Montreal’s Saint-Laurent Boulevard

2 Pages 518 Words

When one thinks of Montreal’s Saint-Laurent Boulevard, immediately they think of an area that consists of: unique fashion boutiques, posh/ trendy restaurants, distinctive cafes, and of course Montreal’s nightclub hotspot. Even though all this is true about the boulevard, there is so much more to this important street than just a great place to seek entertainment. It has a prime location, situated at the heart of the Island of Montreal, just a few minutes from downtown by metro; Saint-Laurent has preserved the character of its old neighborhoods while also developing modern residential areas. If one is to appreciate and understand this particular boulevard it is crucial to know the history of Saint-Laurent and what urban phenomenon led to its design.

Initially, Saint-Laurent Boulevard was named after a great Christian martyr, St. Lawrence, the deacon who was burnt alive in early Rome. In 1672 Dollier de Casson Superior of the St. Sulpice Seminary set up the boundaries of the major streets including St. Laurent. Shortly after that point in history Saint-Laurent was the main country road, which ran from east to west in the center of the island. In the early 1800’s the suburb of St. Lawrence was the fastest growing area of the entire city. It was first known as the Municipality of Saint-Laurent Parish (1845) but was changed to the City upon its incorporation in 1893. It has since become the major metropolitan boulevard.

In 1852, Saint-Laurent was heavily damaged by fires that swept throughout the entire area forcing inhabitants to rebuild and reconstruct. After the tragic events caused by the fires, properties in the area were divided up into small parcels instead of the large settlements that existed before. Saint-Laurent was developed and the housing units consisted of typical commercial buildings with one or two floors above for residential purposes. As well, they had a quaint little terrace with a Porte Cochere at the front l...