# Hinchinbrooke, Quebec

Hinchinbrooke (or Hinchinbrook until 1993) is a rural community in southern Quebec, Canada, in the Châteauguay Valley, in the MRC de Le Haut-Saint-Laurent. The population as of the 2021 Canadian census was 2,187.

## History

Its first settlers were Irish who arrived around 1820. The parish was called Saint-Patrice-de-Hinchin(g)brook(e), or in English St. Patrick Hinchinbrook, named after an ancient country estate in Huntingdon, England (but without the "g" since it was not pronounced). In 1845, the Township Municipality of Hinchinbrooke was founded, but merged into the Municipality of Beauharnois Number Two on September 1, 1847 (along with Dundee, Hemmingford, Godmanchester, St. Anicet, Russeltown, and Ormstown). It was reestablished on July 1, 1855.
Since the 1980 dissolution of Huntingdon County, Hinchinbrooke is within Le Haut-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality.
Long written as Hinchinbrook, the spelling was officially corrected to Hinchinbrooke in 1993. On November 5, 2011, the township municipality changed statutes and became a regular municipality.

## Geography

The municipality is situated along the Canada–United States border. It is one of the two southernmost communities in Quebec, along with Elgin, with their tripoint with New York on the Châteauguay River being the southernmost point in the province.

### Communities

The following locations reside within the municipality's boundaries:
* Athelstan (45°02′09″N 74°10′39″W﻿ / ﻿45.03583°N 74.17750°W﻿ / 45.03583; -74.17750﻿ (Athelstan, Elgin, QC)) – a hamlet situated on the western border with Elgin.
* Brooklet (45°00′25″N 74°02′51″W﻿ / ﻿45.00694°N 74.04750°W﻿ / 45.00694; -74.04750﻿ (Brooklet, Elgin, QC)) – a hamlet situated in the southeast.
* Herdman (45°01′34″N 74°05′43″W﻿ / ﻿45.02611°N 74.09528°W﻿ / 45.02611; -74.09528﻿ (Herdman, Elgin, QC)) – a hamlet located along Quebec Route 202 in the south.
* Parc Davignon (45°00′02″N 74°04′50″W﻿ / ﻿45.00056°N 74.08056°W﻿ / 45.00056; -74.08056﻿ (Parc Davignon, Elgin, QC)) – a cottage community along the US border.
* Powerscourt (45°00′23″N 74°09′26″W﻿ / ﻿45.00639°N 74.15722°W﻿ / 45.00639; -74.15722﻿ (Powerscourt, Elgin, QC)) – a hamlet situated on the southwest border with Elgin.
* Rockburn (45°01′19″N 74°00′28″W﻿ / ﻿45.02194°N 74.00778°W﻿ / 45.02194; -74.00778﻿ (Rockburn, Elgin, QC)) – a hamlet located along Quebec Route 202 in the southeast.

### Lakes & Rivers

The following waterways pass through or are situated within the municipality's boundaries:
* Lac Moonlight (45°01′45″N 74°08′51″W﻿ / ﻿45.02917°N 74.14750°W﻿ / 45.02917; -74.14750﻿ (Lac Moonlight, Elgin, QC)) – a small lake in the southwest.
* Châteauguay River – runs along the municipality's western boundary.
* Rivière Hinchinbrooke (45°02′21″N 74°11′04″W﻿ / ﻿45.03917°N 74.18444°W﻿ / 45.03917; -74.18444﻿ (Rivière Hinchinbrooke, Elgin, QC))
* Rivière aux Outardes

