The Town Of Louisbourg
The
history of Louisbourg goes back to the first years of
European contact in the New World, appearing as the
‘English port’ or English Harbour on the
earliest known maps of eastern North America. (Many believe it was along
this stretch of coastline between Scaterie Island and Louisbourg that
John Cabot on the "Matthew" made his landfall in 1497.) When France was
granted Ile Royale (Cape Breton Island) under the Treaty of Utrech in
1713, they re-named the town Port St. Louis. Finally in 1719 when France decided to build
the great Fortress around the fine, ice-free harbour, they decided to
name the community Louisbourg after King Louis XV.
After the second and final withdrawal of the colonial
French presence in 1758, the town was first re-settled by
Irish and English soldiers who had served in the French
and Indian Wars. The subsequent decades saw the arrival
of Loyalists, more Irish via Newfoundland and the 19th
century influx to Cape Breton of Highland Scots. In 1901 the modern town
was incorporated as the arrival of the Sydney and Louisbourg Railroad
(S&L) established Louisbourg as the winter terminus for the coal and
steel industries in Cape Breton. The first two decades of the 20th
century was a period a great growth an expansion in the town. For
example, in 1913 the S&L carried more tonnage per mile than any other
railroad in North America. The town had the designated English spelling
of ‘Louisburg’ from the 1760’s until
the 1960’s when it was decided by Town Council to
revert to the original French spelling in recognition of
our history and in light of the decision to re-construct
the Fortress. In 1996 the town was forced by the provincial government
into an amalgamated municipality although a local plebicite showed that
the townspeople were strongly opposed. (Over 80% voter turnout with over
90% against amalgamation.)
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Copyright © 2001 Mount Edward Consulting
This site is sponsored by Fortress Inn Louisbourg
Last Modified:
February 27, 2008
