“Knock on wood”: new issue of Magazine Gaspésie

Gaspé, Thursday, March 24, 2022 .- The Gaspésie Museum presents its latest issue of Gaspésie Magazine : Knock on wood . This expression means “to attract luck” and there is no denying that the immense forest that covers the territory has brought luck to the Gaspésiens. From construction sites to mills, it has provided thousands of jobs for several generations of them. Throughout the issue, discover the establishment and development of various sawmills. Follow the cycle of the seasons and learn the various trades related to the exploitation, transformation and transport of wood in the peninsula. Finally, do not miss the testimonials of several "woody workers". More than 150 years of forestry work are featured in the Knock on Wood issue, now on newsstands and online. The forest, great wealth of the Gaspé region Immerse yourself in the daily life of the forest camps where loggers and horses do considerable work and where the raftsmen bring the wood down to the sea. The logs then take the road to the United States, England and even the Norway! In the ^18th and ^19th centuries, wood was the second most important export product in Gaspésie. A part is also transformed and takes the path of the mills. Around 1915, 120 small and large sawmills were counted throughout the peninsula. Discover their history and how they functioned, including in Marsoui with the Couturiers, in Grande-Vallée with the Minvilles, in L'Anse-à-Valleau with the Boulays, in Saint-Maurice-de-l'Échouerie with the Veillettes, in Barachois with the Nadeaus. We have to wait until the turn of the ^20th century for pulp and paper mills to appear. You will be surprised to read how rich the history of Gaspésia in Chandler is and deserves attention, from the Dubuc family to the New York Times ! You will also see that these trades are unfortunately not without risk. In 1937, a first union was created to improve the conditions of workers. Finally, conclude your reading with reforestation and the Pépinière de la Gaspésie in Paspébiac, a government initiative. “One of the aspects that touched me the most was the strength of the workers in the face of difficult conditions. Whether it is the loggers, the log drivers, the “jobbers” or even the generations that followed them, a great feeling of pride emerges from the testimonies. says Marie-Josée Lemaire-Caplette, editor-in-chief. Get the printed or digital version of Knock on Wood at newsstands, online at magazinegaspesie.ca or by phone at 418 368-1534, ext. 104. You can also subscribe to either version or the to give as a gift. -30- Image: Cover of the Gaspésie Magazine “Touch du bois”; photo: Michel Mainville collection. Information : Marie-Josee Lemaire-Caplette Editor-in-chief of Magazine Gaspésie C: magazine@museedelagaspesie.ca │ T: 418 368-1534, ext. 106 Source: Gaspésie Magazine