Fort Lennox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Lennox |
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| Île aux Noix, Quebec, Canada | |
Fort Lennox in 2025
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| Site history | |
| Built | 1819–1829 |
| Official name: Fort Lennox National Historic Site | |
| Designated: | 1920 |
Fort Lennox is a special historic place in Canada. It's on an island called Île aux Noix in the Richelieu River, near the border between Canada and the United States. The fort has old stone buildings and defenses that have been fixed up. It is also surrounded by a cool star-shaped ditch filled with water, called a moat. The Canadian government owns Fort Lennox, and Parks Canada takes care of it.
This island was a very important spot long ago. It helped protect Canada from attacks from the south. The French first built defenses here in 1759 during a war with the British. Later, the British built the stone fort you see today. They built it between 1819 and 1829. This was to stop any possible invasions from the United States after the War of 1812. In 1920, Fort Lennox was named a National Historic Sites of Canada.
Fort Lennox was closed for renovations in 2022. It reopened in the spring of 2023. Now, visitors can explore a new exhibit inside the barracks. This exhibit shares stories about the many people who have passed through the island over time.
History of Fort Lennox
The British built the current stone fort between 1819 and 1829. They wanted to protect their colony from possible attacks by Americans. The fort was named after Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond. He was a very important leader who died in 1819. He had been the Governor General of British North America.
Before this British fort, the French had built an earlier fort on the same island. They built it around the 1760s during a big war called the Seven Years' War.
Visiting the Fort Lennox Museum
Today, Fort Lennox has a museum for visitors to explore. There is a new exhibit in the barracks called Passages, experiences of this Island. This exhibit has twelve different sections. Each section tells a story about the many different people who have lived on or visited the island.
You can take a guided tour with a Parks Canada guide. They will show you the officers' living areas, which look like they did in the 1820s. You can also see the fort's grounds and other buildings. These include places where weapons and supplies were stored, a guardhouse, and soldiers' living areas.
During summer weekends, you might see special demonstrations. These shows help you imagine what life was like at the fort in the mid-1800s. You can even see a demonstration of a typical uniform worn by a British soldier from the 24th Infantry Regiment. This happens on the first floor of the barracks. After that, you can go upstairs to see the dormitory exhibit.
How to Enter Fort Lennox
To visit Fort Lennox, you need to take a ferry to the island. The fee you pay to enter the island includes the ferry ride. The main parking lot and visitor center are on the west side of the river. If you arrive by boat, you cannot go directly to the island. You need to go to the visitor center on the west shore first and pay a fee to enter the fort.
