Close to the nation's capital is the rural municipality of Cantley, Quebec. Its first pioneers settled here in the 1820's; a local government was established in 1889. Today it is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Canada.
Cantley 1889 was founded by volunteers interested in discovering Cantley's roots from the early 19th century - its logging on the Gatineau River, mining mica from the rocky Canadian Shield, farming its rolling hills and fields. Our mandate is to discover, catalogue, protect and promote our heritage.
We are a registered not-for-profit voluntary organization. Your membership supports Cantley 1889. We welcome your stories and photos of Cantley’s past and your volunteer help.
Read Cantley 1889 articles, our monthly column on Cantley's heritage and topics of local historical interest originally published in the Cantley Echo community newspaper.
Most recent Cantley 1889 article: Hunt for History in Cantley 1889’s Virtual Museum! - December 2020.
If you have any suitable artefacts that Cantley 1889 could borrow to photograph for the museum, please email info.cantley1889@gmail.com. Thank you!
Cantley 1889 has received a grant from the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN) to create a descriptive plaque to commemorate Cantley's Blackburn Pioneer Cemetery.
After this plaque is installed next spring, we will have an "unveiling" celebration with a cemetery "tour" and reception to raise awareness about this special heritage site.
The plaque and the celebration will help raise awareness about Cantley’s pioneer heritage.
Thank you QAHN!
...see QAHN's media announcement.
See videos by videographer Pierre Belisle and others.
Parc Mary-Anne-Phillips (47 ch Summer, Cantley)
Cantley’s restored Tugboat and Mine Car with their descriptive panels situated with a unique view of the Gatineau River. In 2017, Embâcle, a sculpture carved from river logs, was installed here showing the symbolism of the river’s history.
Cantley Townhall, Lower Lobby, 8 ch River, Cantley, Quebec
Cantley 1889 photo exhibit: Cantley’s Mining Heritage
and
Historic pulpit and pew donated from St. Andrew’s Church (1876 - 2016)
A tragic day for Cantley's heritage - the demolition of Cantley’s historic 1877 St. Andrew’s Church on May 26, 2020.