Golden Square Mile

From 1840 to 1930, the Golden Square Mile was home to Canada’s anglophone upperclass, the majority of which was made up of Scottish businessmen. Situated to the northwest of what is now Downtown Montréal, the neighborhood is defined by its Victorian mansions, noteworthy institutions, elegant stores, grand avenues, green spaces and monuments that call back to its early years when its residents represented nearly 70 percent of the wealth of Canada. The Square Mile is part of the Mount Royal natural and historical district and includes McGill University, the McCord Museum of Canadian History, the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts and many other attractions and landmarks to be discovered while strolling along Sherbrooke Street West. The term “golden” was added to the name in the 1950s by real estate developers to refer to the prosperity of the area. Originally spanning about one square mile, it is contained by a southern border of René Lévesque (formerly Dorchester Street), Mount Royal Park