Cowansville, Quebec, a charming town nestled in south-central Quebec, Canada, is a destination that offers a unique blend of history and modernity. Situated on Lac Davignon and just 20 kilometres north of the U.S. border, Cowansville serves as the seat of Brome-Missisquoi, a regional county municipality. As of the Canada 2021 Census, the town boasts a population of 15,234.
In recent years, Cowansville has experienced a surge in commercial activity, largely due to its strategic location near Autoroute 10 and the Eastern Townships ski resort region.
The history of Cowansville, Quebec, dates back to the early 1800s when Jacob Ruiter, the first settler, established a flour mill and a saw mill on the site. In 1805, Ruiter named the small town Nelsonville, in honour of British admiral, Lord Horatio Nelson, who was killed in the naval Battle of Trafalgar.
The town's current name, Cowansville, is attributed to Peter Cowan, a Montreal merchant who settled in the area in 1836 and became postmaster in 1841. To avoid mail confusion with another city named Nelsonville near Hamilton in Upper Canada, Cowan decided to change the town's name.
The 1870s marked a significant period in Cowansville's history with the construction of the South Eastern Railway linking Montreal to Cowansville and the opening of the first bank, the Eastern Townships Bank. This development spurred the expansion of the small city, attracting many businesses to the area. The municipality detached from the district of Dunham, incorporated on January 1, 1876, and officially adopted the name Cowansville. In February of the same year, James O'Halloran was acclaimed as Mayor by the town council.
Cowansville experienced robust industrial growth during the 20th century, becoming a city on June 25, 1931. The city has expanded since World War II through various annexations, such as Sweetsburg in 1964.
Today, Cowansville is home to over 12,000 residents. The main economy is based on the industrial sector, particularly textiles. The city also hosts a hospital, Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins, a municipal court, a federal penitentiary, and a Nature Centre near Davignon Lake. Cowansville is the seat of the judicial district of Bedford and the birthplace of the artist and botanist Faith Fyles.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Cowansville had a population of 15,234 living in 6,980 of its 7,247 total private dwellings. This represents a change of 11.6% from its 2016 population of 13,656. With a land area of 46.87 km2 (18.10 sq mi), Cowansville had a population density of 325.0/km2 (841.8/sq mi) in 2021.
