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
Before photography became widespread, newspapers used professional illustrators. Working in the country’s main cities, they drew the events they observed. The illustrator of the newspaper L’Opinion Publique thus depicted panicked Québec City families fleeing their homes as fire destroyed the Saint-Jean-Baptiste district in 1881.
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