Fort Anne facts for kids
View of Annapolis Basin from Fort Anne
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| Established | 1629 |
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| Location | Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada |
Fort Anne is a historic fort in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. It was first built way back in 1629 by the Scottish, who called it Charles Fort. This fort was designed with four strong corners, called bastions, to protect the important harbour of Annapolis Royal. It even managed to stop all French attacks during the early parts of a big conflict called King George's War.
Today, Fort Anne is a special place known as a National Historic Site of Canada. It's looked after by Parks Canada, an organization that protects important places in Canada.
Only two main buildings from the fort's long history are still standing:
- The stone powder magazine, built in 1708, which was used to store gunpowder.
- The Officer's Quarters, built in 1797, where officers lived. This building was updated in the 1930s. Now, it's a museum! You can see exhibits about the fort's past and old items found in the area.
Other parts of the fort were changed or replaced by the British over time. For example, a bake house became an underground storage area for gunpowder.
There's a fun trail about 1⁄2-kilometre (0.31 mi) long that goes along the fort's old earthen walls. From here, you get amazing views of the Annapolis River and the basin.
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History of Fort Anne
The land where Fort Anne stands has been a fortified spot since 1629. That's when Scottish settlers came to Nova Scotia (which means "New Scotland") and built Charles Fort. Later, in the 1630s, the area went back to French control. Charles de Menou d'Aulnay then started building the first of four forts on this same spot, which was then called Port Royal. In 1702, the French began building the strong earthwork fort you can see today. It was built in a style called Vauban, known for its clever defenses.
British Takeover: Queen Anne's War
During a conflict known as Queen Anne's War, the British and troops from New England attacked the fort. After a week-long siege in 1710, the fort fell to them. This event marked the British taking control of Acadia. A British governor and soldiers took over the fort. They renamed the settlement Annapolis Royal, in honour of Queen Anne.
Three years later, in 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht officially gave the British full control of mainland Nova Scotia. Annapolis Royal remained the capital until Halifax was founded in 1749. The 40th Regiment of Foot, a British army unit, was even formed at Fort Anne in 1717.
Protecting the Capital: Father Rale's War
Blockade and Raids
During Father Rale's War, in July 1722, the Abenaki and Mi'kmaq peoples tried to cut off supplies to Annapolis Royal. Their goal was to starve the capital. They captured many fishing boats and people from different areas, including the Bay of Fundy.
In response, the British took action. In May 1722, Lieutenant Governor John Doucett held 22 Mi'kmaq people at Annapolis Royal to prevent attacks on the capital. The governor of Massachusetts declared war on the Abenaki. Some of the captured boats and people were later recovered after battles, or after a payment was made.
The worst part of this war for Annapolis Royal happened in July 1724. A group of sixty Mi'kmaq and Maliseet people raided the town. They caused harm to soldiers and scared the villagers. They also set fire to houses and took some people captive. In response, the British took strong measures and built more defenses to protect the town. The Acadian church was also moved closer to the fort for better monitoring.
King George's War and Later Conflicts
During King George's War, the French tried three times to recapture the fort, but they failed each time. One famous attempt was the Duc d'Anville Expedition.
Later, during Father Le Loutre's War, the capital of Acadia was moved from Annapolis Royal to Halifax. Fort Anne and other forts relied on government ships to bring them supplies.
During the French and Indian War, the British removed the Acadians living in the area. After the fall of Quebec in 1759, Fort Anne was no longer as important for military defense.
However, the fort was still used as an outpost during the American Revolution. The 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) was stationed there. It was also used during the War of 1812 to defend the town from American privateers (ships that attacked other ships for profit). The fort officially got the name Fort Anne in the 1800s.
Fort Anne Today: A National Historic Site
In 1917, Fort Anne was taken over by the Dominion Parks Branch, which is now Parks Canada. It became Canada's second national historic park. Two years later, a new system for National Historic Sites was created. Fort Anne was officially named a National Historic Site in 1920.
Even though Fort Anne wasn't the very first historic park or the first site named under the new program, it's often called Canada's "first national historic site." This is because it was the first site bought by the government for historic reasons that has stayed under Parks Canada's care ever since.
Images for kids
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A model of Fort Anne, showing how it might have looked.
