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What Montreal looked in the 1960s Through these Fascinating Vintage Photos

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The 1960s saw an emergence of a new political movement in Quebec. Jean Lesage’s Liberal government made reforms that helped francophone Quebecers gain more influence in politics and the economy. During Montreal’s rise to prominence as a center of French culture in North America, more francophones began to own businesses. Anglophones dominated the Montreal-dominated economy of Quebec. A police strike in 1969 led to 16 hours of unrest, known as the Murray Hill riot. The police were struck because of difficult working conditions caused by disarming separatist-planted bombs, patrolling frequent protests, and wanting higher pay. Quebec’s National Assembly passed an emergency law forcing the police to return to work. When order was restored, 108 people were arrested

The Montreal Metro was built during the 1960s, and the provincial government built most of today’s highway system. This period of rapid urbanization created a situation where Montreal’s infrastructure fell behind its demands, as it did with many other North American cities during this time.

Montreal also became an international hub during this decade. Expo 67, the construction of the metro system, and the rise of the city’s first skyscrapers shaped Montreal’s modern cityscape.

Here are some stunning vintage photos that will take you back to 1960s Montreal. We’ve lost some parts of our city, from the vintage Orange Julep to the electric rue St-Hubert. Montreal has changed and evolved over the years, but one thing has never changed: it is a city filled with life, laughter, and some of the most incredible people you will ever meet.

#2 View of Montreal downtown – Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde, Place Ville-Marie, Canadian National (CN), 1967

View of Montreal downtown – Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde, Place Ville-Marie, Canadian National (CN), 1967

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#14 Saint Hubert Restraurant near Dominion Square, 1965

Saint Hubert Restraurant near Dominion Square, 1965

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#17 And one more of the beautiful Saint Catherine Street, 1969

And one more of the beautiful Saint Catherine Street, 1969

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#35 Lac du Parc Lafontaine (sic) and luminous fountain, 1960

Lac du Parc Lafontaine (sic) and luminous fountain, 1960

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#48 Sun Life Building, Place Ville Marie, IBM Building and Queen Elizabeth Hotel, 1966

Sun Life Building, Place Ville Marie, IBM Building and Queen Elizabeth Hotel, 1966

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#50 Haute couture house Marie-Paule Nolin, at 420 rue Bonsecours, 1966

Haute couture house Marie-Paule Nolin, at 420 rue Bonsecours, 1966

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#54 Rue de la Montagne, from the corner of rue Sherbrooke, 1966

Rue de la Montagne, from the corner of rue Sherbrooke, 1966

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#55 Old courthouse, located on rue Notre-Dame east, 1966

Old courthouse, located on rue Notre-Dame east, 1966

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#57 View of Montreal, from the Jacques-Cartier bridge looking west, 1966

View of Montreal, from the Jacques-Cartier bridge looking west, 1966

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#59 Domaine shopping center, Sherbrooke Street East, 1968

Domaine shopping center, Sherbrooke Street East, 1968

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#68 University of Montreal seen from Saint Joseph’s Oratory, 1969

University of Montreal seen from Saint Joseph's Oratory, 1969

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#69 St. Louis Blues vs Montreal Canadiens, 1968 NHL Stanley Cup Finals

St. Louis Blues vs Montreal Canadiens, 1968 NHL Stanley Cup Finals

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#70 St. Louis Blues vs Montreal Canadiens, 1968 NHL Stanley Cup Finals

St. Louis Blues vs Montreal Canadiens, 1968 NHL Stanley Cup Finals

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#71 Cityscape and Saint Lawrence River, Montreal, 1960s

Cityscape and Saint Lawrence River, Montreal, 1960s

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#77 Queen Elizabeth Hotel, with Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in the foreground, Montreal, 1960s

Queen Elizabeth Hotel, with Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in the foreground, Montreal, 1960s

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#82 High-rise buildings in the evening, Montreal, 1960s

High-rise buildings in the evening, Montreal, 1960s

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#95 The American pavilion at the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal, Canada, in 1967.

The American pavilion at the 1967 World's Fair in Montreal, Canada, in 1967.

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#96 The pavilion of the USSR at the exhibition in Montreal, in 1967.

The pavilion of the USSR at the exhibition in Montreal, in 1967.

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#97 The pavilion of the USSR at the exhibition in Montreal, 1967

The pavilion of the USSR at the exhibition in Montreal, 1967

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#98 View from the Mount Royal lookout of the city of Montreal on the St Lawrence River in the province of Quebec in Canada 1965.

View from the Mount Royal lookout of the city of Montreal on the St Lawrence River in the province of Quebec in Canada 1965.

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#99 Pedestrians cross a snow covered Dominion Square (now Dorchester Square) in front of the Sun Life Building on the corner of Rene Levesque Boulevard West in the downtown centre of the city of Montreal, 1965

Pedestrians cross a snow covered Dominion Square (now Dorchester Square) in front of the Sun Life Building on the corner of Rene Levesque Boulevard West in the downtown centre of the city of Montreal, 1965

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#102 View on Montreal and the Saint Lawrence River, 1960

View on Montreal and the Saint Lawrence River, 1960

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#103 Passengers stand on the deck of a boat on the St Lawrence River beside the port district of the city of Montreal in the province of Quebec in Canada, 1960.

Passengers stand on the deck of a boat on the St Lawrence River beside the port district of the city of Montreal in the province of Quebec in Canada, 1960.

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#104 The old Boulevard Dorchester (before it was René-Lévesque) in 1964

The old Boulevard Dorchester (before it was René-Lévesque) in 1964

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#109 The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

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#110 The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

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#111 The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

The first victim of the Quebec Separatist Movement was a Canadian Army bomb expert, who was critically injured while trying to dismantle a bomb in a Montreal mail box, 1960s

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#122 A Canadair CL-44 swing-tail turboprop freight liner ready for loading, Montreal, Canada, May 1, 1961.

A Canadair CL-44 swing-tail turboprop freight liner ready for loading, Montreal, Canada, May 1, 1961.

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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