Smith Street & Saint-Maurice Quarter

Smith Street is symbolic in many ways. Its particular geographical location represents Thetford Mines very well, a city that developed for the mining industry. Dating back to 1892, it is one of the oldest streets in the city.

Smith Street reflects the joint development that occurred between the mining world and the urban core of Thetford Mines, a development that sometimes clashed due to the rapid evolution experienced on both sides.

The fact is that miners wanted to settle near their workplace, in this case, the Bell Mine. By offering emphyteutic leases, the mine granted plots so that its workers could build their homes, but it remained the owner of the land and the subsoil.

The proximity of Smith Street to the Bell Mine has its advantages, but also the drawback that the street is gradually becoming enclosed by the mining waste that the mine releases. The fact that residences are adjacent to mining areas and their waste gives Smith Street a unique character, although other parts of the city experience this coexistence differently.

Another example of the close ties between the mining industry and the urban core is that Smith Street is named in honor of Georges Robert Smith, vice-president and general manager of the Bell Mine from 1892. Mr. Smith dedicated himself to improving the mechanization of the Bell Mine, which contributed to its fame. A politician, he also served as the provincial deputy for the Mégantic county from 1897 to 1908. Until 1972, the management of the Bell Mine was handled by a member of the Smith family.

Over time, Smith Street becomes isolated from others, impacting its residents. However, they gradually adapt to this unusual living environment. Clothesline poles are directly planted in the mining waste piles, and there is no backyard.

Children use the street to play, which is made easier by the low traffic, as the street is a cul-de-sac. Additionally, rain causes runoff from the piles, making the street muddy. However, since the Bell Mine is operated underground, blasting and noise affect the residents less than in other parts of the city.

From 1969 to 1973, the Saint-Maurice neighborhood is relocated to make way for mining expansion. Smith Street and the Mitchell neighborhood are included in this extensive relocation plan, but the phases concerning them are on hold due to significant financial costs.

While waiting for an official decision, homeowners, as well as the City, refrain from undertaking major work for fear of doing so in vain if a relocation occurs. This prolonged uncertainty leads to the deterioration of buildings, street infrastructure, and, by extension, the living conditions of the residents.

In the context of uncertainty about the future of the street, some residents nonetheless proceed with moving or demolishing their properties in the early 1980s. They receive compensation from the Bell mine. The street is then but a shadow of its former self, a stark contrast to the fifty or so houses that once occupied it during its heyday.

In 1987, the situation officially became clearer when the city relocated the last ten houses still enclosed at the northern end to improve the quality of life for the affected residents. They were moved to St-Thomas or St-Pierre streets, located in the same neighborhood. Two homes were also demolished, as they could not be relocated.

Today, a bike path runs close to this legendary and famous area of the city. The southern end of Smith Street still exists with its few houses, but this part was not surrounded by mining residues.