LAMONTAGNE, Alfred (1883-1967), an important architect who lived and worked in Chicoutimi in central Quebec province for his entire career, and who was active in the following firms:
Alfred Lamontagne, Architect, Chicoutimi, 1912 to 1928
Lamontagne, Gravel & Brassard, Architects, Chicoutimi, 1929-1936
Lamontagne & Gravel, Architects, Chicoutimi, 1936 to 1950 and beyond
Lamontagne was born in Levis, Quebec on 8 February 1883 and was educated in that province. His name is recorded in 1901 as an “architectural student” living and working in Sherbrooke, Que. (Canada, 1901 Census, Quebec - Sherbrooke, Dist. B3, p. 1, line 25). By 1912 he had moved to Chicoutimi in central Quebec and opened an office there under his own name. He was a busy and successful professional in the region, designing a variety of ecclesiastical, institutional, commercial and residential buildings there and in the surrounding towns of Jonquiere, Kenogami and Port Alfred. In 1929 he formed a partnership with Armand Gravel, a talented young architect who had trained under Ernest Cormier in Montreal, and with Sylvio Brassard. They collaborated on many commissions over the next seven years, but in 1936 Brassard left to pursue his own career, and both Lamontagne and Gravel continued to work together until after 1950.
Much of his early work was inspired by classical precedents in a Renaissance Revival or Beaux-Arts style, evident in his elaborate drawings for the restoration of the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Chicoutimi (1919). With the arrival of Armand Gravel, nearly a generation younger than Lamontagne, the work of the office shifted to a more progressive and modernist style, best seen in later designs such as the perspective drawing for the Agricultural School in Chicoutimi, published in the Quebec City newspaper Le Soleil in late 1937.
Lamontagne died in Chicoutimi on 13 January 1967 (death notice Le Soleil [Quebec City], 14 Jan. 1967, 49; obituary and port. Le Soleil [Quebec City], 16 Jan. 1967; biog. in L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 56, illus.). The Archives Nationales du Quebec Office in Chicoutimi holds an extensive collection of architectural drawings produced by Lamontagne and his partners from 1913 until 1960. Virtually all of the projects listed below are accompanied by original drawings held in this collection at ANQ - Saguenay-Lac St. Jean Office.
A. LAMONTAGNE
JONQUIERE, QUE., Academie Ste. Famille, 1913; burned 1921 and rebuilt to new plans prepared by Lamontagne (Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada, xviii, Sept.-Dec. 1993, 91, illus. & descrip.)
VAL JALBERT, QUE., Roman Catholic school, 1915 (Continuite [Quebec City], xxxvii, Autunm 1987, 37, illus.)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., a Roman Catholic Church for the Eudiste Fathers, 1918 (C.R., xxxii, 13 March 1918, 42)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., a large residence for E. Levesque, 1919 (Montreal Daily Star, 6 June 1919, 18)
HA! HA! BAY, QUE., a tract of 50 new houses for the Societe de Construction Ouvrieve, 1919 (C.R., xxxiii, 2 July 1919, 50, t.c.)
PORT ALFRED, QUE., a tract of 20 new houses for the Societe de Construction Ouvrieve, 1919 (C.R., xxxiii, 23 July 1919, 48)
CHANDLER, QUE., Roman Catholic Boy’s School, and a Roman Catholic Girl’s School, 1921 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], liv, 22 April 1921, 60; 8 July 1921, 44)
CHANDLER, QUE., Town Hall & Fire Hall, for the St. Lawrence Pulp & Lumber Corp., 1921 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], liv, 8 July 1921, 44; 30 Sept. 1921, 80)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., residence for E. Bachtold, Ste. Anne Street, 1921 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], liv, 29 July 1921, 66; 26 Aug. 1921, 82)
ST. COEUR-DE-MARIE, QUE., Roman Catholic Church, 1920-21 (C.R., xxxiv, 9 June 1920, 151; Le Prix Courant [Montreal], liv, 1 July 1921, 48)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., theatre for W. Murdock, Racine Street, 1921-22 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], liv, 1 July 1921, 48)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., Hotel Dieu St. Vallier, major addition to hospital, with a new wing, 1921 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], liv, 22 July 1921, 54; 26 Aug. 1921, 82)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., St. Francois Xavier Roman Catholic Cathedral, Racine Street East, 1922 (Continuite [Quebec City], No. 36, Summer 1987, 19)
BAGOTVILLE, QUE., Roman Catholic School, 1922-23 (C.R., xxxvi, 10 May 1922, 51; 22 Nov. 1922, 45; Le Prix Courant [Montreal], lv, 25 Aug. 1922, 74)
ST. ALPHONSE, QUE., Roman Catholic Church, 1923 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], lvi, 9 March 1923, 50)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., retail store for W.T. Gilbert, Racine Street, 1923 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], lvi, 16 March 1923, 66)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., retail store for J. Gagnon, Racine Street, 1923 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], lvi, 15 June 1923, 14)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., residence for R. Belleau, Hotel Dieu Street at Seminary Street, 1923 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], lvi, 20 July 1923, 10)
BAGOTVILLE, QUE., retail store for A. Simard, Bagot Street, 1923-24 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], lvi, 7 Dec. 1923, 58)
KENOGAMI, QUE., Staff Residence, Perron Street at Acadie Street, 1925; demol. (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994)
JONQUIERE, QUE., residential quarters for the Roman Catholic Brothers of the Sacred Heart, Montpetit Street, 1926 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 23, illus.)
