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Morrin College Review

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Morrin College

Address: 44 rue Chaussée des Ecossais, Upper Town, Québec City, QC | Map It
Phone: 418/694-9147
www.morrin.org

Category: Libraries
Location: Upper Town

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Fodor's Review:

This stately gray-stone building was Québec City's first prison under British rule, built between 1802 and 1813. Roughly 16 criminals were hanged publicly outside the building. Two cell blocks, with a half dozen cells in each, are still intact. Some are part of the new Morrin Centre, an English-language cultural center that opened in summer 2006.

When the jail closed in 1868, the building was converted into Morrin College, one of the city's first private schools, and the Literary and Historical Society of Québec moved in. Founded in 1824, this forerunner of Canada's National Archives still operates a public lending library and has a superb collection that includes some of the first books printed in North America. There are historical and cultural talks held in English, as well as tours of the building. Don't miss the library and Victorian College Hall spaces.

Cost: Free, C$3 for building tours
Open: Tues. noon-9, Wed.-Fri. noon-4, Sat. 10-4, Sun. 1-4

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