Where is this plaque commemorating the Godé-Gadois family, ancestors of Hillary Clinton?

THE FIRST SETTLERS
J.-A.-U. Baudry, Monument aux Pionniers, 1893, stone

On Place d’Youville, a stone obelisk commemorates the foundation of the city close to this spot in 1642. The monument was erected by the Société historique de Montréal to celebrate the city’s 250th birthday. One of the plaques on the north side of the obelisk lists the names of the colonists who came between May and December of 1642. There were more than 50 of them, mainly male, but there was one family - Nicolas Godé, his wife Françoise Gadois, and their three children - Françoise, Nicolas and Mathurine (photo 1). One wonders what these children thought of their new home especially when winter arrived. Their father was killed in 1657 by the Iroquois but their mother lived to be 100 years old! Among other people, Hillary Clinton claims to be descended from this family (it’s amazing what you can discover on the internet!).

To whom does this scarred face belong?

FRENCH NAVAL HERO
Paul-Eugène Benet, Jean Vauquelin, 1930, bronze on stone pedestal

In Place Vauquelin just west of City Hall, there is a monument honouring Jean Vauquelin (1728-72) who commanded the French navy in the St. Lawrence during the Seven Years’ War (1756-63). Vauquelin is shown valiantly fighting to the last after he had run out of ammunition and his ship had run aground near Québec City. His scarred face shows all the tragedy of the end of New France which was to come (photo 2). The monument was erected after a fund-raising campaign by the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste - no doubt in reaction to Nelson across the street (see below). The Canadian Government gave a replica of this monument to the City of Dieppe, Vauquelin’s home town, in 1930.

Whose monument is decorated with this crocodile?

BRITISH NAVAL HERO
Robert Mitchell, Horatio Nelson, 1809, stone on column

At the north end of Place Jacques-Cartier on Rue Notre-Dame (and across the street from Vauquelin), a monument of Horatio Nelson (1758-1805), vanquisher of Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar, stands on top of a 15-metre-high column. Erected in 1809 after a public subscription, it is Montréal’s oldest monument. Engravings on its sides commemorate Nelson’s other great naval victories including the Battle of the Nile (or Aboukir Bay) in 1798 which is represented by a crocodile (photo 3). It’s interesting to note that this was the first time that Lord Nelson was placed on top of a column. The monument in Trafalgar Square, London, dates from 1842.

Whose monument includes this mythological figure?

FATHER OF THE PORT
Louis-Philippe Hébert, John Young, 1908, bronze on stone pedestal

In front of the Allan Building on Rue de la Commune at Saint-Pierre, a statue commemorates John Young (1811-78), first Chairman of the Port Commission and responsible for enlarging and developing the port, notably the land reclamation which means that today this spot is far from the water's edge. Louis-Philippe Hébert sculpted the monument which has at its base the figure of Neptune beside a fountain (photo 4). Neptune is there to symbolically represent the St. Lawrence River and he seems far more lifelike than the rather grim representation of John Young above him. The monument was relocated on this spot in 1997 from its original position on Pointe-à-Callière.

On whose monument is this dog to be found?

FOUNDER OF THE CITY
Louis-Philippe Hébert, Paul Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, 1895, bronze on stone pedestal

Montréal’s most heroic monument stands in the centre of Place d’Armes. Unveiled in 1895 and the work of Louis-Philippe Hébert once again, the monument honours the founder of the city, Paul Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve (1612- 76). Born in La Flêche in the Loire valley, Maisonneuve was 28 when he left France in 1641 to found Ville-Marie. He is shown holding the standard of France aloft. Around the base of his monument are other people important in the city’s early history. They include Lambert Closse who has by his side his famous dog, Pilote (photo 5). Ville-Marie was frequently subject to attack by Iroquois warriors (one is portrayed on the monument). On such occasions, Pilote often saved the day by barking loudly when he sensed the Iroquois approaching thus warning the settlers working in the fields to run for safety behind the wooden palisade.

