On our way to Newfoundland from Nova Scotia this August, we spent a day at the historic fortress of Louisbourg. This is a national historic site located near the top end of Cape Breton. During the summer, the fortress is alive with re-enactors or 'animators' who portray what it would have been like when the French occupied this part of, what was then Isle Royale, in the first half of the 18th century. Begun in the 1960's, the fortress is the largest historical reconstruction project in North America. The animators re-create a day in the year 1744. We spent a whole day there enjoying the 18th cetury ambience and watching the firing of canons, a public sentencing, and an apprentice working in a smithy. We even ate lunch at an 18th century tavern.Thankfully the repast was from the current period, so no maggot-ridden bread on our plates, and the ale was very tasty!
See this link for a good description of the history of Fort Louisbourg.
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| The first person we met was a fisherman, living in a building outside the walls of the fortress. One of the reasons for the founding of Louisbourg was to protect French commercial interests - specifically the seasonal fishery here, which supplied enormous quantities of cod to France and its empire. |
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| The recreation ranges from dozens of buildings down to the smallest items. Many items were reproduced but other pieces (some furniture, for example) were obtained by purchase at auctions. |
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| There is a moat and ditches around much of the fortress |
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| Canons are fired twice a day. This soldier is setting things up for the firing |
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| Both within and outside the fortress were kitchen gardens and larger gardens to feed the troops |
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| This animator was working with livestock in the gardens |
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| Visitors explore the herb and vegetable garden at the engineer's house |
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| The French royal fleur de lis motif is found in dozens of items throughout the fortress |
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| The gun firing is announced by fife and drums |
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| We met this soldier returning to his barracks. He told us that his wages were a pittance - barely enough to subsist. See this link for details on soldier's pay |
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| Rani takes a break along the defensive walls |
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| Only a small fraction of the original fortress has been recreated, but what is there is a lovely mix of architecture. |
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| King's Bastion barracks |
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| Detail of barrack wall. Access to original French plans allowed for a faithful recreation |
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| I loved the weathered wood roofs, which fit so well on this windswept rocky coast |
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| A turkey preens itself. |
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| Rani examines a tumbril |
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| View from a storehouse second story |
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| Each animator is based on an actual person who would have lived at the fortress. I believe this gentleman acted as a judge amongst his other duties |
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| We watched these women making lace |
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| Soldiers lead a captured felon for sentencing |
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| Reading of the sentence - deportation to France. Crowd was shouting for stiffer penalty! |
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| Events such as this sentencing were public entertainment |
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| An apprentice in a a smithy learns his art. Apparently apprenticeship could last for decades. This boy is the son of the fortress's blacksmith and will likely set up his own forge or replace his father when he retires. |
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| Detail from a painting of the harbour. Can you find the fleur de lis? |
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| There are some walks outside the fortress that run along the harbour to its entrance |
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| Soldiers off duty |
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| Firing the last gun |
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| We leave after a full day to head back to our campsite on the Mira river |
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| Sunset over the nearby Mira river |
