Old Photographs of the Atwater Market (1932-1992)

August 29, 2024 Dalia Nardolillo History, The City

This next post is inspired by my love of the outdoor markets we have in Montréal, more specifically the Atwater Market. Now, as you look through these photographs you will find that it is not soley focused on the market itself. I wanted to take a look at how the neighbourhood around the Atwater market changed and evolved over the years.

I hope you enjoy what I found!

Atwater Market
1932 – Excavation site number four, near the construction site of the Atwater Market.

Fun fact, the Atwater Market was opened to the public in 1933. It remains as a popular hub for Montrealers and tourists to come and try some of Quebec’s local produce.

1933 – Crowds of people gather at the Atwater Market.

This photograph I would imagine was taken at the one of the first weeks that the Atwater Market was open. I find it really interesting how they had the parking laid out at the time, it didn’t look very efficent.

Atwater Market
1960 – Facade of the Atwater Market.
1960 – Apartments located in Little Burgundy.

I find it extremely interesting to see how the look of the apartments in the neighbourhood evolved over the years.

1960 – Other apartment complexes in Little Burgundy.
Atwater Market
1966 – Inside the shop of a butcher.
1966 – Customer at the butcher shop.
1966 – Wide shot photograph of the shops inside.

I enjoy this shot, it truly gives us a look into what the market looked like in the 60s. Personally, I feel as if the market in the 60s looked a lot more simpler than what the market looks like today.

Atwater Market
1968 – A closeup photograph of an apartment complex on Workman Street.
1968 – A wide shot photograph Workman street.
1968 – A sign on Saint-Jacques street, near the market.
1968 – Delisle street.
Atwater Market
1968 – Skating rink on Notre-Dame street.
1968 – A photograph of some vehicles parked on Workman street near the market.
1968- Communal alleyways of Workman street.
1972 – Wide shot of Saint-Patrick street.
1972 – A biker on Saint-Patrick street.
1973 – An updated photograph of apartments on Workman street.
1973 – Two people walk down Workman street near the market.
1992 – Exterior shot.
1992 –  A truck leaving the Atwater Market.

Find more photos from the Montréal archives on their website.

About Dalia Nardolillo 11 Articles
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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