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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.

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

And one more of the beautiful Saint Catherine Street, 1969

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#3 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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#4 Sir George Williams University, 1969

Sir George Williams University, 1969

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#7 Designing ceramics at Peel metro station, 1966

Designing ceramics at Peel metro station, 1966

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#11 De La Montagne Street, 1965

De La Montagne Street, 1965

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#13 Lac aux Castors, 1965

Lac aux Castors, 1965

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#14 Saint Hubert Restraurant near Dominion Square, 1965

Saint Hubert Restraurant near Dominion Square, 1965

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#20 Metro under construction, 1963

Metro under construction, 1963

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#22 Sainte Catherine Street at Saint Christophe, 1961

Sainte Catherine Street at Saint Christophe, 1961

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#23 Stanley Cup Parade, 1968

Stanley Cup Parade, 1968

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#30 Winter on Mount Royal, 1963

Winter on Mount Royal, 1963

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#33 Construction of Place Bonaventure, 1966

Construction of Place Bonaventure, 1966

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#37 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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#40 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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#43 High-rise buildings in the evening, Montreal, 1960s

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

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#44 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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#45 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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#49 Lac du Parc Lafontaine (sic) and luminous fountain, 1960

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

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#50 Parc Lafontaine Theater (sic). 1960

Parc Lafontaine Theater (sic). 1960

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#52 Corner Saint-Paul and Place Jacques-Cartier, 1963

Corner Saint-Paul and Place Jacques-Cartier, 1963

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#53 Construction of the Crémazie metro station, 1963

Construction of the Crémazie metro station, 1963

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#58 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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#60 Place du Canada and Chateau Champlain Hotel, 1966

Place du Canada and Chateau Champlain Hotel, 1966

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#61 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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#62 Old courthouse, located on rue Notre-Dame east, 1966

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

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#63 View of Montreal from Mount Royal, 1966

View of Montreal from Mount Royal, 1966

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#64 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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#66 Domaine shopping center, Sherbrooke Street East, 1968

Domaine shopping center, Sherbrooke Street East, 1968

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#70 Hotel Mount Royal, 1969

Hotel Mount Royal, 1969

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#73 Street Scene – Ste-Catherine Street West, 1969

Street Scene – Ste-Catherine Street West, 1969

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

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

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#75 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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#76 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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#77 Cityscape and Saint Lawrence River, Montreal, 1960s

Cityscape and Saint Lawrence River, Montreal, 1960s

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#80 View from suburb to city center, Montreal, 1960s

View from suburb to city center, Montreal, 1960s

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#83 Peel-Street, Montreal, 1960s

Peel-Street, Montreal, 1960s

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#90 View over Montreal during Expo 1967

View over Montreal during Expo 1967

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#93 View over Montreal during the Expo 1967

View over Montreal during the Expo 1967

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#95 British pavilion; Exibition site of the Expo 1967

British pavilion; Exibition site of the Expo 1967

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#96 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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#97 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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#98 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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#100 Montreal Skyline, 1962.

Montreal Skyline, 1962.

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#102 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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#103 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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#110 Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

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#113 Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, 1962.

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#118 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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#119 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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#120 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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#121 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 View on Montreal and the Saint Lawrence River, 1960

View on Montreal and the Saint Lawrence River, 1960

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#123 Montréal, 1966

Montréal, 1966

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