Legacy
View of the Saint-Charles River and former Montreal Cotton Co. Gault Mill, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, 2014.
Photo: André Langevin.
The town still bears the marks of its cotton and industrial past. That era is gone, and so is the majestic physical presence of the factory, but the company’s involvement in all spheres of the town’s social and economic life left behind a built heritage that bears witness to its past omnipresence. A promenade in the English Quarter’s first streets reveals century-old houses built by the Montreal Cotton Co. The churches have new vocations, but the school and graveyard have retained their initial functions. The Gault Mill was preserved and partially transformed; it includes a residence for seniors, various businesses, and a hotel. And the former Salaberry spinning mill and Beauharnois Finishing Plant were converted into warehouses and diverse businesses. The ghost of the Montreal Cotton Co. still haunts the town’s lifestyle today.