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 Jacques
Cartier's first voyage to the New World for the French throne
was in the fifteen hundreds and he was followed later by
De Monts and Champlain who set out to claim the new land
for France. They established the colony of Port Royale in
Nova Scotia.
Standing on the shore five hundred years ago of what is
now Louisbourg harbour, you would have found yourself on
the edge of a virgin forest stretching westward for thousands
of miles. In the summer, you might have encountered Mi'kmaq
families fishing from canoes and you could tell you were
close to land by the smell of the cod drying on the shore.
Both Mi'kmaq's and Europeans came to fish for cod, not
to settle- cod was a staple food for both cultures and was
as valuable in that period as oil is today. These early
fishermen used spears, nets and hooks and preserved their
catch by drying it on the beaches. The Europeans came in
small ships guided by very basic navigation equipment and
the earliest recorded ship to reach the area was the Marigold
in 1593.
France was not alone in the new world at the time, Britain
had challenged France's claims and was exploiting the fisheries.
As the two countries tried to dominate the region, there
were many battles, and finally in 1713 the French were left
with only Cape Breton Island (Ile Royale) and Prince Edward
Island (Ile Saint-Jean).
Louisbourg was founded in 1713 by the Sun King, Louis 14th.
It began as a fishing village and a strategic walled stronghold
in the new world. Because of its favourable location and
all-weather harbour, it was an ideal site for trade with
France and many merchants came to do business importing
and exporting trade goods, making it one of the busiest
ports in North America. Cod was the main export to France
and the Antilles, and imports from many countries were shipped
by boat to Louisbourg. The town's original population was
a total of only 149 men, women and children. By the 1750's
it had risen to about 4000, most of whom lived inside the
walled perimeter of the town. The town was protected from
invasion by earthworks or palisades with bastions, guardhouses,
and four massive gates. More than one hundred cannons were
available to drive off the British. The fishermen and their
families lived outside the gates where they dried their
catch of cod on racks in the sun. When the British fleet
was sighted, they would all rush inside the gates for protection.
 Control
over the town see-sawed back and forth. The fort fell to
4000 British soldiers from New England in 1745 who put it
under siege for 46 days by cutting off all supplies from
France. When British diplomats returned the fort to France
in 1748, the American troops felt betrayed and alienated
from Britain. In the 1750's another war broke out between
the British and French and Louisbourg was again conquered
in 1758. The French evacuated the town and two years later,
the British destroyed the fortifications with explosives
and withdrew their garrison in 1768.
After more than a century of decline and decay, Louisbourg
was at last officially remembered in 1895 when the Society
of Colonial Wars (an American organization) erected a monument
to the siege of 1745. Some Canadians, notably Senator Pascal
Poirer, protested the action claiming that foreign victories
on Canadian soil should not be commemorated. Instead, Proirer
felt that the historic site of Louisbourg should belong
to the federal government.
An act was passed in the Nova Scotia Legislature in 1906
declaring Louisbourg to be a historic monument of the Dominion
of Canada and a museum was opened in 1936. By 1940 the site
had been declared a national historic park.
Not until 1961, during John Diefenbaker's government, was
there pressure to develop the site as a reconstructed fort
and tourist attraction. Out-of-work coal miners were trained
in all the old-fashioned skills required to completely rebuild
the town faithfully in its former glory. Researchers visited
France and found a treasure trove of thousands of pages
of the original plans and history of the town. It was fortunate
that Louisbourg was the only colonial town that did not
have a modern city built over its ruins. Reconstruction
has taken over twenty years and cost more than twenty-five
million dollars. Approximately one quarter of the18th century
town has been reconstructed on its original foundations
at this time.
We chose the Louisbourg Motorhome Park as our base of
operations during our stay close to the Fort. This clean
well equipped facility for not only motorhomes, but travel
trailers, fifth wheels, and tents is beside the harbour
with its boardwalk, close to the main shopping district,
and right next door to the Louisbourg Playhouse. This unique
17th century style theatre was built inside the Fort by
Walt Disney, for the movie 'Squanto: A Warrior's Tale'.
Excellent live theatre-in-the-round, 'The Spirit of the
Island', plays during the week and toe-tapping celtic music
can be heard on weekends. Entertainment is provided during
the summer from June to October by Cape Breton performers.
The Fortress is only a five minute drive from downtown
to the reception centre, from there you are whisked away
in commuter buses to the gates where you will step back
in time to the summer of 1744 just before the great siege.
Costumed sentries, speaking French, challenge you at the
gate to find out if you might be a British spy. Cannon line
the ramparts for protection from enemy ships in the harbour.
There were only thirty cannoniers, dressed in bright red,
for the 100 cannons, and they lorded their position over
the regular soldiers. Members of the militia all emigrated
from France to stay for a few years protecting the Fort,
and then returned home. Many of the soldiers were still
in their teens as it was difficult to find enough patriotic
souls who would endure the hardships of a rough sea crossing
and colonial life. The King had decreed that the colonial
population should grow, so the settlers were not allowed
to join the militia.
We saw soldiers drilling and many costumed interpreters
plying their trade, from stone masons to ladies making lace.
Authentic 18th century fare is offered at the bakery, a
tavern, and an elegant restaurant. We enjoyed a simple meal
at noon of soup, vegetables, and meat at a public house
called L'Epee Royalle. You will visit the King's storehouse,
the King's Bastion, many residences from the simple to the
elegant. As you walk the dirt streets you will see children
dancing and playing to the music of fife and drum. Each
home has large windows to let in the light and appears to
have its own garden for vegetables and herbs with a stockade
to enclose the cattle. Pigs were not allowed to roam. This
town had to be self sustaining for much of each year as
provisions arrived by ship from France or L'Acdie.
 Men
outnumbered women by about ten to one, and girls often married
as young as twelve with their parents' consent. Most children
found themselves at work as servants by the age of seven,
and learning a trade by twelve.
Today, luxury cruise liners often stop at Louisbourg and
divers on guided tours explore 18th century wrecks. A new
marina encourages many more yachts to visit. The oil industry
has used Louisbourg as a base for seismic exploration on
the continental shelf.
The new National Sea Products fish plant, opened in 1952
and refurbished in 1988, is supplied by steel draggers,
seiners and Cape Island boats. Freezers, depth sounders,
radar, loran, and other new technologies have made fishing
more productive and safer even in winter. The fishing industry
expanded massively after Canada proclaimed a 200 mile limit,
but in the early 1990s, the collapse of the fish stocks
brought severe quota restrictions that caused the closing
of many of the fish plants including the main one in Louisbourg.
The inshore fleet fishes today in small boats for lobster,
crab, shrimp and several species of ground fish that are
processed by several small local plants.
There are excellent seafood restaurants in the town, with
many shops to tempt the traveller. Still, Louisbourg remains
unique, just a short drive from Sydney along Highway 22
on the east coast of Cape Breton Island. As our world is
merging into a single global society, the fate of Louisbourg
has affected the development of at least four nations; Canada,
the USA, Britain, and France. The heritage of this town
belongs not only to Canada, but to the world. Go for a visit,
stay for a good time. Wear comfortable walking shoes, bring
your camera, and a sweater or raincoat. Remember, you are
beside the ocean and onshore breezes can be cool. The Fort
closes at 6 p.m. in the summer and 5 p.m. during June and
September, so go early and stay all day. For a full list
of campgrounds in the area, consult RV Lifestyle's Campground
Directory in this issue. (Page
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