McWatters

Across from 200 rue McWatters, you can see the church and rectory that have stood there since the village’s earliest days and has changed very little. Aside from the addition of the bell tower in 1991, the church is easily recognizable compared to the photo shown above.

Founded in 1941, the year the church was built through community labor, the Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste parish—now known as McWatters—enjoys an enviable location, both close to the city and surrounded by nature! As you travel through the area, take the opportunity to admire this beautiful natural setting and all it has to offer!

Photo source: BAnQ

A 1935 view of the village of McWatters in the background and the mine in the foreground.

Photo source: BAnQ

A view of the mine facilities in 1937.

Photo source: BAnQ

Farmborough, a former English-speaking Protestant parish that was located at the head of the Kinojévis Bridge and whose territory is now part of McWatters, is the hometown of the successful singer Jimmy James. While he was the star of the lively rock and roll nights at the hotels in Rouyn-Noranda, he achieved success in 1958 with his song “Marjolaina.” In the 1960s, he hosted a country music show on Radio-Canada with the Candy Kanes. His career ended in Nashville, where he passed away in 2014.

Photo source: BAnQ

The development of the McWatters railway is an essential part of our region’s history, as the railway served as the arrival route for many pioneers and settlers who, in turn, worked tirelessly to help build the railway’s branches. These pioneers and settlers undoubtedly helped forge a connection between their world and the one that followed.

As an artist working primarily in the digital realm, Christian Beauchemin undertook this painting project as a continuation of his digital work. Based on an archival photograph, he studied it to determine the various hues that make up the painting and the significance of the poses adopted by the subjects depicted. Furthermore, this painting places great emphasis on the region’s landscapes, which were then being tamed by the settlers. The loose brushstrokes used to render the details, meanwhile, reflect the difficult conditions under which the railroad was built by the pioneers.

Artist: Christian Beauchemin

Year: 2016

Material: acrylic on UHD panel

With a background in multimedia and illustration, Christian Beauchemin incorporates techniques developed for his digital projects into his artistic practice, adapting them for use in painting.

Photo credit: Myriam Charconnet

1932: McWatters Gold Mines setting up operations on-site

1938: Development of the community and opening of the Dépôt-McWatters of the Canadian International Paper along the Kinojévis River, serving all the sites of the Kipawa-Noranda subsidiary near the town

1941: Founding of the Saint-Jean-l’Évangéliste parish

1944: Closure of the mine

1946: Electrification

1979: Incorporated under the name Kinojévis, reflecting the influence of the Kinojévis River

1981: Renamed McWatters

2002: Merged with the other municipalities in the MRC