On a bitterly cold night in February 1916, as Members of Parliament debated the fishing industry inside Ottawa’s Centre Block, flames began to creep through the House of Commons Reading Room. Within hours, the Great Fire would reduce the heart of Canada’s Parliament to a blackened shell, claiming seven lives and toppling the iconic Victoria Tower. Yet amid the devastation, one structure stood defiant – and with it, the foundation of Canada’s national numismatic heritage. Continue reading →
The 1916 fire destroyed the original Centre Block, but the Library of Parliament, visible here, was spared after heavy iron fire doors sealed off the collection. (Parliament archives)
