Bruck House, history of a heritage building

The large house is built in 1874 as a branch of the Eastern Townships Bank, which was headquartered in Sherbrooke. It is also the residence of its manager, James MacKinnon. In 1909, the bank sells the building to the industrialist and future mayor of Cowansville, William F. Vilas, who transforms it into a family residence. The Second Empire-style heritage house, an architecture popular in the 1880s, stands out with its mansard dormers and four gabled roof. Inside, its original woodwork is impeccably preserved.

In 1941, the house is purchased by the Bruck Silk Mills company and becomes the Bruck House, a training center for employees and a social club. After the sale of the company, the building is transferred to the city of Cowansville in 1979 by the company Consoltex. In 2005, the Conseil des monuments et sites du Québec awards a Certificate of Honour to Maison Bruck, following the installation of a tourist information office and the presentation of exhibitions within the heritage building. The edifice now houses the Bruck Museum and its collections.