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Fort Ingall
Cabano, Quebec, Canada
Fort-Ingall.JPG
Fort Ingall
Type fieldwork
Site information
Controlled by British
Site history
Built 1839
Architect Frederick Lenox Ingall
In use 1839-1842
Battles/wars Aroostook War
Garrison information
Garrison 24th, 11th, 56th and 68th regiments

Fort Ingall was a small British fort built in Cabano, Quebec, Canada. It was constructed in 1839 during a time of tension. This tension was known as the Aroostook War. It was a disagreement over land between Great Britain and the United States of America.

Today, Fort Ingall is a reconstructed 19th-century fort. It is now a museum that teaches visitors about its past. You can see exhibits about the fort's history and the Aroostook War. The museum also displays old items found at the site. During certain times of the year, you can take guided tours. These tours show what life was like for soldiers back then.

History of Fort Ingall

Building the Fort

In 1839, a British officer named Lieutenant Frederick Lenox Ingall received an order. He was told to build a small fort near Lake Temiscouata. This area is in what is now Quebec. That summer, workers built three barracks. Barracks are buildings where soldiers live. One barrack was for officers, and two were for regular soldiers. They were built near the lake, at the end of a road from Riviere-du-Loup.

A small group of soldiers arrived that summer. They were from the 24th Regiment of Foot. This group had only 12 men. They also brought their 6 wives and 11 children.

Growing and Protecting the Fort

Over the next few years, the small fort became much stronger. It grew to have 12 barracks. A tall, strong fence called a stockade surrounded the fort. This stockade was 12 feet high.

Other British army groups also stayed at the fort. These included the 11th, 56th, and 68th Regiments of Foot. They lived there between 1839 and 1841. At its busiest, about 200 soldiers were at the fort.

The End of the Conflict

In 1842, a special agreement was made. It was called the Webster-Ashburton Treaty. This treaty decided the border between British North America and the United States. With the border settled, the Aroostook War ended. The fort was no longer needed.

What Happened to the Original Fort?

Local stories say that the first people living in Cabano took the fort apart. This happened in the early 1900s. They used the large wooden logs from the fort to build their own homes. By the 1920s, nothing was left of the original Fort Ingall.

For many years, the fort was almost forgotten. It became more like a local legend. Then, in the 1960s, archaeologists started digging. They found old remains of the fort. In 1972, the fort was rebuilt. It was made to look exactly like the original. Builders even used the same construction methods from the 1800s.

Today, a group called the Historical and Archeological Society of Temiscouata owns Fort Ingall. It is a non-profit organization.

See also

  • List of forts
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