In 1748, the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which ended the War of the Austrian Succession, restored Louisbourg to France in return for territory gained in the Austrian Netherlands and the British trading post at Madras in India. Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site Visitor Centre 58 Wofle Street, Louisbourg, Nova Scotia B1C 2L2 During the low season, there are no accessible washroom facilities available; the only washroom available for use is located at the McLennan Centre. Robert Emmet Wall. [25] The original budget for the fort was four million livres. The Fortress of Louisbourg series includes: 'The Harbour and Dauphin Gate',[8] '18th Century Louisbourg';[9] 'The King's Bastion';[10] 'The King's Garden, Convent, Hospital, and British Barracks'[11] and 'The Fortifications and Ruins Fronting the Sea and Rochfort Point'[12] The 43¢ stamps were designed by Rolf P. Harder. Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, National marine conservation areas system, Directory of federal heritage designations, Accommodations (bed & breakfasts, cottages, inns, motel, suites). This time, British engineers destroyed the town and dismantled its fortifications, shipping some of the stone off to Boston to construct Louisbourg Square and other buildings in that city. Sip rum and watch lace-making as children play 300-year-old games and stew simmers on an open-hearth fire. Parks Canada historians have studied these records to guide the rebuilding of the fortifications and homes of Louisbourg. Private guide services can be arranged by phoning in advance. 1935-6) within the site is a Classified Federal Heritage Building. [23] Louisbourg's commercial success was able to bring ships from Europe, The West Indies, Quebec, Acadia, and New England.[21]. Balcom. Open Monday to Friday Approximate driving time: 35 minutes. Also, 60 to 70 ocean-going schooners would head out from Louisbourg to catch fish further down the coast. Louisbourg was also home to six bastions, two of which have been reconstructed: the Dauphin bastion, commonly referred to as a 'demi-bastion' because of its modification; the King's bastion; the Queen's bastion; the Princess bastion; the Maurepas bastion; and the Brouillon bastion. Louisbourg was one of the "largest military garrisons in all of New France", and many battles were fought and lives lost here because of it. The University College of Cape Breton Press, Sidney Nova Scotia 1995, page 4, An Appearance of Strength The Fortification of Louisbourg by Bruce W. Fry pg 20. "Louisbourg ,1745" in The New England Quarterly, Vol. The Museum / Caretakers Residence (ca. The fort was built to protect and provide a base for France's lucrative North American fishery and to protect Quebec City from British invasions. The original settlement was made in 1713, and initially called Havre à l'Anglois. Fortress™ Rum is available for purchase at the on-site boutique in the Benoist House (#28 on your visitor map). All other times, access to the site is by personal vehicle via Entrance 2. Two accessible washrooms are available at the Parks Canada visitor centre during the peak season. [4] The fortress was used by the British as a launching point for its 1759 Siege of Quebec that culminated in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. "From Port de peche to ville fortifiee: The Evolution of Urban Louisbourg 1713–1858" in, B.A. During our peak season we have two boutiques to serve you: one of these is located at the Parks Canada visitor centre and the other is located within the fortified town. Or, perhaps for your group, technology works. During the low season, contact the Duty Attendant at 902-304-5629. There were many more. Johnston, Eric Krause, Anne Marie Lane Jonah, T.D. It was from this site that, during the Seven Years’ War, British forces launched their successful attack on the French forces at Louisbourg. Having given up Louisbourg, Britain in 1749 created its own fortified town on Chebucto Bay which they named Halifax. Baby change stations are located at the Parks Canada visitor centre, on Rue Toulouse and in the King's Bastion Barracks washrooms. For France, the fishing industry was more lucrative than the fur trade. B1C 2L2. Pets are permitted at the Louisbourg Lighthouse Trail, Old Town Trail and the recreational areas along Kennington Cove Road, but must be leashed and managed by their owners. Discover how the wireless age began at a museum chronicling inventor Guglielmo Marconi’s achievements in carrying out the world’s first transatlantic wireless telegraph experiments in Nova Scotia at the turn of 20th century. The walls were constructed mainly between 1720 and 1740. During our regular visitor season, the Information Desk is located in De la Plagne House. With a shift in the wind, a hot, sunny day can turn cold and foggy, with plummeting temperatures. We can also accommodate that need. Louisbourg experiences a marine influenced humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb). The Maurepas Gate, facing the narrows, connected the fishing establishments, dwellings and cemeteries on Rocheford Point and was elaborately decorated as it was very visible to arriving ships. The museum that operates from the Fortress is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, and Virtual Museum of Canada. [19]:3 For the French, it was the second most important stronghold and commercial city in New France. Dozens of researchers worked on the project over a span of five decades. Please note that some of these services are available on a seasonal basis only. "From Port de peche to ville fortifiee: The Evolution of Urban Louisbourg 1713–1858" in Aspects of Louisbourg. Cannon fire shakes the ground as harpsichord tunes mingle with baking bread aromas drifting from the stone bakery. Canso Islands National Historic Site brings to life the stories of Atlantic Canada. Registered service animals (e.g. Louisbourg, Nova Scotia Parish records and court documents from Louisbourg have been digitized and placed in a searchable database. Address: Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, 259 Park Service Road, Louisbourg, NS B1C 2L2, Canada. Maurepas, the ministre de la marine, was determined to have it back. This route will take you straight to the modern community of Louisbourg. A computer kiosk is available at the Lartigue House so that you can search for any relatives who may have lived here in the 18th century. Lawrence.[2]. Disconnected from the main fort, yet still a part of Louisbourg, a small island in the harbour entrance was also fortified. The British kept a garrison at Louisbourg until 1768. A third weakness was that it was a long way from France or Quebec, from which reinforcements might be sent. (except statutory holidays) Within the Fortress of Louisbourg, accessible washrooms are located near the well on Rue Toulouse and in the Grandchamp House. It’s so real, it seems surreal. [13] Louisbourg itself was a popular port and was the third busiest port in North America (after Boston and Philadelphia. Louisbourg is a 40 minute drive from Sydney, Nova Scotia and 5.5 hours from Halifax. The fortress and town were partially reconstructed in the 1960s and 1970s, using some of the original stonework, which provided jobs for unemployed coal miners. Attacking with 13,100 troops supported by a 14,000 crew on board 150 ships, a British army captured the fortress in seven weeks. Only Quebec was more important to France. Our curator of textiles researches patterns, fabrics and existing descriptions as well as preserved originals to create the clothing that brings the class, gender and occupations of the 18th century into tangible reality. They included British-born archeologists Bruce W. Fry and Charles Lindsay; and Canadian historians B. Since much of your visit requires walking outside, you will be more comfortable if you dress for variable conditions and temperatures and wear comfortable shoes...and bring a rain jacket and waterproof footwear, just in case. A. Balcom, Kenneth Donovan, Brenda Dunn, John Fortier, Margaret Fortier, Allan Greer, A.J.B. The site stands as the largest reconstruction project in North America.[3].