At the end of the 19th century, Québec was swept by economic and social changes. French Canadians were increasingly pulling up stakes and heading for the United States. In an effort to counter this population drain, the government decided on a settlement plan for the Abitibi region, an area newly annexed to Québec (1898). Hector Authier was largely instrumental in implementing the plan, an achievement that won him the name of "the father of the Abitibi region". He was, in turn, mayor, county prefect, M.P., news reporter and mining and forestry promoter.

The Authier House is located on a promontory overlooking the Harricana River. It is the oldest house still standing in the Abitibi region. It bears witness to the history of the pioneer generation that decided to settle in the Abitibi, considered the land of hope in the early 1900s.

Because of their significance, the house and site were classified as an historic monument and cultural heritage site, respectively, by the Cissty of Amos in 1992. In 2005, the City of Amos purchased the house and a portion of the site to make them into an historic park.