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Cowansville

Coordinates: 45°12′N 72°45′W / 45.200°N 72.750°W / 45.200; -72.750
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Cowansville
Nesbitt House, Cowansville
Nesbitt House, Cowansville
Coat of arms of Cowansville
Motto: 
Fortitudo et decor
Location within Brome-Missisquoi RCM
Location within Brome-Missisquoi RCM
Cowansville is located in Southern Quebec
Cowansville
Cowansville
Location in southern Quebec
Coordinates: 45°12′N 72°45′W / 45.200°N 72.750°W / 45.200; -72.750[2]
Country Canada
Province Quebec
RegionEstrie[1]
RCMBrome-Missisquoi
ConstitutedJanuary 1, 1876
Government
 • MayorSylvie Beauregard
 • Federal ridingBrome—Missisquoi
 • Prov. ridingBrome-Missisquoi
Area
 • City48.70 km2 (18.80 sq mi)
 • Land46.87 km2 (18.10 sq mi)
 • Urban16.35 km2 (6.31 sq mi)
 • Metro46.87 km2 (18.10 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[6]
 • City15,234
 • Density325/km2 (840/sq mi)
 • Urban13,334
 • Urban density815.3/km2 (2,112/sq mi)
 • Metro15,234
 • Metro density325/km2 (840/sq mi)
 • Pop 2016-2021
Increase 11.6%
 • Dwellings
7,247
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
Area code(s)450 and 579
Highways R-104
R-139
R-202
R-241
Geocode46080
Websitewww.ville.cowansville.qc.ca

Cowansville is a town in south-central Quebec, Canada, located on Lac Davignon 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of the U.S. border. It is the seat of Brome-Missisquoi, a regional county municipality. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 15,234.

In recent years, Cowansville has seen its commercial activity blossom mainly due to its proximity to a major freeway, Autoroute 10, and the Eastern Townships ski resort region.

History

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Water Fountain in downtown Cowansville

Jacob Ruiter was the first person to settle on the current site of Cowansville. In 1800 he built a flour mill, and then a saw mill. In 1805, Ruiter named the small town as Nelsonville, in honour of British admiral, Lord Horatio Nelson, who was killed in the naval Battle of Trafalgar.

The city's current name is due to Peter Cowan, a merchant from Montreal who settled in the area in 1836 and become postmaster in 1841. In order to avoid the mail being sent inadvertently to another city named Nelsonville, close to Hamilton in Upper Canada, he decided to change its name.

During the 1870s, the construction of the South Eastern Railway linking Montreal to Cowansville and the opening of the first bank, the Eastern Townships Bank, contributed to the expansion of the small city, which allows many businesses settle in the area. The municipality detached from the district of Dunham, and incorporated on the January 1, 1876 and officially was named Cowansville. In February of the same year James O'Halloran was acclaimed as Mayor by the town council. Cowansville saw a strong industrial growth during the 20th century, and became a city on June 25, 1931, and has grown since World War II by various annexations, such as Sweetsburg in 1964.

The municipality has a current population of over 12,000. The main economy is based on the industrial sector, in particular textiles. There is also a hospital, Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins, a municipal court, a federal penitentiary, and a Nature Centre close to Davignon Lake.

Cowansville is the seat of the judicial district of Bedford.[9] It is also the birthplace of the artist and botanist Faith Fyles.

Demographics

[edit]
Historical Census Data - Cowansville, Quebec[10]
YearPop.±%
1881 573—    
1891 639+11.5%
1901 699+9.4%
1911 881+26.0%
1921 1,094+24.2%
1931 1,859+69.9%
1941 3,486+87.5%
1951 4,431+27.1%
1956 5,242+18.3%
1961 7,050+34.5%
1966 10,692+51.7%
1971 11,920+11.5%
1976 11,902−0.2%
1981 12,240+2.8%
1986 11,643−4.9%
1991 11,986+2.9%
1996 12,051+0.5%
2001 12,032−0.2%
2006 12,182+1.2%
2011 12,489+2.5%
2016 13,656+9.3%
2021 15,234+11.6%

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Cowansville had a population of 15,234 living in 6,980 of its 7,247 total private dwellings, a change of 11.6% from its 2016 population of 13,656. With a land area of 46.87 km2 (18.10 sq mi), it had a population density of 325.0/km2 (841.8/sq mi) in 2021.[11]

Canada census – Cowansville community profile
202120162011
Population15,234 (+11.6% from 2016)13,656 (+9.3% from 2011)12,489 (+2.5% from 2006)
Land area46.87 km2 (18.10 sq mi)46.89 km2 (18.10 sq mi)46.09 km2 (17.80 sq mi)
Population density325/km2 (840/sq mi)291.2/km2 (754/sq mi)271.0/km2 (702/sq mi)
Median age48.8 (M: 46.0, F: 51.6)46.2 (M: 43.7, F: 49.0)45.5 (M: 43.2, F: 47.5)
Private dwellings7,247 (total)  6,980 (occupied)6,272 (total)  5,789 (total) 
Median household income$58,800$49,508$43,252
References: 2021[12] 2016[13] 2011[14] earlier[15][16]
Canada Census Mother Tongue - Cowansville, Quebec[10]
Census Total
French
English
French & English
Other
Year Responses Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop %
2021
14,460
11,485 Increase 11.3% 79.4% 2,140 Increase 6.2% 14.8% 455 Increase 89.6% 3.1% 290 Increase 34.9% 2.0%
2016
12,810
10,315 Increase 5.5% 80.5% 2,015 Increase 2.3% 15.7% 240 Increase 23.1% 1.9% 215 Increase 13.2% 1.7%
2011
12,135
9,780 Increase 2.6% 80.6% 1,970 Increase 15.5% 16.2% 195 Increase 25.8% 1.6% 190 Decrease 7.3% 1.6%
2006
11,600
9,535 Increase 0.6% 82.2% 1,705 Increase 10.7% 14.7% 155 Decrease 18.4% 1.3% 205 Increase 156.2% 1.8%
2001
11,290
9,480 Increase 5.9% 84.0% 1,540 Decrease 17.9% 13.6% 190 Decrease 19.1% 1.7% 80 Decrease 44.8% 0.7%
1996
11,205
8,950 n/a 79.9% 1,875 n/a 16.7% 235 n/a 2.1% 145 n/a 1.3%

Notable people

[edit]
  • George Harold Baker (1877–1916), was a lawyer, political figure, soldier and Member in the Canadian House of Commons, as a Conservative Member of Parliament[17]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "La Haute-Yamaska et Brome-Missisquoi entrent dans le giron de l'Estrie". La Tribune. 8 July 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  2. ^ "Banque de noms de lieux du Québec: Reference number 15704". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
  3. ^ "Conseil municipal". Ville de Cowansville. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  4. ^ a b Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire: Cowansville
  5. ^ Parliament of Canada Federal Riding History: BROME--MISSISQUOI (Quebec)
  6. ^ a b 2021 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Cowansville, Quebec.
  7. ^ a b 2021 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Cowansville, Quebec (Population centre).
  8. ^ a b 2021 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Cowansville, Quebec (Census agglomeration) The census agglomeration consists of only Cowansville itself.
  9. ^ Territorial Division Act. Revised Statutes of Quebec D-11.
  10. ^ a b Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 census
  11. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  12. ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  13. ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2022-06-17.
  14. ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
  15. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  16. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  17. ^ Morning Glory: Canada's own WWI war horse
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