Gladys Mackey Beattie
(Reproduced with permission from Quebec Heritage News, Vol. 3, No. 7)

When Thomas Felton was given his huge land grant, which included the present city of Sherbrooke, one of the conditions which he was supposed to meet was the construction of a road which would allow settlers and goods into and out of the Eastern Townships. He built his home near the present southern end of Felton Street, and Dunant Road. Called "Belvedere Mansion", it was by all reports a beautiful and luxurious home with a view of Mount Orford. The road leading to his estate from Sherbrooke (Hyatts Mills) followed "Drummond Road", now Galt St. West, passing by what is now the University of Sherbrooke (Cilles farm) by Belvedere to the junction of Felton and Dunant.

Until the late 1970s present day Dunant Road was officially Felton Road and shows on land deeds as such. Going south from Belvedere Mansion the route roughly followed the present day Chemin Dunant past the rock quarries until approximately 5605 Dunant where it reportedly left the road near a little school house and continued southward though the woods via the Moore (now Beattie) farms, over the brook , along a stone wall, past a huge boulder locally know as the "couch rock" and down through the swamp to the Doyle property, now Lapierre, to atop the hill at the Bean Farm, present day F. Labbé property. From here it dropped by switch backs down over the steep ridge of the Massawippi Escarpment near the Reedsville School and down again to the Massawippi River which it forded in front of the Bond (Little) farm. Here it followed the river south for perhaps a kilometre then swung sharply left to follow a sandy ridge before climbing steeply out of the river valley to arrive on the present Chemin Hill Road off of Sherbrooke Road in Hatley. Township. From here it proceeded south east wards to the North Road and East Hatley and off in the direction of Barnston, and a little further, New England.

Oral history abounds around this stage route, but little has been written. One anecdote tells that the Stage had to stop on the Beattie Farm to hold a quick funeral under an apple tree and bury a baby that had died en route. Another tale recounts how when the stage was coming through at night, the farmers had to keep a sharp eye out for their horses because if there was a lame or sick horse on the stage coach teams, the coach driver would simply help himself to a farm horse, leaving the sick or injured and likely worthless animal behind for the hapless farmer.

The exact dates and schedules of the stage are difficult to find. There was an apparent reluctance on the part of Mr. Felton to build the road, and he did not start it until after completion of his mansion which took several years. We do know that with the building of the railways in the 1870s, the stage lines quickly became obsolete.
The different companies which operated the stage lines adjusted the actual trails to use the most practicable terrain to get to their destinations. Looking at the route, and the size and weight of those cumbersome coaches, it is little wonder that many people complained that they had to walk as many miles as they rode. Male passengers were also expected to push when necessary!

When the Régie Intermunicipal de Montjoye was formed in 1997 to buy and administer the former Hillcrest alpine ski hill and its other property, a large section, perhaps 3 km of this old stage route, was within its boundaries. Information about its historical significance was given to the management, and parts of the trails were walked with administration officials, Danielle St. Vincent, counsellor from Lennoxville, and also with the Mayor of Canton Hatley, Pierre Levac, who is also president of the Régie. All who saw it acclaimed it to be a historical treasure
Now almost eight years later, absolutely nothing has being done to preserve or protect this gem. But commercial woodcutters have been allowed into the park, threatening to destroy a large section of the road and remove huge old pine trees which line it in one area. The principal owner of Montjoye is now the City of Sherbrooke, with Hatley Township and the Town of Waterville also holding some shares. Sherbrooke taxpayers contribute $l45,000.00 a year, Canton Hatley pays $20,000, and Waterville pays $10,000. All their energy and money are being directed toward an alpine ski hill - to the detriment of the other facets of the park, which extends on both sides of the Massawippi River. There is approximately 700 acres of land within the park.

As parks go, it is a gem containing many historically significant relics as well as a great diversity of habitats including a large section of the Massawippi River. The greenway, a bike path along an old railway line, passes directly though the park. Besides the stagecoach road, there are many other significant ruins and relics within and close to the boundaries of the park. Developing only the ski hill and cutting off the forest, while ignoring all other aspects of this property, goes against the spirit and principles for which the land was obtained from the federal government at much less than its market value.

It is critical that action be taken quickly. Heavy equipment is already on the site making roads and the tree cutting has progressed in close proximity to the road. Many semi-trailer loads of logs have already been removed from the property. Other historically important things may have already been destroyed. If the woodcutting continues as planned, it will be necessary for logging crews and their equipment to cross a small brook below a waterfall. Oral history says that the clay from near this waterfall was of exceptional quality. Here the Indians made small clay balls and left them to bake in the sun. These were reportedly used as ammunition to down small game. The whole park needs protection until appropriate studies can be done to determine its true value.

Since the principal owner is the City of Sherbrooke, it should be the main target of any reaction from the community. In January there will be a meeting of the Régie intermunicipale de Montjoye, the governing body, but the wood cutting operations will have progressed to a critical point by then.