Saint-Roch was first settled in 1620 by the Recollects, who built a small church dedicated to Saint Roch.[2] Today the Église Saint-Roch is the largest in Quebec City. Later, a few houses were built near what is now the Gare du Palais.[3] In the first half of the 19th century, Saint-Roch was a shipbuilding site. Later, the district saw the development of retail and manufacturing activity. From the mid-19th century to the 1960s, the rue Saint-Joseph was the principal commercial street in Quebec City.[3] In the 1960s, with shoppers attracted to suburban shopping centres, a good part of the street was covered with a roof of concrete and plexiglass in 1974.[4] Demolition of this mall began in the 1990s and was finished in 2007[5] which led to increased commercial activity.[6]