Photos : Fiana Malins

Le Semeur and La Femme au seau welcome you to City Hall

MASTERPIECES IN BRONZE

Behind the monumental exterior of City Hall lies an impressive and elegant interior which is well worth visiting. Just inside the main doors on Rue Notre-Dame stand two larger-than-life-size sculptures which were cast in bronze in 1985 from original plaster maquettes created by the great Montréal sculptor, Alfred Laliberté (1878-1953). A bronze casting made after the death of the artist can not technically be attributed to him as all the finishing of the bronze would have been done by someone else. However, they are typical of the work of Laliberté as anyone who knows his sculpture can attest. To the right as you enter stands a male figure scattering seed from a pouch. This is Le Semeur, a work of great simplicity honouring manual labour. Opposite it on the left, a woman carries a bucket of water. La Femme au seau was a favourite subject of the artist and there are several other versions of it. Together, the two figures evoke the strength and dignity of the first settlers and the hardships they faced, as well as providing a fine introduction to City Hall.

Amphitrite dips her feet in the fountain at the Centre de commerce mondial

A GODDESS IN STONE

Inside the Centre de commerce mondial on the north side of Rue Saint-Jacques, there are some unexpected treasures. For example, there is an interesting pool resembling an enormous marble table over which water runs so smoothly that most people have to stick their hand into it to believe it really exists (presently under renovation). Beside the pool, in a stairwell, there is a second fountain with a handsome female statue at its centre representing the goddess, Amphitrite, consort of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea. So how did a Greek goddess end up in Montréal?

The work of French sculptor and architect, Dieudonné Barthélemy Guibal, she was made in the mid-18th century and once graced a fountain in Saint-Mihiel in Northern France. In fact, she stood there when some of the inhabitants left their community to settle in the wilds of the New World - in the far-flung mission city of Montréal. In the early 1990s, Amphitrite who had been consigned to a warehouse was brought here by Power Corporation whose offices overlook the fountain. Thus, the goddess makes an elegant link between the old land and the new and, considering her location, between the Old City and modern downtown.

CONCRETE DIRECT FROM BERLIN

This section of the Berlin Wall keeps nobody out

At the eastern (Rue Saint-Pierre) end of the Centre de commerce mondial stands a large chunk of concrete and steel with brightly coloured graffiti on one side. One of Montréal’s most unusual monuments, this is actually a piece of the Berlin Wall which divided the German capital from 1961-1989. This particular section was originally located close to the Brandenburg Gate. The brightly coloured graffiti faced West Berlin, the plainer more severe side faced the East. It stands as a monument to freedom and it was a gift to Montréal from the City of Berlin in 1992 on the occasion of the city’s 350th anniversary. It is rather appropriately located on Ruelle des Fortifications where once Montréal’s own city walls rose.

Patria watches you withdraw cash in the Bank of Montréal

VICTORY IN MARBLE

The Neo-Classical facade of the Bank of Montréal dominates the north side of Place d’Armes. Built in 1847, it was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The interior however has a different feel since it was completely redone by Stamford White of the New York architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White between 1901 and 1905. Walking through the main bronze doors, you enter a wide atrium lined with massive Ionic columns in green syenite granite leading to the main banking hall. White was inspired by the basilica style of some of the great churches of Rome, notably Santa Maria Maggiore and San Paolo fuori le Mura. The floor of this area is actually a bridge over the laneway (Ruelle des Fortifications) below. Directly ahead, a magnificent marble figure of Victory dominates the view. Clutching palm fronds and a sword in her arms, “Patria” is actually a war memorial commemorating the 231 employees of the Bank of Montréal who were killed during the First World War. She was the work of the noted American sculptor, James Earle Fraser, who is probably best known for his monumental seated statue of Benjamin Franklin in the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.

TO COMMEMORATE A SAINT

Jules Lasalle, Hommage à Marguerite Bourgeois, 1987, bronze

On Rue Notre-Dame immediately east of the Palais de Justice, a bronze ensemble commemorates Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700), founder of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame de Montréal, one of the first uncloistered religious communities of women in the Roman Catholic Church. Arriving in Ville-Marie in 1653, she opened a school in an abandoned stable in 1658 and began her work of educating children and women in New France. Canonised by Pope John Paul II in 1982, she was the first female Canadian saint.

Jules Lasalle’s bronze monument was commissioned at that time. It shows a very compassionate life-size representation of Marguerite Bourgeoys extending her arms towards two children who also compose the ensemble. Together, they seem to dance joyfully through the water at their feet (snow at this time of year). This lovely sculpture happens to be placed in front of a day care centre so that, on fine weekdays, colourfully dressed children are often seen playing behind it.

