Fort Anne

View of Annapolis Basin from Fort Anne

For a similarly named fort in New York City see: Fort Amsterdam

Fort Anne is a typical star fort built to protect the harbour of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. The fort repelled all French attacks during the early stages of King George's War.

It is now operated as Fort Anne National Historic Site, within the national park system and managed by Parks Canada. The 1797 officer's quarters was renovated in the 1930s and now house the museum with exhibits about the fort's history and historic artifacts from the area.

A 1/2 km trail runs along the fort's earthen walls, and provides a view of the Annapolis River and basin.

History

Main article: Port Royal, Nova Scotia

The site has been fortified since 1629, when the Scots came to colonize Nova Scotia (New Scotland) and built Charles Fort. The region was reverted back to French control in the 1630s and Charles de Menou d'Aulnay began work on the first of four forts on the same site, then known as Port Royal. In 1702, the French began construction of the current Vauban earthwork that is found there today.

Queen Anne's War

During Queen Anne's War, the fort fell to British and New England troops after a week-long siege in 1710 which marked the British conquest of Acadia. A British governor and garrison replaced the French at the fort renaming the Port Royal settlement Annapolis Royal after Queen Anne. With the Treaty of Utrecht three years later, the British gained full control of mainland Nova Scotia and kept Annapolis Royal as the capital until the founding of Halifax in 1749.

King Georges War

During King George's War, the French launched three expeditions against the capital to regain the fort with no success, the most famous being the Duc d'Anville Expedition. During Father Le Loutre's War, the capital of Acadia was moved from Annapolis Royal to Halifax.

French and Indian War

During the French and Indian War, the British engaged in the Bay of Fundy Campaign (1755) and deported the Acadians living in the area. With the fall of Quebec in 1759, the fort no longer held the same military importance.

It was however still used as an outpost during the American Revolution, where the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) was stationed, and the War of 1812 in defence of the town from American privateers.

The fort acquired the name Fort Anne in the 19th century.

In 1917, Fort Anne was designated a National Historic Park, making it the oldest national historic site still administered by Parks Canada or its predecessor, the Dominion Parks Branch. Because of that, it has been called the "first national historic site", though Fort Howe in Saint John, New Brunswick, was designated three years earlier, in 1914. While Fort Howe was returned to the city, Fort Anne formed the beginning of the country's system of National Historic Sites.

Further reading

• Brenda Dunn, A History of Port Royal/Annapolis Royal: 1605-1800, Halifax: Nimbus, 2004
• Parks Canada, Fort Anne National Historic Site brochure, undated (2001 ?).

External links

• Parks Canada - Fort Anne National Historic Site of Canada
• Fort Anne Bronze Cannon
• Canadian Encyclopedia entry