Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène facts for kids
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| Established | 1955 |
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| Location | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Type | historical fort |
The Saint Helen Island Fort (French: Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène) is a cool historic spot on Saint Helen's Island in Montreal, Quebec. It was built in the early 1820s. Its main job was to be a storage place for weapons and supplies (an arsenal). It was part of a group of forts built to protect Canada from a possible attack by the Americans.
Even though it wasn't super strong with lots of defenses, the Fort was very important. It was the main storage area for cannons and other weapons for many forts. These included forts to the west and those in the Richelieu River Valley, like Fort Henry and Fort Lennox. The Fort was built using a special red stone called breccia. This stone was dug up right on the island itself. Saint Helen's Island is in the St. Lawrence River, between Montreal and the south shore.
You might see the Levis Tower on the island. But it was not part of the Fort's defenses. It was built in the 1930s to hold a water tank.
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History of the Fort
The British built the Fort between 1820 and 1824. It was used to store weapons and military gear. After the Rebellions of 1837, it became a military prison. Sadly, a big fire damaged the Fort in 1848. But it was rebuilt in 1863-1864.
What Happened After the British Left?
After the British Army stopped using the Fort, it became part of the City of Montreal. In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, the Fort was fixed up. This project helped create jobs for people.
During the Second World War, the Fort had another use. It was a camp for some Italians who were in the UK when the war started. Today, during summer, the Fort hosts two groups who dress up like old soldiers. They are The Olde 78th Fraser Highlanders and Les Compagnies Franches de la Marine. They show what life was like for soldiers in the 18th century.
The Stewart Museum (1955-2021)
For many years, the Fort was also home to the Stewart Museum (French: Musée Stewart). This was a private museum started in 1955 by David M. Stewart. He wanted to collect and show old items from Canada's past, especially from the time of New France.
What Did the Museum Have?
The museum had a special collection of almost 27,000 items. These included old documents and rare books. They all told the story of North America's European history. This went from the start of New France up to modern times. The museum's goal was to keep and share these items. They showed the stories of explorers, new scientific ideas, battles, beliefs, and daily life of people long ago.
The museum was located in Parc Jean-Drapeau. It was inside the Fort's old arsenal building. This military building from the 1800s is a protected heritage site in Quebec. Both the Fort and the museum used to be open all year.
Why Did the Museum Close?
On February 16, 2021, after 66 years, the Stewart Museum closed for good. It could not stay open because of money problems, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its amazing collection will now move and join the McCord Museum in downtown Montreal. The Fort itself has also been closed to visitors since February 2021.
