Grosse Ile Quarantine Station - The Modern Period

Second and Third Class Hotels
Accomodation for healthy passengers at the quarantine station
reflected the cost of their ship tickets. The second class hotel is
in the foreground and the third class hotel is in the background.

Second Class Hotel
Second class hotel as viewed from the land.

Although the introduction of steam ships had shortened ocean crossing times and reduced the risk of disease, other changes dictated that improvements be made to the quarantine station. Immigration to Canada was reaching a peak at the turn of the century and shipping companies were putting pressure on the Canadian government to improve the accommodation for their passengers. As a consequence, between 1892 and 1914, three new "hotels" were built to accommodate first, second and third class passengers.

Shower System in Disinfection Building
An illustration of the shower system from the Parks Canada
interpretive poster and an actual photograph of a shower stall.

The disinfection building contained 44 shower units. Immigrants would undress and place their belongings in a numbered bag which was sent to the disinfecting chambers. The shower stalls fitted with water jets at three different heights which sprayed a mixture of hot water and mercury bichloride. After the immigrants had showered, their disinfected clothes would be returned to them.

Luggage Disinfection System
Luggage clothing would be placed in cages (left) which
would be loaded into the large disinfection units (right).

Red Room
This red room in the lazaret was designed to compensate
for the photosensitivity of small pox patients.

Ambulance
In 1897 Pierre (Pit) Masson became the ambulance
driver for the quarantine station in 1897.

After 105 years, the quarantine station was closed in 1937. During World War II and again from 1951 - 1956 the island was used by the Defence Rearch Board and the Department of National Defence for bacteriological and biological warfare research. Subsequently, the Department of Agriculture used the island for studying animal diseases and as a quarantine station for imported animals. In 1984 the island was recognized as a historic site and opened to the public.


Go back to the Beginnings of the Quarantine Station at Grosse Ile

Go back to the Emergency of 1847

Visit the website for Grosse Ile and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site from Parks Canada

The background graphic is based on the design of an Irish postage stamp
issued on August 28, 1967 to celebrate Canada's centenial year.


Bibliography
Charbonneau, André and André Sévigny. Grosse Ile: a Record of Daily Events.
Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 1997.

Grosse Ile and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site - Visitor's Guide.
Ottawa : Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 1997.

Moodie, Susanna. Roughing it in the Bush.
Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1962.

O'Gallagher, Marianna. Grosse Ile - Gateway to Canada.
Ste-Foy, Quebec: Carraig Books, 1984.

Traill, Catharine Parr. The Backwoods of Canada.
Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1971.

Urquart, Jane. Away Trade Paperback Edition.
Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1997.


Reference Materials on Sale from Amazon.com:

Roughing It in the Bush by Susannah Moodie

The Backwoods of Canada by Catharine Parr Traill, D.M.R. Bentley (Afterword)

Away: A Novel by Jane Urquhart


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