Plaque opposite, on Beach Road
Built circa 1854, 2 MacNider Road is known locally as the Corner House or the Octagonal House, for obvious reasons. This house of unusual design was once the first post office in Metis and was originally owned by the MacNider family. Although no MacNider descendants remain in Metis, their legacy is preserved by MacNider Road which intersects with Beach Road next to the Corner House.
It is interesting to note that John MacNider, the first Seigneur of Metis, played an important role in the creation of Kempt Road. Named in honor of Sir James Kempt, Governor of Canada from 1828 to 1830, this was the first road between the Lower Saint Lawrence region and the Maritime Provinces via the Baie des Chaleurs area. Thanks to MacNider’s influence, the road departed from Grand-Métis. A strategic decision following the War of 1812 between the United States and Canada directed the road through the Matapedia Valley, bringing many new residents to the area.