While driving from Monts-Valin National Park to La Baie in Québec, Canada we passed The Little White House.
It is now a museum after surviving a flood that wiped out all of the surrounding homes in the biggest flood of Canada’s 20th century.
After weeks of steady precipitation, the Chicoutimi district received 11 inches of rain in just a few hours on July 19, 1996.
More than 8 feet of water passed through areas of Chicoutimi and La Baie, completely leveling the Basin neighborhood. Over 16,000 people had to be evacuated and 488 homes were swept away.
The survival of The Little White House became a landmark of local steadfastness for Saguenay’s residents.
You can visit it today and explore the interior while listing to an audio guide that describes the tragic events.
When I travel, I take note of stories like these. It’s a reminder that everything we have is fleeting.
May your journey be your muse,
Rachel