ARVIDA, QUE., Palace Theatre, Mellon Boulevard at Darling Street, 1927 (inf. Scott Edwards)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., a Retreat House for the Jesuit Fathers, 1927 (C.R., xli, 27 April 1927, 52, t.c.)
ST. LOUIS DE CHAMBORD, QUE., Roman Catholic Church, 1927 (C.R., xli, 11 May 1927, 59, t.c.)
PORT ALFRED, QUE., St. Edouard Roman Catholic Church, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 30 May 1928, 169)
BASSIN, QUE., Sacre Coeur Roman Catholic Church, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 9 May 1928, 53)
KENOGAMI, QUE., Roman Catholic Convent, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 13 June 1928, 66, t.c.)
KENOGAMI, QUE., Academie Ste. Famille, King George Street, 1928 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 56-7, illus.)
LAMONTAGNE & GRAVEL
KENOGAMI, QUE., Caisse Populaire Desjardins de Kenogami, King George Street, 1927; altered 1990 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 59, illus.)
ARVIDA, QUE., Ste. Therese Roman Catholic Church, Saguenay Boulevard at Mellon Boulevard, 1927-28 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 80-81, illus.)
LAMONTAGNE, GRAVEL & BRASSARD
KENOGAMI, QUE., Ste. Famille Roman Catholic Church, Ste. Famille Street, 1928-29 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 54-6, illus.)
LAKE EDWARD, QUE., major addition to the Sanatorium, 1929-30 (C.R., xliii, 1 May 1929, 67; Canadian Hotel Review, vii, June 1929, 38)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., Hotel Dieu Roman Catholic Hospital, St. Valier Street, 1929-30 (C.R., xliii, 15 May 1929, 68; 18 Dec. 1929, 44)
KENOGAMI, QUE., Roman Catholic Church, 1929-30 (C.R., xliii, 20 Feb. 1929, 62; 17 July 1929, 59, t.c.)
HA! HA! BAY JUNCTION, QUE., a hotel for an unnamed client, 1929 (Canadian Hotel Review, vii, March 1929, 30)
PORT ALFRED, QUE., a Roman Catholic school, 1929 (C.R., xliii, 8 May 1929, 58)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., a presbytery residence for Sacre Coeur Roman Catholic Church, c. 1929 (Continuite [Quebec City], No. 39, Spring 1988, 28)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., a Roman Catholic Industrial School, Racine Street, 1929 (C.R., xliii, 17 July 1929, 59; 6 Nov. 1929, 56)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., Roman Catholic Orphanage, for the Soeurs Franciscains, 1930; addition, 1934 (C.R., xliv, 11 June 1930, 63; xlviii, 7 Nov. 1934, 31)
HERBERTVILLE, QUE., rebuilding of a Roman Catholic church, 1931 (C.R., xlv, 7 Jan. 1931, 45, t.c.)
ROBERVAL, QUE., Roman Catholic church, 1931 (C.R., xlv, 18 March 1931, 61)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., City Hall, Racine Street East, 1932 (C.R., xlvi, 24 Feb. 1932, 120; Continuite [Quebec City], No. 36, Summer 1987, 14 & 19, illus.)
KENOGAMI, QUE., City Hall, King George Street, 1931 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 57-8, illus.)
