Mysteries of Montreal

Okay, not quite today, but a couple of days ago, but hell, after a hundred years, what's a day or two? On the 18th of November, 1912,  the 'Établissement de detention de Montréal' (Montreal detention centre) opened its doors for the first time, (before firmly closing and locking them again one assumes) for 100 prisoners. Within 6 months, it held 150. The prison is frequently refered to as  Bordeaux prison , and as such it even warrants a mention in the Urban Dictionary . It was then, as it is now, the largest provincial prison in Quebec, it was built to hold 500 prisoners, and now her a capacity of 1,189 inmates (now all male). In 1915, there was a tramway built to connect it to town (as it was originally built to be out of town, although it has now been enveloped by the city). Prison construction in 1910 As a then very modern prison, there was some outrage amongst the general population that prisoners should be treated to such 'outrag...

Amongst the many links I have collected over the years, one which my good lady found for me seems to fit right into the niche I am researching. A pdf named The Sights and Shrines of Montreal . Subtitled: ' A GUIDE BOOK FOR STRANGERS AND A HAND BOOK FOR ALL LOVERS OF H I S T O R I C SPOTS AND I N C I D E N TS' Dated1911, this little pamphlet provides a potted history of Montreal, and would be the perfect, historical introduction to the town for newly arrived PCs from out of town. it also contains information on the local cemeteries, churches, and educational institutes and libraries, which are often amongst the first ports of call of all PCs arriving in a new town. As a handout to players, or a source for GMs, this little gem is certainly worth a look.