On July 19 and 20, 1996, a massive thunderstorm pounded Chicoutimi. The nearly ten inches of torrential rain triggered a catastrophic event know as The Saguenay Flood. Huge volumes of water overcame five dams and spillways before thundering into the Bassin District. The surge totally destroyed or severely damaged hundreds of houses. Only one remained standing: the former home of Elzéard Gagnon built in 1890. La Petite Maison Blanche (The Little White House) is now a museum about the flood. Notice the water pouring out of the red door. Surrounding the historic landmark is a municipal park where the neighboring residences were previously located.
