Saint Antoine Street - History

History

Since 1799, the street was known as rue des Menuisiers, and the street bordered the land reserved for the city's fortifications between Saint Laurent Boulevard and Bleury Street. Following the dismantlement of the fortifications in the first decade of the 19th century, rue des Menuisiers was incorporated as part of a road, 80 feet wide (26 metres), that the commissioners built between the new Place des Comissaires (now known as Victoria Square) in the west, and Champ de Mars in the east. The road passed above an old river that was converted into a canal after the dismantlement of Montreal's fortifications.

From 1817 to August 1976, this street was named Craig Street, after Sir James Henry Craig, Governor General of British North America and Lieutenant Governor of Lower Canada from 1807 to 1811. The street was renamed in 1976, as part of a drive in Montreal to rename streets after French figures and places.