14

The middle of the 19th century is also noteworthy in Lower Canada for a first crusade for temperance in the consumption of alcoholic beverages. The Côte-du-Sud is one of the centres of this movement thanks to the presence of three well-known preachers: Fathers Alexis Mailloux, Charles Chiniquy and Édouard Quertier. It must be noted that the consumption of alcohol is widespread in the counties of Lower Canada, where it is used for warming up, cooling off, healing, calming, etc. In 1842, in the parish of Saint-Denis-De La Bouteillerie, Father Quertier founds the first Temperance Society. He establishes the first rules, statutes and oaths. He also chooses the symbol associated with the movement: the black cross.

15

Temperance promise
Montréal (Québec), Canada

Credits:
The Allan Pequegnat Private Collection
Taken from: "Manuel des Sociétés de Tempérance"
Editor: JB Rolland

16

The work of the temperance societies spreads rapidly throughout Lower Canada. Around 1850, 400 000 people out of a Catholic population of 900 000 are members. All on his own, Charles Chiniquy, a priest in Kamouraska between 1841 and 1846, recruits 200 000 members in the 18 months following his departure from Kamouraska. This popular success obliges the government to ?jump on the bandwagon? and more severe laws are voted to counter the harm caused by alcohol, although its consumption will never be completely eradicated. This temperance crusade (1840 to 1855) will go into decline in the second half of the 19th century.

17

The former Courthouse of Kamouraska
Kamouraska (Québec), Canada

Credits:
The Collection of the Musée régional de Kamouraska
Photographer: Pierre Rastoul
N.A.C. P2001.274

18

In 1849, Kamouraska becomes the headquarters of the judicial county east of Québec City. A permanent judge of the Superior Court is established there along with all the court personnel, as well as the lawyers and their families. Unfortunately, the courthouse is destroyed by fire in 1881. A new courthouse will be built in 1883, but the role of judicial headquarters is already transferred to Rivière-du-Loup which is enjoying an important economic boom thanks to the railroad. From then on, only the Circuit Court, without a permanent judge will sit at the Courthouse of Kamouraska which will also house a registration office. When the judicial personnel and their families leave the region, a part of the prestige of Kamouraska disappears with them.

19

On the Îles Pèlerins
1900-1920
Saint-André de Kamouraska (Québec), Canada

Credits:
The Collection of the Musée régional de Kamouraska
The Desjardins Family Private Collection
Photographer: Éva Roy, known as Desjardins
N.A.C. P2005.185

20

The sector of Pointe-Sèche, where numerous members of the Desjardins family live between 1830 and 1865, is located in a somewhat out-of-the-way area. About halfway between Kamouraska (Saint-Louis) and Saint André, a hamlet grew up below the Campbell Manor. About twenty families, especially the Desjardins, are established there, earning their livelihood mainly from the sea (navigators, boat builders).

Pointe-Sèche takes its name from the point of land advancing into the river, formed where the hill behind the Kamouraska farmlands curves suddenly towards the water. On this rocky spur, with little vegetation, of no use for farming, the earth is barren and dry. From this comes the name Pointe-Sèche (Dry Land).

21

Éva Roy, known as Desjardins, at Pointe-Sèche
Around 1900
Saint-Germain de Kamouraska (Québec), Canada

Credits:
The Collection of the Musée régional de Kamouraska
The Desjardins Family Private Collection
Photographer: Unknown
N.A.C. P2005.120

22

Picnic at Pointe-Sèche
1900-1915
Saint-Germain de Kamouraska (Québec), Canada

Credits:
The Collection of the Musée régional de Kamouraska
The Desjardins Family Private Collection
Photographer: Éva Roy, known as Desjardins
N.A.C. P2005.177

23

The Rankin-Campbell Manor
Around 1900
Saint-Germain de Kamouraska (Québec), Canada

Credits:
The Collection of the Musée régional de Kamouraska
Photographer: Unknown
N.A.C. P1999.644 (detail)

24

The Campbell Manor is built by John Sexton Campbell who buys the Seigniory of L'Islet-du-Portage from Andrew Lachlan Fraser in 1838. He decides to build a manor house offering all the conveniences so he can live there with his wife. However, she misses her relatives and friends as well as the social life she left behind in England. So they return to Europe and the manor becomes nothing more than a rarely used second residence.

25

Pausing for a moment in the fields
1930 - 1955
Kamouraska (Québec), Canada

Credits:
The Collection of the Musée régional de Kamouraska
The Forbes Family Private Collection
Photographer: Patricia Forbes
N.A.C. P1999.617

26

The agricultural world of the second half of the 19th century is marked by many important transformations. First of all, milk production will become the main activity of the farmers in the Kamouraska region. The crops planted will mostly be those needed to nourish the herds. Farm mechanization will begin to make an appearance. New inventions will enter the farming industry to supply tools that are better adapted to the farmers and to farms that are becoming bigger and bigger.

27

Field of Dreams
Before 1940
Kamouraska (Québec), Canada

Credits:
The Collection of the Musée régional de Kamouraska
The Forbes Family Private Collection
Photographer: James Forbes
N.A.C. P1999.629