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Gosford Road
In 1806, the controller Jesse Pennoyer, proposed a road connecting the border of New-Hampshire with Vermont and Quebec. This road was to cross Broughton and the Chaudière River and join another road for Quebec, but after having inspected the surrounding grounds, they concluded that they were unsuitable for colonization and they gave up this project. In 1807, it proposed another road crossing the Ireland Township, then skirting the western portion of the Lake Joseph. In 1815, seeing that the interest of the landowners was not sufficient to finance such a project, that one also fell through. However, between the years 1820 and 1830, the habitants of Megantic asked for a new road going along Lake Joseph which would be less broken than the Craig Road.
In 1829, a report of the Committee of the interior communications of the government concluded that the Craig Road was in good condition from St. Nicolas to the Leeds Township. The remainder, however, from the Ireland Township to Shipton, really leaves something to be desired. Certain police chiefs wanted to cure this gap and suggested changing the layout of the Craig way at certain places to avoid significant obstacles such as slopes, brooks and rivers. They proposed the rectification of the road by creating a new one. It would pass by the center of the Inverness Township and would move towards Maple Grove in the Ireland Township, to join part of the already existing road named Dudswell's way.
The governor general of the time, Archibald Acheson Gosford, was in favour of this project with the approval of the Assembly Room members. Work thus began in 1832, with local help hired at $0.50 per day. This road was completed in 1834.
For a period of 24 years, from 1810 to 1834, Craig Road was the only road through Megantic County. Afterwards, two motor roads crossed the southern part of the Township and connected the State of Vermont to Quebec City. It is because of these roads that local inhabitants were able to obtain perishable goods from the Province of Quebec, and could engage in trade with two major economic centers (Quebec and Boston). In much the same manner as Craig Road, Gosford Road did not undergo regular maintenance because of funding shortages. By 1834, a large stretch of road was simply unusable. People of influence sought a scapegoat for these poor road conditions. Members of Parliament threw out accusations of favouritism and conflicts of interest in the Legislative Assembly. It was not until 1841, when a new organization was created, the Office of Public Works, that the maintenance of Craig and Gosford Roads became a priority.
In spite of the difficulties encountered, these two roads nevertheless played a dominant role in the development of Megantic County. Until the mid-nineteenth century, Gosford Road brought an ever-growing flood of British immigrants to the Township of Inverness, and ensured trade with the outside world was possible.
References
1- Gwen Rawlings Barry, A HISTORY OF MEGANTIC COUNTY, Downhomers of Quebec's Eastern Townships, Evans Books, 1999, p. 88.
2- Inverness, Corporation touristique d'Inverness, 1987, pp. 29-30.
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