Maritimes - Fortress Louisbourg - Introduction

Fortress Louisbourg was built by the French government in order to have an ice free harbour to protect thier fishing industry. Originally called Havre à l'Anglois, it was established in 1713. This habitation quickly grew with more buildings, fortified walls and a garrison. This Fortress was to be the most expensive one, for the time, in North America by its heyday in the mid 1740's.

Unfortunatly it was built surrounded by higher ground and the main defensive consideration was defending against sea based assaults. This was a factor in its surrender to the British in 1745. When it was given back in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, the British built a fortified port in Chebucto Bay and called Halifax in 1749 (for more about Fort George in Halifax, click on my blog article here)

In order to stop the British Colonists moving Westward, the French and its Indian allies tried to stop them which led to the French Indian War in 1754 which led to the larger Seven Years War in 1756.

In 1757, Fortress Louisbourg suffered a failed attack by the Britsh but the French Navy helped to repluse it. Without the Navy's help, it fell under a new British assault in 1758.

This fortress was used in an assault on Quebec the next year that was the last gasp of French control of North America.

Engineers systematically demolished the walls and fortifications in 1760 to make reuse by the French impossible. In 1961 a rebuilding of the Fortress and town was done for use in a historic park, which was expanded and still in use today.

Maritimes - Lobster Kettle

The Lobster Kettle resteraunt is a great little place in Louisbourg with a view of the Fortress. I had the down home seafood chowder which was filled with local fish and shellfish. Very tasty lunch and i'd come back here for lunch or supper.

Maritimes - Townhouse Pub

The Townhouse Pub, in Antigonish Nova Scotia is an excellent place to go for food and music. For starters I had six raw local oysters, with a lemon dipping sauce. Then it was the bangers and mash (2 of the Pork Shop’s Bratwurst Sausages, creamy mashed potatoes, and your choice of Stout & Bacon Baked Beans or Sauerkraut (GF option) ). With these I has the local Stutz cider. Everything was very tasty and filling. In the background were some local celtic musicians and added to the ambiance. I'd come back here again.

Maritimes - Fort Edward

Fort Edward is located in Windsor, Nova Scotia. It was an important British fort and was built to withstand Mi'kaq, Acadian and French attacks. In 1750, the British failed to take the Acadian settlements of Chignecto (the ithsmus between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) and ordered the local Acadians to burn down thier Catholic church so a fort could be built on the strategically positioned land.

After the Battle of Fort Beausejour in 1755 (go here for my post), Fort Edward was the central point where local Acadians were rounded up during the Bay of Fundy campaign. More than 7000 Acadians were sent away during this event. During the expulsion there were Acadian and Mi'kmaq raids on the fort, which did damage a warehouse. These raids were for nought.

During the American Revolution and the War of 1812, the fort was garrisoned and used to house privateer prisoners of war.

During WW1, the fort was used as a training base. In particular it was the site used to train the Jewish Legion. They were to be used to free the Palastinian area from the Ottoman Empire and they participated in the Jordanian Valley actions in 1918.

In 1920 the fort became a national historic site. In 1992 the blockhouse was designated a federal heritage building and is the oldest surviving blockhouse in North America. Here is a look at the inner architecture of the blockhouse.

Maritimes - Tangled Garden and more

Right near the Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-Op (previously posted about here) is this delightful place that sell jams plus other fruit delights, the Tangled Garden. I only tried thier jams but they are varied and delicious. Give them a try when near Wolfville, Nova Scotia (Grand Pre actually). There is also a winery nearby, Domaine de Grand Pre Winery, that sells a supurb apple wine, Pomme d'Or.

Maritimes - Oaklawn Farm Zoo

Oaklawn Farm Zoo is a medium sized zo in Aylesford Nova Scotia, just East of Greenwood. They also have animals that are in thier senior years from other zoos so they can live thier final years in a relaxed setting. They also have a very tasty fish burger!

They have farm animals as well as other more exotic animals.

We were there mid day so the animals were in thier siesta phase.

I wish the cages and pens were larger but for a low budget it was apparent the animals were well treated. It was also a good stop to spend time with my sister and nephew. A list of some of the animals they have are here.

Maritimes - Bear River

Bear River, Nova Scotia, has been called the community on stilts, it also has incredible tides as it is connected tot eh bay of Fundy. It was a major shipbuilding town but is now a thriving artists community with two wineries nearby.

I always liked the quirky feeling of the downtown and even though a great resteraunt has closed downtown, it has two cafes, a used bookstore (with many antique volumes) and a great artisan gallery shop, Flights of Fancy. The two wineries are not bad either.