Visiting Grosse Île, Quebec

Quebec City Day Trip Visits the Grosse Île Quarantine Station

Aug 5, 2009

Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site of Canada commemorate Irish ancestry and immigration in Quebec. The Grosse Île Celtic Cross Turns 100 in 2009.

Thirty miles east of Quebec City in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, a majestic Celtic cross monument welcomes visitors to Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site. The site commemorates Quebec’s role in Canadian immigration as well as Grosse Île’s important but tragic role as a quarantine station for the Port of Quebec from 1832 to 1937 — notably the deaths of about 5,000 Irish immigrants who died at sea due to the 1847 typhus epidemic.

Tour guide Frédéric Angers says it was expected that new immigrants would bring diseases with them.

“So to protect the population of Canada we needed a quarantine station,” Angers said. “And one of the reasons the island is exactly in the middle of the river was to make it difficult for immigrants to leave when they weren’t supposed to.”

Angers says to consider a number of factors. An average ship held about 300 passengers and it took about 45 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Europe. On board the close quarters of the ship there were no showers or baths, just chamber pots, usually stored in the hull.

“The chamber pots would tip over in bad weather,” Angers said. “And where were the fresh barrels of water stored? In the hull as well.”

The result was a volatile mix of fast-spreading disease. If only one person showed signs of sickness upon arrival, the entire ship would be placed under quarantine.

What did “quarantine” mean? New arrivals would be given a thorough shower (a concoction of water, soap, gasoline, and coal oil), be provided with clean facilities, medical care, proper food, and modest but comfortable accommodations — all free.

1847: A Tragic Year at Grosse Île

The most tragic year at Gross Île happened in 1847, which coincided with the Irish potato famine. Angers says that usually some 30,000 immigrants were processed at Gross Île every year. But In 1847 some 100,000 immigrants arrived.

Usually, arriving vessels underwent quarantine for six to 15 days, but several ships remained in isolation on the St. Lawrence River for more than three weeks due to the typhus outbreak.

“The nickname of the Irish ships in 1847 was ‘coffin ship’,” said Angers to the collective audible gasp of the visiting tour group.

While waiting for medical attention, about 5,400 people died at sea. In all about 7,500 people are buried at Grosse Île.

The Grosse Île Celtic Cross Celebrates its 100th Anniversary

The Grosse Île Celtic cross turns 100-years-old Aug. 15, 2009. On that day a private commemoration ceremony will be hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the organization that installed the cross a century ago. Some 2,000 visitors from Canada, the United States and Ireland are expected.

Take a Grosse Île Tour

Grosse Île guided walking tours visit a number of buildings including the first class hotel, the disinfection station, the Celtic cross, the modern memorial, and the Irish cemetery. Trolley tours of the eastern sector complete the visit. New this year, visitors can stroll the island at their own pace. The new Mirador Trail, a 1.5-mile nature trail, opens in September 2009.

The space is a perfect place to bring a picnic lunch. An on site snack bar provides sandwiches, coffee, soup, and cold cans of Guinness in the fridge.

How to Get To Grosse Île

Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site of Canada is operated by Parks Canada.

The copyright of the article Visiting Grosse Île, Quebec in Quebec Travel is owned by Steven Howell. Permission to republish Visiting Grosse Île, Quebec in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.