PORT ALFRED, QUE., City Hall, 1932 (C.R., xlvi, 24 Feb. 1932, 120)
LAMONTAGNE & GRAVEL
(with J.C. Meadowcroft) ISLE MALIGNE, QUE., City Hall, Bridge Avenue North near Powell Avenue, 1936-37, and now called La Maison des Batisseurs (inf. Societe d'Histoire du Lac Saint-Jean; inf. Scott Edwards)
ISLE MALIGNE, QUE., Ste. Marie Roman Catholic Church, Bridge Avenue North, 1938 (La Sentinelle [Arvida], 2 Sept. 1938, 2; inf. Scott Edwards)
JONQUIERE, QUE., Roman Catholic Orphanage, for the Soeurs du Bon Pasteur de Quebec, St. Dominique Street, 1938-39 (C.R., li, 23 Nov. 1938, 27; lii, 18 Jan. 1939, 35)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., Agricultural School, St. Michel Boulevard, for the Chicoutimi Roman Catholic Seminary, 1938-39 (Le Soleil [Quebec City], 10 Nov. 1937, 1, illus.; C.R., li, 28 Dec. 1938, 86)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., major addition to the Roman Catholic Convent, for the Soeurs du Bon Conseils, 1938-39 (C.R., li, 26 Oct. 1938, 39)
ST. LAURENT, QUE., Roman Catholic Church, 1938-39 (C.R., li, 21 Dec. 1938, 28, t.c.)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., Roman Catholic school, Dubuc Street, 1941 (C.R., liv, 9 April 1941, 30)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., The Cartier Theatre, Racine Street East, near Fontaine Street, a movie theatre for Jean Angers, 1941; demol. c. 1990 (C.R., liv, 30 April 1941, 34; inf. Scott Edwards)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., residence for J.W. Picard, Jacques Cartier Street, 1941 (C.R., liv, 25 June 1941, 96)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., private hospital for the Clinique St. Francois, Jacques Cartier Avenue, 1941-42 (C.R., liv, 31 Dec. 1941, 66)
ARVIDA, QUE., Ste. Bernadette Roman Catholic School, Burma Street at the foot of Coventry Street, 1942 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 99, illus., but incorrectly dated as "1936" [sic]; inf. Scott Edwards)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., St. Joachim Roman Catholic Church, Jolliet Street at des Eudistes Street, 1942; destroyed by fire before completion; rebuilt in 1943 by Lamontagne & Gravel; burned 1954, then rebuilt in 1954-55 to plans by Lamontagne & Gravel; inf. Scott Edwards)
KENOGAMI, QUE., Roman Catholic school, 1943 (C.R., lvi, 25 Aug. 1943, 33, t.c.)
JONQUIERE, QUE., Legare Meubles Store, St. Dominique Street, 1946 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 24-5, illus.)
JONQUIERE, QUE., Le Patro de Jonquiere, St. Dominique Street, 1946, with addition in 1956 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 17, illus.)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., Gagnon Freres Ltd., Racine Street, department store, 1945-46 (Le Lingot du Saguenay [Arvida], 22 March 1946, 8, illus & descrip.; inf. Scott Edwards)
KENOGAMI, QUE., Gagnon Freres Ltd., Ste. Famille Street, commercial block, 1946 (C.R., lix, June 1946, 142)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., major addition to St. Michel Roman Catholic School, St. Pierre Street, 1946 (C.R., lix, April 1946, 146; L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 22, illus.)
JONQUIERE, QUE., Ste. Marie Mediatrice Roman Catholic School, Perrier Street, 1947 (L. Noppen & L.K. Morisset, Jonquiere - Memoires et lieu, 1994, 34, illus.)
NAUDVILLE, QUE., Roman Catholic church, 1947-48 (C.R., lx, Dec. 1947, 130)
ST. GEORGES, QUE., college for the School Commission, 1947-48 (C.R., lx, Dec. 1947, 136)
KENOGAMI, QUE., Roman Catholic school and residence, 1948 (C.R., lxi, May 1948, 175)
PORT ALFRED, QUE., Civic Centre and Arena, 1948 (C.R., lxi, Aug. 1948, 237)
CHICOUTIMI, QUE., Ecole Technique, Lafontaine Street at Begin Street, 1950-51; altered c. 1990 (Le Lingot [Arvida], 27 Sept. 1951, 15, illus. & descrip.; inf. Scott Edwards)