Remains

The port as we know it today is the result of major development work done in the early 20th century. The years 1896 to 1930 were the Port of Montréal’s golden years, a time when it was the destination of trans-Atlantic ships and trains from all over North America. Millions of tonnes of merchandise travelled through Montréal, and to meet demand, the port modernized its facilities by building structures such as grain elevators, sheds and higher quays.

Relics of this heyday are still visible, like giants from another era. If you listen, they will tell you the fascinating history of the Port of Montréal.

Hangar 16

Shed 16 still reigns on the Clock Tower Quay.
Denis Tremblay / Source : www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca

Before the construction of permanent metal sheds such as Shed 16, warehouses had to be taken down as winter approached or risk being destroyed by ice,

Originally, food products passing through the port were stored in the open on the quays, exposed to the elements. Later, they were placed in temporary wooden warehouses that were dismantled every year before the arrival of winter because they could not withstand the pressure of ice and flooding.

With the construction of higher quays at the turn of the 20th century and the growth of the port, about 20 permanent sheds were built between 1904 and 1920, including Shed 16. Designed by John Kennedy, port engineer, these metal structures were used to warehouse merchandise transiting the port.

As the port’s vocation changed during the 1970s, most of the sheds were demolished. Only Shed 16 survived in its original form, having undergone few modifications over the decades.