The Canadian city that became 'Little Chicago' by accident

Wars & Conflicts · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For decades, the town of Hull served as a lawless sanctuary for those fleeing Ontario's strict temperance laws. This proximity created a unique cultural friction, transforming a quiet riverside settlement into a notorious hub of bootlegging and crime that mirrored the underworld of Chicago.

Hull’s reputation as a playground for revelry was born from geography and policy. When Ontario enacted prohibition in 1916, Hull—located directly across the river—became an immediate destination for those seeking alcohol. In 1917, the town saw a sharp spike in arrests for drunk and disorderly conduct. To combat this, Hull enacted its own alcohol prohibition laws in May 1918, which ironically triggered a dramatic increase in bootlegging. This era earned the town the nickname 'le Petit Chicago' due to per capita crime rates that mirrored those of the American city.

The town’s identity was shaped by these 'bridge of a thousand thirsts' dynamics. By 1925, reports indicated that visitors from Ontario accounted for up to 90 percent of bar patrons and the vast majority of arrests. While Hull attempted various crackdowns, including a local plebiscite in 1919 to repeal its own prohibition laws, it remained a site of significant lawlessness through the mid-20th century. During World War II, this same geography hosted prisoner-of-war camps where Italian and German nationals were held for hard labor.

The transition from 'Little Chicago' to a modern administrative hub was deliberate. Hull's crime levels peaked in Quebec during 1985, which sparked a 1990 'zero tolerance' initiative involving liquor license cancellations and covert police work. A 75 percent reduction in offences occurred within the old bar area from 1994 until 2000 due to these actions. Today, the area has been transformed into an office complex housing over 20,000 civil servants, shifting from a site of nocturnal rebellion to a cornerstone of Canada's National Capital Region.

The town's history is also one of survival and rebranding. Originally founded in 1800 as Wright's Town by Philemon Wright, it was nearly leveled by a fire in 1900. It eventually merged with four other municipalities in 2002 to form the city of Gatineau, despite Hull being the oldest settlement in the region. This evolution reflects a move from an agrarian wilderness and timber trade outpost to a complex urban center defined by federal employment and cultural heritage.

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