History Lesson
26
Canada’s most prolific killer is the hitman Montreal created
Authors Julian Sher and Lisa Fitterman discuss their book that chronicles the creation of a man who killed 43 people at the height of the biker wars in Quebec.
The dining theatrics and dark history of Montreal's infamous restaurant Au Lutin qui Bouffe
Fine French cuisine, tableside photo sessions with piglets, and a botched robbery that marked the beginning of an end.
Henri Henri is the Montreal hat shop that has defined a century of style
NHL hat tricks, Hollywood icons, expertise passed on through nearly a century—this legendary shop is a cornerstone of a city's sartorial history.
Why André the Giant was one of Montreal's greatest entertainers in and out of the ring
The city's role in André the Giant's path from French farm boy to the Eighth Wonder of the World, with a downtown brasserie pitstop.
The story of Montreal’s Joe Beef (the man, not the restaurant)
How an eccentric tavern keeper became a working-class hero of Montreal—and one of its unlikeliest legends.
Betrayal, rivalry, and the Montreal Screwjob that redefined pro wrestling’s reality
On November 9, 1997, in Montreal’s Molson Centre, a quintessential American art form was reborn.
How Montreal falls in and out of love with Brutalist architecture
How Montreal’s unapologetic concrete giants went from symbols of modernist utopia to polarizing relics—and why the city just can’t quit them.
The Main's picks for the biggest headlines from Montreal in 2024
From record-breaking weather events to protests and cultural milestones, here’s a look back on some of the biggest stories of 2024.
Dic Ann’s: A conversation about Montreal, family, and burgers since 1954
The story of what started as a small trailer-turned-diner in 1954 and become a Montreal icon, thanks to its ultra-thin patties, toasted buns, and signature tomato-based sauce.
Montreal's ugly tree should've become an annual Christmas tradition
Forget the Platonic ideal of Christmas symmetry: Montreal should bring back its ugly tree for Christmases moving forward.
Preserving the ‘tableaux vivants’ of Ogilvy’s Christmas mechanical window displays
How mid-20th century holiday clockwork tells the story of a Montreal tradition and the history of a storied department store.
Our definitive history of Montreal's Gibeau Orange Julep
The Gibeau Orange Julep has endured wars, expressway expansions, and changing tastes, remaining a beacon of Montreal’s love for the eccentric and the nostalgic.
The story of Laurentide Beer: Created by nationalism, revived by nostalgia
An icon of Quebec’s brewing scene, Laurentide was born when Molson tapped into the province's national spirit by launching a distinctly Quebec beer.
When Beatlemania conquered Montreal for one day
🎵 It was 60 years ago today / The Beatles came to Montreal to play 🎵
Montreal melons: A city's forgotten fruit, and the modern farms preserving its agricultural heritage
And catching up with David McMillan during a delivery run of Montreal melons to chef Ari Schor's Verdun restaurant Beba.