Willie Niles Smokehouse

Willie Niles Smokehouse is designated a Local Historic Place for its association with the smoked herring industry in Canada and the Maritimes and for its architecture.

The existence of smokehouses in Cap-Pelé dates back to the 1840s, when Joseph Bourque was already selling smoked herring. Previously, the smoking of herring was for domestic consumption or even for small-scale commercial consumption. It was not until the early 20th century that larger commercial smokehouses were established. In the late 1910's, certain villagers of Bas-Cap-Pelé had learnt new smoked herring techniques on a larger commercial scale from the smokers from Grand Manan, one of the pioneer regions in the Maritimes in this industry, and from the smokers of Pointe-à-Johnson, in Chimougoui. In 1922, Willie E. Landry, Thaddée S. LeBlanc and Willie Niles each built themselves smokehouses. In 1973, Willie Niles’ smokehouse was sold by Arthur Niles, the son of the original owner, to Roméo-T. Cormier and transported to its current site. Today, the Cap-Pelé region produces more than 95% of the smoked herring in the Atlantic Provinces and Canada. The finished product is shipped to various countries, particularly in the Caribbean.

Despite modifications over the year, Willie Niles Smokehouse still has its original frame and its interior, more than three-quarters of a century old and possibly one of the oldest in Canada. The original smokehouse consists of a building approximately 30 feet long and 15 feet wide. Many of the elements that reflect its use as a smokehouse still remain. An opening in the top of the roof is capped with a board to prevent the rain from getting into the building and to allow the smoke to escape. The original location of the door and window openings shows that there were two doors in each side of the building and the 10 openings just below the roof with wooden sliding windows. In the middle of the interior and up to the rooftop are bays with racks, where the herring sticks were suspended. The herring was smoked using fires of hardwood and sawdust on the ground.