Hinchinbrooke, Quebec

Hinchinbrooke
Municipality
Athelstan
Location within Le Haut-Saint-Laurent RCM
Hinchinbrooke Location in southern Quebec
Coordinates: 45°03′N 74°06′W
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Montérégie
RCM	Le Haut-Saint-Laurent
Constituted	July 1, 1855
Government
• Mayor	Mark Wallace
• Federal riding	Beauharnois—Salaberry
• Prov. riding	Huntingdon
Area
• Total	149.66 km2 (57.78 sq mi)
• Land	148.36 km2 (57.28 sq mi)
Population  (2021)
• Total	2,187
• Density	14.7/km2 (38/sq mi)
• Pop (2016-21)	4.0%
• Dwellings	1,177
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)	J0S 1A0
Area code(s)	450 and 579
Highways	R-202
Website	mrchsl.com/municipalite/hinchinbrooke

Hinchinbrooke (or Hinchinbrook until 1993) is a rural community in southern Quebec, Canada, in the Châteauguay Valley, in the MRC de Le Haut-Saint-Laurent. The population as of the 2021 Canadian census was 2,187.

History

Its first settlers were Irish who arrived around 1820. The parish was called Saint-Patrice-de-Hinchin(g)brook(e), or in English St. Patrick Hinchinbrook, named after an ancient country estate in Huntingdon, England (but without the "g" since it was not pronounced). In 1845, the Township Municipality of Hinchinbrooke was founded, but merged into the Municipality of Beauharnois Number Two on September 1, 1847 (along with Dundee, Hemmingford, Godmanchester, St. Anicet, Russeltown, and Ormstown). It was reestablished on July 1, 1855.

Since the 1980 dissolution of Huntingdon County, Hinchinbrooke is within Le Haut-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality.

Long written as Hinchinbrook, the spelling was officially corrected to Hinchinbrooke in 1993. On November 5, 2011, the township municipality changed statutes and became a regular municipality.

Geography

The municipality is situated along the Canada–United States border. It is one of the two southernmost communities in Quebec, along with Elgin, with their tripoint with New York on the Châteauguay River being the southernmost point in the province.

Communities

The following locations reside within the municipality's boundaries:

• Athelstan (45°02′09″N 74°10′39″W) – a hamlet situated on the western border with Elgin.
• Brooklet (45°00′25″N 74°02′51″W) – a hamlet situated in the southeast.
• Herdman (45°01′34″N 74°05′43″W) – a hamlet located along Quebec Route 202 in the south.
• Parc Davignon (45°00′02″N 74°04′50″W) – a cottage community along the US border.
• Powerscourt (45°00′23″N 74°09′26″W) – a hamlet situated on the southwest border with Elgin.
• Rockburn (45°01′19″N 74°00′28″W) – a hamlet located along Quebec Route 202 in the southeast.

Lakes & Rivers

The following waterways pass through or are situated within the municipality's boundaries:

• Lac Moonlight (45°01′45″N 74°08′51″W) – a small lake in the southwest.
• Chateauguay River – runs along the municipality's western boundary.
• Rivière Hinchinbrooke (45°02′21″N 74°11′04″W)
• Rivière aux Outardes

Demographics

Population

Canada census – Hinchinbrooke community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	2,187 (+4.0% from 2016)	2,103 (-6.2% from 2011)	2,242 (-5.4% from 2006)
Land area	148.36 km2 (57.28 sq mi)	149.30 km2 (57.65 sq mi)	149.32 km2 (57.65 sq mi)
Population density	14.7/km2 (38/sq mi)	14.1/km2 (37/sq mi)	15.0/km2 (39/sq mi)
Median age	53.6 (M: 52.8, F: 54.4)	53.4 (M: 53.2, F: 53.8)	49.9 (M: 49.3, F: 50.5)
Private dwellings	1,177 (total)  1,026 (occupied)	1,186 (total)  969 (occupied)	1,148 (total)
Median household income	$59,600	$48,096	$.N/A

References: 2021 2016 2011 earlier

Historical Census Data - Hinchinbrooke, Quebec

Year Pop. ±% 1921 1,647 —     1931 1,658 +0.7% 1941 1,619 −2.4% 1951 1,726 +6.6% 1956 1,634 −5.3% 1961 1,639 +0.3%	Year Pop. ±% 1966 1,742 +6.3% 1971 1,911 +9.7% 1976 1,871 −2.1% 1981 2,052 +9.7% 1986 2,225 +8.4% 1991 2,392 +7.5%	Year Pop. ±% 1996 2,407 +0.6% 2001 2,380 −1.1% 2006 2,369 −0.5% 2011 2,242 −5.4% 2016 2,103 −6.2% 2021 2,187 +4.0%
Source: Statistics Canada

Language

Canada Census Mother Tongue - Hinchinbrooke, Quebec
Census		Total		French				English				French & English				Other
Year		Responses		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %
2016		2,100		915	2.7%	43.57%		1,045	8.7%	49.76%		40	14.3%	1.90%		90	18.2%	4.29%
2011		2,230		940	10.9%	42.15%		1,145	7.5%	51.35%		35	75.0%	1.57%		110	50.0%	4.93%
2006		2,360		1,055	7.0%	44.70%		1,065	0.0%	45.13%		20	55.6%	0.85%		220	76.0%	9.32%
2001		2,370		1,135	29.0%	47.89%		1,065	21.4%	44.94%		45	28.6%	1.90%		125	4.2%	5.27%
1996		2,390		880	n/a	36.82%		1,355	n/a	56.69%		35	n/a	1.46%		120	n/a	5.02%

Economy

The primary industries in Hinchinbrooke are agriculture, with dairy cattle and apple farming being the most prevalent sub-sectors.

Local government

List of former mayors:

• Normand Crête (...–2013)
• Carolyn Cameron (2013–2021)
• Mark Wallace (2021–present)

Attractions

The Powerscourt Covered Bridge over the Chateauguay River was originally built in 1861, and is now a National Historic Site of Canada.

Notable residents

Sir William Hales Hingston, physician and mayor of Montreal from 1875 to 1877, was born in Hinchinbrooke.

See also

• List of anglophone communities in Quebec
• List of municipalities in Quebec

External links

• Chateauguay Valley
• Percy Covered Bridge