Sir George-Etienne Cartier National Historic Site

This renowned politician who was born on September 6, 1814 and died on May 20, 1873 started his career as a lawyer in Quebec. He was exiled in 1837 because of his involvement in the Lower Canada Rebellion, but Sir George- Etienne Cartier was allowed to return one year later. After another ten years of practising law he gave up his practice and ran for office as a Reformer and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the province of Canada.

In 1864, Cartier along with John A Macdonald and George Brown formed the Great Coalition. The purpose of the coalition being to end to the political instability of the province, one of the first steps in the movement towards the Confederation.

Sir George- Etienne Cartier was a great catalyst for change in Montreal and today his home stands as a museum which is open to the public.

The home with its Victorian interiors has been superbly restored to match the Montreal Bourgeoisie style around the 1860's. Besides getting a glimpse into the life of Sir Cartier, people come to the Museum in order to take a trip back in time. The museum is the only place in Montreal which has been restored to its former Victorian glory, a must see for those with a keen interest in history both from a tourist and historian perspective.

The West House has been restored to true Victorian luxury. It is the only Victorian-era interior that can be viewed by the public in Montreal. The rooms of George-Etienne Cartier's two daughters show their memories and segments from their lives through their diaries. This gives you alook into the lives of the youth of their era and economic status.