Cowansville and Bruck Mills: A Golden Thread

Once a jewel in the crown of Canada’s textile industry, Bruck Silk Mills marked the industrial and demographic growth of Cowansville and Quebec’s Eastern Townships for over half a century. It was at La Bruck —as its francophone workers called it—that the first yard of silk was woven in Canada in 1922. This is also where the first Canadian flag (the Maple Leaf Flag) was produced in 1964.

This exhibition tells the little-known history of the Bruck Mills, its founders, and of several generations of workers who witnessed its golden era and decline. The family business contributed greatly to the economic development of Cowansville and its impact on the social and cultural life of the community can still be felt today. With branches in Sherbrooke, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Farnham and Wangaratta in Australia, the company focused on innovation and was recognized as a leader in the Canadian textile industry.

The Bruck Museum preserves this rich industrial heritage and celebrates the living memory of the region’s French and English-speaking communities. Housed in a magnificent historic building, the museum also honours the cultural legacy of Bruck Mills and the renowned Cowansville Art Centre, sponsored by its leaders. It brings together a valuable collection of Canadian art, the Bruck-Lee Collection, and hosts visual arts and textile arts exhibitions.