Annick Bourgeau, Monument à Jean Drapeau, 2001, bronze

TO HONOUR A POLITICIAN

Standing calmly in Place de la Dauversière opposite City Hall is a monument to Jean Drapeau (1916-1999), lawyer, politician, and mayor of Montréal 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986 - a record 29 years. Flamboyant and often controversial, Drapeau oversaw many pivotal events in Montréal including the inauguration of Place des Arts, Expo 67, the 1976 Olympic Games and the construction of the metro. The larger than life figure of the former mayor strikes a welcoming pose as he greets visitors to “his” Hôtel de Ville across the street. Annick Bourgeau carefully studied photographs of Mr. Drapeau and she has succeeded in capturing him in a very characteristic pose with his hands gesturing. Those hands frequently clutch flowers - even beer bottles - placed there by some of the many passers-by who seem unable to resist photographing him. On January 1st, 2009, someone placed a champagne bottle between those hands!

BETWEEN OURSELVES

Andrew Dutkewych, Entre Nous, 1992, bronze and stone

In front of the Archeology Museum on Pointe-à-Callière, where once the St. Pierre River ran into the St. Lawrence, an ensemble composed of three different elements can be seen. A sculpted column which somewhat resembles a chess piece dominates the group. At its feet is an urn on its side and next to it, there is a stone bench.

To commemorate the importance of this site where Ville-Marie was founded in 1642, Andrew Dutkewych has given us a contemporary interpretation. The triangular disposition of the pieces echoes the shape of Pointe-à-Callière itself and the modern museum which now stands there. The column is supported by blocks of Montreal limestone of which so much of the older part of the city is composed. The urn is a representation of the type of object found in archeological excavations such as those commemorated in the museum. It could also suggest the transmission of culture. The bench enables us to sit and reflect on the importance of the site. This ensemble is much appreciated by tourists - especially the bench! And the hordes of school children visiting the museum frequently sit on the urn too - the small ones even sit inside the urn!

Rose-Aimée Bélanger, Les Chuchoteuses,
2006, bronze

SHEER DELIGHT

Just west of Saint-Laurent on the north side of Rue Saint-Paul is a tiny space which goes by the name of Placette Saint- Dizier. There, three well-rounded females sit on a bench and chatter, seemingly oblivious to the street and the passing traffic. This delightful and much photographed sculpture is the work of Rose- Aimée Bélanger, who was born in Québec in 1923 but now lives in northern Ontario. Represented by the Galerie Saint-Dizier across the street, the artist is known for her female figures which she generally presents in a narrative way. Although they are fairly massive pieces of bronze, they give an impression of lightness and sensuality. And indeed, few people can resist photographing themselves joining with the “Gossipers”, holding their hands and opening their mouths in joyful imitation.

Photos : Fiona Malins

For example, the first lamps in Montréal burned whale oil. They were somewhat smelly and the light they provided was not very bright. So in the early 19th century, they were replaced by lamps which burned kerosene. These gave a much better light but they also tended to give off a strong smell not to mention being a bit dangerous.

The date November 23rd, 1837, was a landmark in Montréal’s history because that was the day that gas lamps were seen in the city for the first time. The previous year, the city’s first gas company had been founded by a group of businessmen including architect John Ostell (who designed the Old Customs House on Place Royale, among other things). At first, people had to subscribe to the service so it was mainly stores which put the new lights up in front of their entrances to attract customers.

Here Comes the Lamplighter!
Later, gas lamps were placed along the streets. They had to be lit manually each night by a lamplighter and extinguished every morning in the same way. This became such a regular process that people were able to reset their clocks at the moment of the lamplighter’s passage even though this time varied a little winter to summer. Gas lighting remained very popular even after the advent of electricity. A hundred years ago in 1908, for example, fully a third of Montréal’s street lamps were still lit by gas.

Electric Lamps were Considered Bad for the Complexion!
The idea of electric street lights came from the Paris World Fair of 1878 when the arc lamp or electric candle made its debut. One year later in 1879, this new and powerful form of lighting was demonstrated in Montréal on the Champ de Mars. It took a few years to catch on but on July 17th, 1886, the streets of Montréal were lit up for the first time with arc lamps. Not everyone liked them. Some people found them too bright! And the gas company mounted a campaign against them saying, among other things, that they were detrimental to women’s complexions! But electric lights were here to stay.

