I am beyond thrilled to learn that our city’s monumental Farine Five Roses sign has been granted heritage status by the borough of Ville-Marie, along with 18 other signs. I was part of the consultation process to identify the most important signs, and am delighted with this news. To celebrate, please enjoy this picture of my very own Farine Five Roses sign model, created by the extremely talented (and upstanding gentleman) Chris at Route 9 Signs. Check out his Instagram!
Here’s our beloved sign in the mid-50s, looking east towards the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. If it was taken in 1956, as the record suggests, then this complicates the timeline I’d established during my initial research. At that point, I stated rather ambiguously: “After Ogilvie purchased Lake of the Wood Milling, in 1954, the sign was changed to FARINE FIVE ROSES FLOUR.” So: although the purchase went through in 1954, the sign wasn’t changed until at least 1956. Photo courtesy of Martin Bérubé at ProposMontréal (check out his wonderful site!); image originally from the archives of CN.
Felicitations to our friend Lauren for sharing her fabulously fashionable Farine Five Roses Halloween rig! Note the number of red roses in her hair, all of which “lit up like the factory”!
