Powder magazine at Poste-de-Traite-de-la-Métabetchouane
The powder magazine of Poste-de-Traite-de-la-Métabetchouane is a small stone building built between 1760 and 1788 in Desbiens, Quebec, Canada. It is the only surviving building of the Métabetchouane trading post, located where the Métabetchouane River meets Lac Saint-Jean. The site sits beside an important Indigenous meeting place that has been used for about 6,000 years, and Jesuits visited the area in the 18th century.
The Métabetchouane trading post was established by Governor Jean de Lauson in 1652. It stood on royal land, meaning profits from the post went to the king. In 1676 a Jesuit mission began there at the same time as the Chicoutimi post. It was abandoned in 1697 in favor of Chicoutimi, then re-established after the Conquest in 1760. The powder magazine was built during this period, between 1760 and 1788.
In 1802 the North West Company took over Métabetchouane, and in 1821 it merged with Hudson’s Bay Company. The post was abandoned in 1880 in favor of a new trading post at Pointe-Bleue, now Mashteuiatsh. The powder magazine was designated a heritage building on January 19, 1967 by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. It is located near the Métabetchouane archaeological site and can be visited.
Description: It is a small rectangular stone building with no windows. The roof is a pavilion style with a mast on top and is covered with cedar shingles. Coordinates: 48°25′12″N 71°57′48″W.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:24 (CET).