Jean Drapeau wasn’t just Montréal’s mayor—he was a dreamer who saw the city’s potential long before anyone else did. Serving for nearly 30 years, Drapeau led Montréal through some of its most iconic moments, including Expo 67 and the 1976 Olympics. These events didn’t just bring the world’s eyes to Montréal—they made the city believe in itself.
He championed bold and sometimes controversial projects, like building the Metro and creating cultural landmarks such as Place des Arts. Yes, some of his ideas came with high costs, but his passion for building a world-class city was never in doubt.
Today, you can still feel his influence in Montréal’s heartbeat—from its public spaces to its international spirit. Parc Jean-Drapeau carries his name, but the entire city holds a piece of his vision. He imagined a vibrant, global Montréal —and helped make it real. I hope you enjoy these old photographs of our most renowned mayor.
1954 – Group photograph showing, from left- Marie-Claude Drapeau, Mayor Jean Drapeau, Mrs. Pierre Desmarais, and Pierre Desmarais in the mayor’s office.1954 – Photograph of Jean Drapeau in the city council chamber, shaking hands with Councilor John H. Sullivan.1954 – In the city council chamber.1954 – Sitting at his desk.1954 – Photograph of Jean Drapeau (center, from behind) and clerk Charles-Édouard Longpré (left) making a statement in the hall of honor of the town hall.1955 – Examining the baseball he will throw at the Montréal Royals’ season opener.1956 – Aline Dufresne- Secretary.1956 – Photograph of the visit of Robert Hollier, Director of French Tourism, to Montréal City Hall.1960 – Aerial photograph of Mayor Jean Drapeau’s speech, surrounded by the crowd in the Hall of Honor of City Hall.1960 – Aerial photograph of people gathered in the Hall of Honor during the swearing-in.1960 – Photograph of Jean Lesage (left) and Mayor Jean Drapeau.1960 – Photograph showing a journalist interviewing Jean Lesage and Mayor Jean Drapeau.1960 – Photograph showing Mayor Jean Drapeau’s speech.1960 – Photograph showing Clerk Gabriel Morin signing the register of oaths in the Hall of Honor. The people pictured on the right of the image are Cardinal Paul-Émile Léger and Mayor Jean Drapeau.1960 – Photograph showing Mayor Jean Drapeau and his family in the Hall of Honor at City Hall.1960 – Greeting the crowd upon his arrival in the Hall of Honor of City Hall with his wife Marie-Claire and his sons Michel and François.1960 – Signing the register of oaths in the presence of City Clerk Gabriel Morin. Minister René Lévesque can be seen on the right of the image.1960 – Photograph showing police officers near a platform decorated with the flag of the City of Montréal set up in the Hall of Honour on the occasion of the election of the new mayor of Montréal.1968 – Visit of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, accompanied by the director of Man and his World, Guy Huot, Mayor Jean Drapeau, and cartoonist Robert Lapalme, to the Man and his World humor pavilion.1981 – Photograph of Mayor Jean Drapeau, Mr. Saulnier, and the grandchildren of Camillien-Houde during the inauguration of the Camillien-Houde arena.
Find more photos from the Montréal archives on their website.
Dalia, a photojournalist hailing from Montreal, is deeply passionate about documenting events and sharing stories about people's lives. She is on track to graduate from Concordia University with a degree in journalism and a minor in art history. Currently, Dalia holds the position of Editor-in-Chief at her school's newspaper, The Concordian. Following graduation, she aims to secure a full-time reporting job at a major news outlet.
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