Saint-Jacques Sluice

The heritage value of the Saint-Jacques sluice as a Local Historic Place is associated with its role in the history of the log drive. The log drive involved floating logs down the river, a less expensive system than shipping them. The loggers, armed with a pike pole or peavey, made sure the logs continued on their way, often stepping from one log to another. The remains of this sluice are one of the few reminders of this spectacular practice, carried out between 1820 and 1950 on the Madawaska River. The sluice was used for unloading softwood logs, commonly referred to as "pitounes", in order to transport them to the Fraser Mill in downtown Edmundston.