de l'Érable (Maple Festival), launched in 2004, takes place in the spring of each year, the maple sugar season, and includes tours of maple sugarbushes, shacks and refineries, as well as sawmills which process maple wood. In addition, it includes a market where vendors sell maple products, including syrup, sugar, salad dressing, and maple-flavoured alcoholic beverages.
- A Carnival d'Hiver (Winter Carnival) is held in February and comprises winter-themed activities.
- Golfing at the local golf course and riding ATVs and snowmobiles are popular activities.