Many of the streets of Old Montréal now have charming lamps along them in the style of the old gas ones but containing electric bulbs. If you look at them carefully, you will note a bar placed under the lantern. On the old gas lamps, this was to support the end of the lamplighter’s ladder when he climbed up either to light or to extinguish them.

Gas Lamps in Old Montréal Today
Did you know that there are actually some functioning gas lamps in Old Montréal today? They can be seen along rue Sainte-Hélène, a remarkable short street which connects rue Notre-Dame to rue Le Moyne. It is lined with a collection of grey stone buildings built 1858-71 in styles inspired by Italian Renaissance palaces. Unmistakably Victorian, they are however quite unique as an ensemble.

Ten years ago in 1998, Gaz Métropolitain installed twenty-two lamp standards along this thoroughfare to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the use of natural gas in their network. Each lamp is equipped with four gas burners. But, since the occupation of lamp-lighting has gone by the board, the lamps burn all the time, night and day.   The choice of rue Sainte-Hélène for this experiment was particularly fortuitous because the architecture and size of the street means that the atmosphere of the 19th century has been quite successfully recreated. The soft warmth of the gas lights at night really shows off the street to advantage, and who knows, maybe it’s better for the complexion!

It's hard to imagine that only 50 years ago, it was an industrial and commercial artery lined with port facilities, sheds, warehouses and huge grain elevators, quite unrecognizable from today.

Going back even further to the beginnings of the colony, we find another thoroughfare altogether. As its name suggests, it was once common land along the river's edge outside the fortifications where settlers could graze their animals and pull up their boats on its shores. When the fortifications were demolished at the beginning of the 19th century, the Commissioners responsible for the job had quays built along the waterfront and they opened a new road which they baptised Commissioners Street. In 1970, this street was renamed Rue de la Commune to remind us of the colony's beginnings.

What's gone and what's changed The south side of La Commune was revolutionized when the working port moved downstream and the Old Port was created. This was a process which began in the late 1970s with the removal of Grain Elevators no. 2 in 1978 and no. 1 in 1983 (see Le Vieux-Montréal, mars-avril 2008). To appreciate just how their removal changed the street, you only have to stand at the corner of McGill and La Commune and look at the enormous concrete walls of Grain Elevator no. 5. Walls of that size once lined the street to the east blocking out the light as well as any access to the river. A large number of metal sheds were also removed as well as some of the railway lines. The park we know so well today was completed prior to 1992 to celebrate the city's 350th anniversary.

At the same time, the north side of the street has changed from being industrial and commercial to being largely residential with a few cultural projects thrown in. To my mind, several major projects are responsible for this change and they, in turn, have influenced a number of smaller ones.

From McGill to Pointe-à-Callière At the corner of McGill and La Commune stands a vast triangular complex of apartments known as No. 1 McGill. Fairly revolutionary in its time (1995), this complex was the first new construction in the old quarter. It brought a lot of people to live in this area and thus began La Commune's change from industrial to residential landscape. Next door at no. 357 is another important project, the beautifully restored former Harbour Commissioners' Building with its distinctive tower (in centre of photo) which belongs to Daniel Langlois of Softimage and houses a very exclusive club.

From this point, the view east shows the waterfront buildings forming a gentle curve as they follow the old line of the river. Practically all of them were built in the 19th century as warehouses beside quays where all manner of produce was once unloaded. Today, no warehouses remain. The stone structures have been cleaned and put to other uses such as high class offices and condominiums.

Among them stands the distinctive modern structure of the Pointe-à-Callière Archeology and History Museum. This was another important project which revolutionized the street. Opened in 1992 for the city's 350th anniversary, it has brought cultural activities to the waterfront both inside and outside its walls. It also has an unusual tower boasting a viewpoint of the whole area which is well worth the detour.

From Pointe-à-Callière to Marché Bonsecours After Pointe-à-Callière until you arrive at Boulevard Saint-Laurent, pricey condominiums dominate the upper floors of the grey stone buildings while the ground floors house a variety of new stores, cafes and offices. The character of La Commune changes as Saint-Laurent is crossed becoming more commercial and less residential. Often, what is seen is the back of a business on Rue Saint-Paul.

