Railways put Townships on the map

Railways put Townships on the map
(Photo : Record Archives)

By Taylor McClure
Special to The Record

The Eastern Townships wasn’t an easy region to develop. Difficulties presented by the landscape made it a challenge to attract settlement. Early pioneers did their best to try and build roads, but hills, rocks and mud made that an ominous task. And the arrival of the snow in winter made travelling close to impossible. The region was left isolated. It wasn’t until railways were brought to the Townships that villages started to experience prosperity and growth.
Railways quickly became famous in England and the United States, but Canada was slow to hop on the same train. By 1850, England boasted 6, 621 miles of track, the United States more than 9,000 miles, and Canada just 68. When prominent Townshippers stepped up to the plate, the region became a busy place.

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