The old Post Office

Today’s City Council is located in the old post office. The first post office was opened by Edward Lane in 1819, but it ends up in the hands of John Mackenzie in 1822. It is then located in the Oldham House, which you will discover later. This post office is managed by John Mackenzie until 1871 and is passed on to his son Arthur until 1881. Thereafter, the post office is moved to J-S Archambault until 1897 when it was located in Rodrigue Descambault's store, at the corner of Saint-Pierre and Sainte-Marie (now the parking lot). The first government building to be used as a post office was built in 1905 at the intersection of Saint-Pierre and Saint-André. Like most buildings to the south of the Saint-Pierre Street, it is destroyed by the 1922 fire. It was rebuilt in brick the following year; it maintains its operations until 1967, when it is relocated in a new district, north of the city. The municipal library operated  in this building from 1971 to 1985. Today, the old post office building is now the home of the Terrebonne City Council.

To the right of the former post office now stands the Pub St-Patrick.

WHAT DID THE OWNER DO BEFORE LEAVING THE HOUSE THE NIGHT OF THE BIG FIRE?

CHOICES
1) She filled a suitcase with all her silver cutlery.
2) She placed a statue of Virgin Mary at the foot of the front door.
3) She said one full chaplet before accepting to leave.
4) She went back into the house to save her family photos.

2) She placed a statue of Virgin Mary at the foot of the front door.

The owner of the house, Madamde Alarie, at first refused to leave the house; firefighters had to force her to evacuate against her will. At age 90, it was her house so she could not leave without trying to save it. While leaving, she placed a statue of the Virgin Mary against the front door, and implored it to save her home.

The next morning at dawn, a veil of smoke covered the entire city. Residents were surprised to find that amid all the ruins and desolation, the little house on Saint-Pierre Street had survived without too much damage. This is how the nickname "Maison au miracle" was born.  To continue you must head back toward the corner or Saint-Pierre and Sainte-Marie Street.