The Rebuilding of Montréal

Struck by fire twice within a period of less than 15 years, the citizens of Montréal once again took on the task of rebuilding an area of the city. The sections on losses incurred and fires in general also provide documents related to the consequences of the fire. What were the priorities of the administrators and of the population? What were considered basic essentials according to the status of the inhabitants? The fire did not result in any deaths, but not all citizens, such as the widow Volant Radisson or François Soumande Delorme, were able to rebuild their houses by the following year. What was the fate of Marguerite César, who accused Angélique with such vehemence? What could the Leroux family do? How did the tragic event affect the Hospitaller Sisters? Did the authorities take advantage of the situation for urban development? The fire of 1721 allowed the king’s engineer to rebuild a portion of rue Saint-Paul. This time, the plan was to drain marshland. Why were some inhabitants opposed to the project?

Colonial Correspondence

Court Documents

Juridiction royale de Montréal, Request for the election of a tutor for Marguerite César dit Lagardelette and for her internment, July 18, 1734

Diaries, Journals or Reminiscences

Cuillerier, Véronique, Annals of the Hôtel-Dieu of Montréal, 1734

Maps

Chaussegros de Léry, Gaspard-Joseph, Detail of a plan of Montréal in 1734, showing the area affected by the fire of 10 April, 1734

Miscellaneous