Can you guess what the Canadian Illustrated News has illustrated on the front page of its May 27, 1871 issue?
« Unearthing of the Dead to Make a Way for the Living. A sketch on Cemetery Street. »
The first to guess the correct answer will win a fabulous prize! Get ON it!
EDIT: For bonus points, what is the current name of Cemetery Street?
DOUBLE EDIT: There is a winner! Details after the break!
Skrud, please accept my sincere congratulations! Here is your prize, an image I made on Blingee.com:
A winner is you!
Square Dorchester and Place du Canada were indeed built in 1872 over an ancient Indian burial ground the old Catholic cemetery. Cholera ridden as it was, it was in operation between 1799 and 1855, before a shift to the current Notre-Dame-Des-Neiges location.
The city has decided to “pimp out” the parks–in a manner similar to the above image, one hopes–in a $3.5 million project, stretching from 2008 until 2011.
Check it out yourself, I’m not going to summarize it, I have to play Cooking Mama. Here are some facts on the subject:
Check it.
The expropriation of the Anglo Protestant Cemetery for the building of Dufferin Square, which is no longer there as Complexe Guy-Favreau was built on top of it in 1984.
Close, but no cigar.
The illustration seemingly could refer to either what you’ve suggested or what I’m getting at, given the vague caption, and the fact that the events happened in the same year, for the same reason. However, the street name mentioned is the giveaway.
Aha! It’s the building Dominion Square! Cemetary street is now Rue de la Cathedrale! It used to be the St-Antoine cemetary (aka “Cholera Cemetary”) before that.
Dominion Square is most definitely still there. I can peek out my office window to make sure. ;-)
You have won, Skrud. Your prize is above.
You have also received 18 bonus points for knowing the current name of Cemetery Street. You can redeem them at a future date.
Best. Blingee Picture. Ever. :-)
Is this blog dead already? It hasn’t been updated in a week and a half…
Too bad.