375 YEARS OF HISTORY: MISSIONARY FORT TO METROPOLIS

Jacques Cartier found Hochelaga, an Iroquoian village, when he visited what we now call Montreal Island in 1535.

When Samuel de Champlain came in the early 1600s, no traces of the settlement remained. But he highlighted a point of land on which the first French colonists would later set up a fort that would be the start of Montreal. Here’s a look at some key points in the 375 years since the birth of that Catholic mission known as Ville-Marie.

1642

Paul de Chomedey, sieur de Maisonneuve, Jeanne Mance and about 50 other Europeans land on Montreal Island and found Ville Marie, a settlement dedicated to “the glory of God and the salvation of the Indians.”

1643

When the colony narrowly escapes being flooded, de Maisonneuve thanks God by planting a wooden cross on the mountain.

1658

In a converted stable, Sister Marguerite Bourgeoys opens Montreal’s first school.

1663

Under the French feudal system, the Paris-based religious order of St. Sulpice becomes the landlord, or seigneur, of all of Montreal Island.

1672

The first real streets of the settlement are laid out — St-Paul, Notre Dame and St-Jacques, crossed by St-Sulpice, St-Francois-Xavier, St-Pierre and St-Gabriel.

1701

The Great Peace of Montreal, between France and 39 First Nations, is signed, ending nearly 100 years of war between the Iroquois, allied with the English, and the French, allied with the Hurons and the Algonquins.

1716

Authorities decide to build a wall around the settlement, replacing the old defensive palisade of cedar stakes.

1760

The Marquis de Vaudreuil, governor of New France, surrenders the colony to the British on Sept. 8 and red-coated soldiers occupy the town.

1768

First synagogue, Spanish and Portuguese Congregation, opens. It’s the first non-Catholic place of worship in town.

1775

American revolutionary forces occupy Montreal. The following spring, Benjamin Franklin and two other American emissaries travel to Montreal to persuade Canadians to join the revolutionary cause. It doesn’t work and in June 1776, the Americans retreat.

1778

Fleury Mesplet prints the first issue of Gazette du commerce et littéraire, pour la ville et district de Montréal. The city’s first newspaper, it’s the ancestor of today’s Montreal Gazette.

1801

A group of merchants set up the Montreal Water Works Company to supply subscribers with running water through wooden pipes.

1825

The Lachine Canal opens between Lac St-Louis and the Old Port.

1832

A cholera epidemic, originating in Asia and brought to Canada by a flood of British immigrants, kills thousands of people along the St. Lawrence before petering out in the fall.

1833

At its inaugural meeting, city council elects Jacques Viger, former roads inspector, as the first mayor of Montreal.

1837-38

For a few months, in the countryside, the bullets fly during a rebellion, but the only blood spilled in the city is that of the 12 rebels hanged after the fighting is done.

1844

Montreal becomes the capital of the United Canadas, with Parliament in Place d’Youville.

1849

Rioting anglophones, upset by the passage of a bill compensating people for losses suffered in the rebellions of 1837-38, burn down the Parliament Building. The capital would alternate between Quebec City and Toronto until 1857, when Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the new capital.

1859

Victoria Bridge, the first bridge across the St. Lawrence River, opens as a train bridge. It would be 1898 before the bridge would carry road traffic.

1861

Notre-Dame St. is site of first horse-drawn tramway.

1874

First bike in Montreal, imported by Albert T. Lane.

1877

Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York’s Central Park among other places, draws up plans for a park on Mount Royal.

1878 1886

Canadian Pacific’s first transcontinental train leaves Montreal for British Columbia.

1892

Inauguration of city hall.

First electric tramway, the Rocket, put into service.

1899

Businessman Ucal-Henri Dandurand is owner of city’s first automobile.

1906

Antoine Toutant is first Montreal pedestrian killed by an automobile.

The Ouimetoscope, possibly North America’s first luxury cinema, opens at Ste-Catherine and Montcalm Sts.

1908

The city of Montreal buys Île Ste-Hélène from the federal government for $200,000. Fixed up as a park, it will open to the public nine years later.

1909

The Montreal Canadiens are born.

1918

Mount Royal train tunnel opens.

1924

Mount Royal cross illuminated for the first time.

1926

City hall rebuilt after it was severely damaged by 1922 fire.

1928

Camillien Houde first elected. He would be mayor until 1930 and then again over three other periods: 1934-1936, 1938-1940, 1944-1954.

1930

The Jacques Cartier Bridge opens to traffic. It’s initially known as Harbour Bridge.

1934

Mercier Bridge opens.

1940

Camillien Houde arrested for urging people to defy the law requiring them to register for war service. He would remain in prison until 1944.

1941

Montreal Airport opens in Dorval.

1951

City takes over Montreal Tramways Company and starts replacing trams with buses.

1954

Jean Drapeau elected mayor. He would be mayor until 1957, then hold the office again between 1960 and 1986.

1955

Maurice (Rocket) Richard was ejected after getting into a vicious stick-swinging duel with Boston defenceman Hal Laycoe. Three days later, NHL president Clarence Campbell suspended Richard for the rest of the season, a decision that caused a riot in Montreal.

1959

Last tramway on Papineau Ave. and Rosemont Blvd. is retired.

1959

The St. Lawrence Seaway opens.

1962

Construction begins on the métro network. The Champlain Bridge opens. Place Ville Marie is inaugurated.

1963

Place des Arts opens.

1966

Métro network opens with 20 stations. There were 26 stations in the initial network, completed in spring of 1967.

1967

Expo 67 welcomes the world. Décarie Expressway and Turcot Interchange open.

1969

The Montreal Expos baseball team plays its first game.

1976

Montreal hosts the Summer Olympics.

1978

First Grand Prix car race in Montreal.

1987

A rainstorm floods parts of the city, including the Décarie Expressway.

1993

Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup for the 24th time. A 25th win has yet to happen.

1998

Ice storm paralyzes parts of Montreal and other regions of Quebec.

2002

Quebec merges all Montreal Island cities.

2004

Montreal Expos fold; team moves to Washington, D.C.

2006

Fifteen suburbs “demerge,” returning to their status as independent municipalities, after referendums held in 2004.

2007

Last métro extension completed with three stations in Laval, bringing total to 68.

2009

The Bixi bike-sharing service starts.

2016

First new Azur métro cars arrive.

2017

Montreal celebrates 375th birthday.