Québec City experienced major fires in the 19th century. The most memorable were undoubtedly those of 1845. On May 28 and June 28, flames destroyed the Saint-Roch, Saint-Jean and Saint-Louis districts. Other major fires also swept through in 1866, 1876 and 1881, ravaging whole sections of the city. Each time, hundreds, if not thousands, of people had to rebuild their homes and reorganize their daily lives. Fire departments began to develop in the late 19th century, reducing the frequency and scale of these fires. This album bears witness to the residents’ courage in these difficult times.
Canadian Illustrated News
Following several devastating fires throughout the 19th century, another major blaze ravaged central Québec City in 1881. This time, it was the working-class district of Saint-Jean-Baptiste that fell prey to the flames. This journalistic engraving from the period shows the panic of the residents who fled the area as the church in the centre of the neighbourhood went up in flames.
We use browser cookies to operate and enhance our services, as well as for advertising purposes. Your privacy is important to us. If you're not comfortable with the use of this information, please review your settings before continuing your visit. Personal Information and Privacy
Our website stores four types of cookies. At any time you can choose which cookies you accept and which you refuse. You can read more about what cookies are and what types of cookies we store in our Cookie Policy.
are necessary for technical reasons. Without them, this website may not function properly.
are necessary for specific functionality on the website. Without them, some features may be disabled.
allow us to analyse website use and to improve the visitor's experience.
allow us to personalise your experience and to send you relevant content and offers, on this website and other websites.
