Fortress of Louisbourg

In 1961 the Government of Canada began a $25 million dollar project aimed at reconstructing approximately one-quarter of the original Fortress of Louisbourg and its fortifications.

Within this area the buildings, yards, gardens and streets are being recreated as they were during the 1740s, immediately preceding its first siege.

Nearly one-quarter of the original walled town has been fully reconstructed.

A short bit of history is in order, to give you a backdrop to the events that occurred here.

A Brief History

Photo:www.everythingcreepy.com/novascotia.html

The French used these islands as a base to continue the lucrative cod fishery of the Grand Banks. In 1719 they began to construct at Louisbourg a fortified town which was only completed on the eve of the first siege in 1745. The town and settlement along the harbor shore soon became a thriving community.

In 1741 Louisbourg was a thriving seaport and capital of Cape Breton Island. The Fortress was one of the busiest harbors in North America during the 18th century and one of France’s key economic and military centers in the New World.

In 1745 following a declaration of war between Britain and France, the British attacked the Fortress of Louisbourg.

Informed that the it was in disrepair and with its poorly supplied troops on the verge of mutiny, the New Englanders mounted an assault on the fortress.

Within 46 days of the invasion the fortress was captured. Much to the disbelief of the New Englanders, only three years later the town was restored to the French as part of the peace agreement that ended the conflict.

But the British and French were soon at war again, and in 1758 Louisbourg was besieged a second time.

Not having a strong navy to patrol the sea beyond its walls, the Fortress of Louisbourg was impossible to defend. Attacking with 16,000 troops supported by 150 ships, a British army captured the fortress in seven weeks. Determined that Louisbourg would never again become a fortified French base, the British demolished the fortress walls.

The destroyed fortress remained that way until the 1960’s.

What I enjoyed about my visit to the fortress, was that the it tried to keep itself as authentic to the original conditions as possible.

The inhabitants were dressed in period clothes, and the food was prepared and served as if it were the early 1700’s again. Walking the gardens and various buildings left the impression that you were indeed living in the early 18th century.

The Louisbourg Lighthouse

To locate the historical Louisbourg Lighthouse take Havenside Road near the tourist information center and then follow the road to the lighthouse.

This is the spot of the first lighthouse in Canada and the second in North America (the first lighthouse being in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts).

The original Louisbourg Lighthouse was built by the French in 1734. It was built to assist navigation to Fortress Louisbourg.

A fire in 1736 destroyed the lantern but the stone tower was unharmed and a new lantern was installed in 1738.

This lighthouse was badly damaged by British forces in 1758 during the Final Seige of Louisbourg and abandoned by the

British after they demolished the fortress. It remained abandoned until 1842 when it was replaced.

A square wooden lighthouse was then built by the government of Nova Scotia in 1842. The lighthouse was a large two and a half story wooden building supported by a massive masonary base. It included the keeper's dwelling in the base of the light.

Then this lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1922. The foundation remains visible today.

The current Louisbourg Lighthouse was built, this time in concrete, in 1924 right next to the original foundation from the first two towers. The tower is a twin of the Georges Island Lighthouse in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The lighthouse was destaffed in 1990.

The lighthouse is a popular lookoff point and in 2008 became the start of a coastal walking trail.

Marconi Historical

Miners Museum

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