Montreal Day 2

Montreal Day 2
Well we spent our second day in the Old City area of Montreal. Much easier getting there this time and now I was aware not to park on the street because I did not have a residante sticker. That on cost me a parking ticket yesterday.
For you history buffs I was wrong when I wrote that the great French - English battle for Canada was fought here on the Plains of Abraham between General Wolfe and General Moncaulm. Actually this was fought in Quebec City where we are going next. Montreal after the defeat at Quebec City and facing superior British forces gave up with out a shot.
Now to the history of Montreal itself. As you know it was formed by an order of the Jesuits the Suplicants. The whole island was given to the church by the King of France and therefore ruled by the elders of the church originally. After the church could no longer manage the town which had spread its borders beyond the original fort the land was turned over to the Signateurs who took control of the island and its development and the city. Still the church was the overwhelming influence in the order of the day with people being ridiculed form the pulpit if they did not abide by the rules.
The first settlers only numberer about 54 and the colony was in jeopardy because of constant Iriquois Indian attacks and lack of people to defend it. Fortunately, 100 more settlers mostly tradesmen were enticed to come to the colony due to a bequest of money.
The city was beset with several disasters as were most of the early settlements. There were two great fires that befell it ( like Chicago and San Francisco) . After these fires it was declared that all new buildings must be made of stone and have copper or metal roofs. Thus the splendid architecture of the city was developed and it today looks very much like a European city.
The city was beset with several plagues (typhoid, etc) due to a lack of proper sanitation. After this plans were adopted to complete a sewage and water system for the city.
The main Cathedral of Notre Dame is still the largest but another smaller church was started by a young woman Marguerite Bourgeoys who started an order of secular nuns.
She founded a school and a chapel which is one of the first and oldest in North America the Notre Dame de Bon Secours which tended to the needs of the poor, the sailors, the Indians and the sick.
We visited this church and it is indeed a fine stone structure just as it was in the early 1700’s on the waterfront in Montreal.
Our second visit was to the Architectural Museum or Offices. This is located on the original site of the Customs House for the city. Montreal became an important port and trading center because ships could not travel upriver from here due to the rapids. Therefore they had to unload their cargos here and goods (furs, and fish and later grain, ) were loaded onto them here for export. The New World was originally explored and settled here by France for its rich fishing grounds (just thing all those Catholics needed fish every Friday). Europe’s fishing grounds were being depleted but the fishing grounds of North America provided rich catches.
Well we spent our last day exploring the rich history here but tomorrow it is onto Quebec City. The fall colors are just beginning to turn and it should be quite an adventure.
1 The old Customs House and the new Center for Architecture
2 Time for lunch
3 The inside of Notre Dame de Bon Secours
4-5 Views of the city from the bell tower