The final part of the street in Old Montréal is dominated by the huge but elegant structure of the Bonsecours Market with its beautiful silver dome. Like the projects mentioned above, the renovation of this building contributed significantly to the renovation of the whole street. Converted into an exhibition centre from city offices in 1992, today it houses an interesting collection of boutiques and stores offering largely local arts and crafts as well as a few restaurants.

And next door to it stands a relic of times past : the charming Chapel of Notre- Dame-de-Bonsecours. Once the statue on the back facing La Commune overlooked the river marking for ships their arrival in the port. The lovely interior entirely renovated since 1985 provides a place of tranquillity on this busy street.

At that time, vast walls of concrete stretched along the south side of Rue de la Commune along with sheds and high metal conveyor belts. The vast walls of concrete were grain elevators and three mighty examples presented their "backsides" to us in Old Montréal. The river was nowhere to be seen - in fact people could have been forgiven for doubting whether there actually was a river!

Why were they there?

As the 19th century progressed, more and more land came under cultivation in the Canadian West producing millions of bushels of grain. Transported by train across the continent, this was loaded onto ships in our port en route for markets in Europe. So much grain arrived that new methods of storing it were required. Enter the Grain Elevator, a resolutely modern piece of construction. The first grain elevator in the port went up in 1849. Belonging to the Montréal Warehouse Company, a subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway, it was constructed entirely of wood and was rather modest in dimension. In 1885, the Canadian Pacific Railway also built wooden elevators but, by the 20th century, something much more colossal was required.

Grain elevator 1 (demolished 1983)

Grain Elevator No. 1 was originally built between 1902 and 1904 although it was considerably enlarged later between 1912 and 1915. Its massive metal silos rose high above what is now Pointe-à- Callière, as well as Place Royale and right across the southern end of Rue Saint- Sulpice. The Buffalo company, Steel Storage Elevator, was responsible for its construction under Chicago engineer John S. Metcalf. In 1983, when it was finally demolished, the view south down Rue Saint- S u l p i c e was revolutionized. Suddenly the sky was visible along with, occasionally, a ship! Photo 1 shows this elevator in its heyday along with Elevator No. 5 which is still standing.

Grain elevator 2 (demolished 1978)

Demand for grain was so great that a second huge elevator was constructed between 1910 and 1912. The work of engineer John S. Metcalf once again, it was built entirely of concrete, the first in the world. A massive 240 metres long, it extended from the Marché Bonsecours along the south end of Place Jacques- Cartier. In addition, it rose a total of 60 metres in height - that's twice the height of the Marché Bonsecours (see photo 2). Although originally conceived to hold a total of 2 million bushels of grain (double the capacity of Grain Elevator 1), it was extended while it was actually under construction to a capacity of more than 2.6 million.

In its day, it inspired admiration. For example, in 1923, visiting architects Le Corbusier and Gropius were in awe before this magnificent example of functionalism... In fact Grain Elevator 2 was so well constructed that, for nearly a week in 1978, it resisted all efforts to demolish it. I well remember standing on Place Jacques-Cartier and watching the demolition team at work. It was an amazing site.

Why were they demolished

Although at one time, Montréal was the biggest grain-handling port on the continent, by 1970, this business was fast diminishing. Markets for Canadian grain had shifted to the Pacific, and rail shipments to western ports gradually replaced the trains coming east. By the middle of the decade, there was no need for so many huge elevators. Instead, the port developed as a container-handling terminal leaving the once mighty grain elevators empty and abandoned - until their demolition for the creation of the Old Port.

Postscript

It is interesting to note that Grain Elevator 5 still stands at the base of McGill Street though it has been out of use for more than 10 years. I will refrain from commenting on what I think should be done with this elevator - except that something ought to be done! And for those of you wondering about the missing numbers, I will mention that Grain Elevator 3 (located just west of Pie IX) has been converted to handle cement while Grain Elevator 4 (located east of Viau) still handles grain - the sole survivor!


Note : Fiona Malins arrived in the port of Montréal in 1970 by ship. Her first view of her future home was the wall of Grain Elevator 1.