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Operated by the Quebec Street Railway, the first horse-drawn tramway line travelled the streets of the Saint-Roch district. The wagon captured in this photo served several streets. It ran down Saint-Paul, Saint-Joseph and Saint-Vallier streets. At the time, Upper Town was not served by the tramway, as investors had first focused on the commercial district of Lower Town.
1880 - 1890

Horse-drawn trams

The first horse-drawn tram appeared in Québec City in 1863. The wagons of the Quebec Street Railway were horse-drawn and ran on wooden rails in Lower Town. They linked the Champlain and Jacques-Cartier markets around Langelier Boulevard. The year 1878 ushered in the Quebec St. John Railway, serving the Upper Town from Old Québec to the Sainte-Foy toll near Cartier Avenue. The area the company serviced continued to expand westward. In 1897, horse-drawn trams were replaced by electric streetcars. Lots of questions about the era await you!

The first horse-drawn trams in Saint-Roch

Auteur inconnu Operated by the Quebec Street Railway, the first horse-drawn tramway line travelled the streets of the Saint-Roch district. The wagon captured in this photo served several streets. It ran down Saint-Paul, Saint-Joseph and Saint-Vallier streets. At the time, Upper Town was not served by the tramway, as investors had first focused on the commercial district of Lower Town.
Chronoscope Can you locate the site on a map? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Ville de Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Date: 1890