walbridge conservation

The Walbridge Conservation Area Foundation

The origins and history of Mystic, Quebec, is deeply linked to the Walbridge family starting with their ancestor who left Bennington, Vermont, to take up residence in Mystic in 1822. This picturesque hamlet sits just 10 kilometres from the Quebec-Vermont border and 75 kilometres southeast of Montreal. Under the influence of Alexander Solomon Walbridge, the son of that first pioneer, it was to become a small industrial centre that was very active from 1868 to 1897.

Preserving the Walbridge Estate for all

Thanks to the foresight and generosity of the Walbridge family, this ancestral property has been donated to the Walbridge Conservation Area Foundation, whose mandate is to conserve and restore this unique heritage property, and to promote conservation on the land adjacent to it. Today, the stunning red-coloured Walbridge Barn bears witness to the grand past of the Walbridge family and their impact on the local scene. This remarkable 12-sided, 12-gabled construction with its amazing roof is actually Quebec’s oldest polygonal barn (dating from 1878). Preserved carefully by the descendants of the original builder, the Walbridge Barn has been classified as an historic monument by the ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec, and has been lovingly restored. With restoration complete, the Barn is now opened to the public and to educational institutions as an Agricultural Museum operated by the Missisquoi Historical Society. We invite you to explore this site, featuring the story of the Walbridge Estate and those of its creator, Alexander Solomon Walbridge (1828-1897), a rare and unique businessman and innovator.

To help fund the WCAF and to own your own unique piece of Mystic history and the Walbridge story be sure to consider these great gifts...