History
A first sawmill was built by Pierre Le Gardeur de Repentigny II, between 1751 and 1755. In 1766, Lord Gabriel Christie had a water-powered flour mill added to the seignorial domain. A stone building mentioned in a deed of sale of the seigneury dated 1765 could correspond to the present miller’s house. Between 1774 and 1785, the mill was in poor physical condition and was restored or rebuilt. In 1819, a stone flour mill was erected on this site by Peter Pangman. A plan of 1830 confirms the presence of the mill named “Moulin du rapide”. The Corbeil brothers, who owned the site from 1881 onwards, renovated the mill and the miller’s house. At that time, the mill was still used to grind flour; an annex, which has since disappeared, housed the equipment necessary for a sawmill. In 1930, the mill was refurbished. It lost its original function and became essentially a storage facility for the equipment needed to maintain the former seigniorial estate.
In 1954, the Brothers of Saint-Gabriel bought the buildings to house the Manoir Notre-Dame and in 1970, the Duvernay School Board rented the buildings to run the Manoir School; the mill was then used as a janitorial facility. Around 1997, the mill was stripped of its wheels and gears and the miller’s house was emptied to make way for a school cafeteria. The school board left the premises in 2000 and several owners succeeded one another. The mill and the miller’s house were unoccupied from 2008 to 2015 and suffered several episodes of vandalism. In 2015, the City of Mascouche purchased the buildings to create a recreational and touristic park. The mill and the miller’s house are to be renovated to accommodate a restaurant and the park reception.
While some researchers speculate that the mill and miller’s house date from 1765-1766 or that the current buildings were built between 1861 and 1871, they are still an example of a family business adapting to the circumstances of the 20th century. Moreover, these buildings continue to bear witness to their precursors, as much by the function they fulfilled until 1930, as by the evocation they make of the former seigniorial era of Mascouche.
Archaeological excavations
Archaeological excavations were carried out by the firm Ethnoscope in 1986 and led to the discovery of pottery fragments dating from the year 900 to 1000 AD. A historical archaeological site (BkFj-6), a prehistoric archaeological site (BkFj-5), several areas with archaeological potential and sectors of archaeological interest were then uncovered.
Heritage value
There are very few seigniorial mills in Quebec, especially within a complex such as that of Mascouche. In the Lanaudière region, the seigniorial mill is an exception. Only five mills remain, according to the Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec (RPCQ). There is no doubt that the seigniorial mill of Mascouche offers a value of rarity, particularly on a regional scale. The exterior of the mill is quite well preserved and the roof pitch has never been modified, which accentuates its authenticity. The miller’s house has survived 250 years of history relatively well, without too many major transformations. Also, it remains relatively close to its former state. Presumably, miller’s houses included in a seignorial ensemble are very rare in Quebec. According to the RPCQ, the one in the former seigniorial domain of Mascouche represents the only example in the Lanaudière region. In the whole province, only seven other miller’s houses remain today. There is therefore no doubt that the miller’s house in Mascouche is of heritage interest.
Characteristic elements to be protected
The mill is characterized by its original single chimney stump, some of the original floors and four levels that are still accessible. In the attic of the flour mill, the parts of the frame are later than 1850. In the ceiling of the mill, one can still see cavities that allowed the insertion of a grain elevator as well as the axes of millstones and wheels. Together with its stone walls and wooden frame, these elements give it an artistic and architectural value. As for the miller’s house, it is possible that it dates from 1765 according to the analysis of several studies. Stylistically, the miller’s house has the formal characteristics of traditional French architecture.Its three surviving levels, its wooden frame and stone structure give it an artistic and architectural value.
What future for the buildings?
In December 2020, the SODAM and its component, the Société d’histoire de Mascouche, submitted a request for the classification of the mill and the miller’s house to the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications. This request was supported by major players in the development of Quebec’s built heritage. Since then, the Société d’histoire has tried many times to follow up on its request, but the government’s response remains the same: the file is currently being processed and it may take time, even several years, before the Minister takes a position on the classification of the buildings. But now winter has arrived and heritage buildings are still at the mercy of the weather. How many more winters can the frame and stones of these buildings endure?
Additional references – External links
- Lise St-Georges (1990). Étude historique du moulin à farine et de la maison du meunier du domaine seigneurial de Mascouche. Historique, évolution du bâti et évaluation patrimoniale (in French). Document produced for the Direction générale du patrimoine – Région de Montréal of the Ministère des Affaires culturelles.
- François Tétreault (2021). Le moulin et la maison du meunier de Mascouche, un héritage à protéger (in French). Website of the Amis et propriétaires de maisons anciennes du Québec (APMAQ)
- Société d’histoire de Mascouche (s.d.). Domaine seigneurial de Mascouche (in French). Website of the Société de développement et d’animation de Mascouche (SODAM)
