Barraute, a charming municipality nestled in the Canadian province of Quebec, is a part of the Abitibi Regional County Municipality. This quaint town is known for its rich history, stunning landscapes, and the popular Mont-Vidéo Ski Resort.
The history of Barraute, Quebec, dates back to the early 20th century when colonization began following the completion of the National Transcontinental Railway through the Abitibi region. The Hardy family was the first to arrive in 1916, followed by 20 more families in 1917. By 1918, the settlement, initially known as Natagan, was home to around 30 families.
The name Natagan, derived from the Natagan River, is a First Nations term meaning "winding waters." In 1917, the Natagan River Post Office was established, which was later renamed to Barraute in 1919. The same year, the United Township Municipality of Fiedmont-et-Barraute was formed, incorporating the geographic townships of Fiedmont and Barraute, both proclaimed in 1916.
The name Barraute pays homage to Pierre-Jean Bachoie, also known as Barraute (1723-1760), an officer of the Régiment de Béarn in General Montcalm's army and a member of the Order of Saint Louis. Fiedmont was also an officer in Montcalm's army.
In 1948, a part of the municipal territory separated and was incorporated as the Village Municipality of Barraute. The local economy flourished in 1950 when zinc and silver mines began operating, coupled with the town's favorable location along the railroad and Laflamme River, a tributary of the Bell River.
However, the closure of the zinc and silver mines in 1957 and Canada's only lithium mine in neighboring La Corne in 1965 dealt a significant blow to Barraute's economy. In 1978, the Town of Barville, incorporated in 1953, merged into the Municipality of Fiedmont-et-Barraute. Finally, in 1994, the Municipalities of Fiedmont-et-Barraute and Barraute regrouped to form the new Municipality of Barraute.
As of 2021, Barraute, Quebec, has 930 private dwellings occupied by usual residents out of a total of 1,012 dwellings. The linguistic diversity of the town is predominantly French, with 98.7% of the population speaking French as their first language. English is the first language for 0.5% of the population, while 0.3% are bilingual, speaking both English and French as their first language. The remaining 0.5% speak other languages as their first language.
