Fort Lennox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Lennox |
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| Île aux Noix, Quebec, Canada | |
Painting of Fort Lennox, 1886, by Henry Richard S. Bunnett
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| Site history | |
| Built | 1819–1829 |
| Battles/wars | Seven Years' War, American Revolutionary War |
| Official name: Fort Lennox National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 1920 |
Fort Lennox occupies most of Île aux Noix, an island in the middle of the Richelieu River in the parish of Saint-Paul-de-l'Île-aux-Noix, Quebec, near the Canada-U.S. border. The fort features restored defence works and stonework buildings, and is surrounded by a star-shaped moat.
Fort Lennox was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1920.
History
Built by the British between 1819 and 1829, the fort was designed to protect the colony from possible American invasion. The fort was named after Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, who died in 1819 and was Governor General of British North America. An earlier 1760s fort on the same site was originally built by the French during the Seven Years' War.
On 28 June 1985 Canada Post issued 'Fort Lennox, Que.' one of the 20 stamps in the "Forts Across Canada Series" (1983 & 1985). The stamps are perforated 12½ x 13 and were printed by Ashton-Potter Limited based on the designs by Rolf P. Harder.
Museum
Visitors can tour the 1820s period officers' quarters. The north magazine features an exhibit about military engineering and restoration work carried out at the fort.
Guided tours are given of the grounds and buildings, which include an ordnance magazine and artillery magazine, a guardhouse, officers' quarters, barracks and casemates. During summer weekends, living history demonstrations focus on fort life in the mid 19th century.
Entry
Admission to the site includes the ferry ride to the island. The parking lot and visitor reception area are located on the west shore of the river. Boaters can visit the island directly and pay a separate fee to enter the fort.
