(The Sun, Jocelyn Riendeau)
A cotton factory was established at the foot of Montmorency Falls in 1889. The factory took advantage of the proximity of the first hydroelectric power station in the Quebec region. It changed its name several times before becoming Dominion Textile Company in 1905.
The factory led to the rapid development of the town of Montmorency, located just to the west. In 1940, 5,500 people lived on its small territory of three square kilometers. Families are large. The accommodation is overflowing. And that’s just the beginning!
In 1956, Montmorency became the city with the highest density in Canada! 8681 inhabitants per square kilometer! More than Montreal!
Let’s return to the photo from 1945. In the distance, on the left, we can see the two bell towers of the Saint-Louis-de-Courville church. On the right, Boischatel is still just a town. The Île d’Orléans bridge is already part of the landscape. Inaugurated in 1935, it cost $2.5 million [47 millions en argent de 2024]. This represents 4.4% of the annual budget of the Quebec government!
Today, the landscape has transformed. The construction of the Dufferin-Montmorency highway changed the landscape. The town of Montmorency became a district of Beauport in 1976. The Dominion Textile factory was demolished in 1992. The surrounding area of the waterfall became a park.
We have almost made a clean sweep of the past.
Source: www.ville.quebec.qc.ca
We extend an invitation to all. Do you have photos in your hands representing a missing facet of Quebec City? A crossroads, a building, a business, a wooded area? Send them to us. Show us your treasures. And even if you can no longer find the photos, do not hesitate to contact us to share your memories.
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