Dig of Hydro-Quebec parking lot turns up artifacts from the 1800s

When the parking lot behind the Hydro-Quebec headquarters in downtown Montreal was bulldozed to make room for green space, some artifacts dating back to the 1800s were found.

The site is now an archeological dig site.

In the shadow of some very modern buildings is evidence of very old ones.

"What we have here is the foundation of a stone building associated with a quite decent house, well preserved with a well inside and a huge amount of artifacts associated with the person who lived there back in the 19th century," said Hydro-Quebec archeologist Martin Perron Thursday as he walked through the site.

Some of the items unearthed from the archeological dig. (Christine Long/CTV News)

The dig started four weeks ago, and so far, they've discovered pottery, bottles, metal tools, most of which were intact, as well as chess pieces and porcelain figurines — items that offer a glimpse into the people who lived here 200 years ago.

Archeologist Martin Perron stands on the foundation as he speaks to the media at an archeological dig of an early 19th century home behind Hydro-Quebec headquarters Thursday, June 22, 2023 in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Using Quebec archives and maps as a guide, Stephanie Lavallée says every discovery tells a story that the team is piecing together.

"We found a layer with a lot of soles of shoes, so maybe there was a Cordonnier, a shoe-maker, in the area," said Lavallée, a bio-archeologist.

As workers walked around the site Thursday, pottery shards poked out of the dirt as they tried to reveal more artifacts. They say it's rare to find a site like this in Montreal.

The explorations will continue for another four weeks.