### Climate

Climate data for Hinchinbrooke :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.5 (63.5) | 18.0 (64.4) | 24.5 (76.1) | 31.5 (88.7) | 35.0 (95.0) | 34.0 (93.2) | 34.4 (93.9) | 36.1 (97.0) | 34.0 (93.2) | 28.9 (84.0) | 23.3 (73.9) | 20.0 (68.0) | 36.1 (97.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −4.8 (23.4) | −2.9 (26.8) | 2.5 (36.5) | 11.5 (52.7) | 18.9 (66.0) | 23.8 (74.8) | 26.1 (79.0) | 25.0 (77.0) | 20.7 (69.3) | 13.3 (55.9) | 6.1 (43.0) | −1.1 (30.0) | 11.6 (52.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −13.8 (7.2) | −12.3 (9.9) | −6.8 (19.8) | 1.4 (34.5) | 7.6 (45.7) | 13.2 (55.8) | 15.6 (60.1) | 14.2 (57.6) | 9.8 (49.6) | 3.6 (38.5) | −1.5 (29.3) | −8.9 (16.0) | 1.9 (35.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −36.7 (−34.1) | −37.2 (−35.0) | −29.5 (−21.1) | −14.0 (6.8) | −3.9 (25.0) | −0.5 (31.1) | 4.0 (39.2) | 1.7 (35.1) | −4.5 (23.9) | −7.8 (18.0) | −19.4 (−2.9) | −35.0 (−31.0) | −37.2 (−35.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 67.5 (2.66) | 55.5 (2.19) | 59.3 (2.33) | 77.0 (3.03) | 86.5 (3.41) | 93.7 (3.69) | 95.0 (3.74) | 89.9 (3.54) | 91.0 (3.58) | 93.5 (3.68) | 86.0 (3.39) | 70.5 (2.78) | 965.3 (38.00) |
| Source: Environment Canada based from Ormstown weather station ||||||||||||||

## Demographics
### Population

| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1861 | 2,725 | — |
| 1871 | 2,441 | −10.4% |
| 1881 | 2,334 | −4.4% |
| 1891 | 2,209 | −5.4% |
| 1901 | 2,018 | −8.6% |
| 1911 | 1,740 | −13.8% |
| 1921 | 1,647 | −5.3% |
| 1931 | 1,658 | +0.7% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1941 | 1,619 | −2.4% |
| 1951 | 1,726 | +6.6% |
| 1956 | 1,634 | −5.3% |
| 1961 | 1,639 | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 1,742 | +6.3% |
| 1971 | 1,911 | +9.7% |
| 1976 | 1,871 | −2.1% |
| 1981 | 2,052 | +9.7% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1986 | 2,225 | +8.4% |
| 1991 | 2,392 | +7.5% |
| 1996 | 2,407 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 2,380 | −1.1% |
| 2006 | 2,369 | −0.5% |
| 2011 | 2,242 | −5.4% |
| 2016 | 2,103 | −6.2% |
| 2021 | 2,187 | +4.0% |
Source: Statistics Canada :

### Language

Canada Census Mother Tongue - Hinchinbrooke, Quebec :
| Census | Total | French | French | French | English | English | English | French & English | French & English | French & English | Other | Other | Other |
| Year | Responses | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % |
| 2021 | 2,190 | 955 | 4.4% | 43.6% | 1,065 | 1,9% | 48.6% | 60 | 50.0% | 2.7% | 90 | 0.0% | 4.1% |
| 2016 | 2,100 | 915 | 2.7% | 43.6% | 1,045 | 8.7% | 49.8% | 40 | 14.3% | 1.9% | 90 | 18.2% | 4.3% |
| 2011 | 2,230 | 940 | 10.9% | 42.2% | 1,145 | 7.5% | 51.4% | 35 | 75.0% | 1.6% | 110 | 50.0% | 4.9% |
| 2006 | 2,360 | 1,055 | 7.0% | 44.7% | 1,065 | 0.0% | 45.1% | 20 | 55.6% | 0.9% | 220 | 76.0% | 9.3% |
| 2001 | 2,370 | 1,135 | 29.0% | 47.9% | 1,065 | 21.4% | 44.9% | 45 | 28.6% | 1.9% | 125 | 4.2% | 5.3% |
| 1996 | 2,390 | 880 | n/a | 36.8% | 1,355 | n/a | 56.7% | 35 | n/a | 1.5% | 120 | n/a | 5.0% |

## Economy

The primary industries in Hinchinbrooke are agriculture, with dairy cattle and apple farming being the most prevalent sub-sectors.

## Attractions

The Powerscourt Covered Bridge over the Châteauguay River was originally built in 1861, and is now a National Historic Site of Canada.

## Government

List of former mayors:
* Normand Crête (...–2013)
* Carolyn Cameron (2013–2021)
* Mark Wallace (2021–present)

## Notable people

Sir William Hales Hingston, physician and mayor of Montreal from 1875 to 1877, was born in Hinchinbrooke.