Before the Québec Bridge opened in 1917, residents had two ways of crossing the river. In summer, they could take a boat across. In winter, however, they crossed on the ice bridge that formed when the river froze over. It was then that the crossing—by horse-drawn sleigh—was the quickest and easiest, and that the residents of Québec City and Lévis, on the opposite bank of the St. Lawrence River, spent the most time together. Rediscover this bygone era!
James Pattison Cockburn
Around 1830, the ice business was booming, although it mainly served the burgher class and large industries. It was not until the middle of the 19th century that ice began being used by less-affluent towns and populations. Here, we see workers stocking ice for the summer.
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