Fort Point Museum sits on a a pretty little knoll at the mouth of the LaHave River that witnessed little-known, but significant events in Canadian history.
This was the first bit of land that Samuel de Champlain and Pierre du Gua de Monts spotted in North America in 1604. They named this place “La Have”, after “LeHeve”,the last view of France the explorers had of France.
Discovered and mapped in 1604, a settlement was established in 1632 by Isaac de Razilly, and was, for a short time, the Capital of New France in Acadia.
The prosperous fortified settlement included a chapel built for the three Capuchin monks, who brought education to New France by establishing the first school.
Prior to 1604, the Mi’kmaq used this place for summer campgrounds. A relationship sprung up between the Mi’kmaq and the French which continues.
A lot of “firsts”, and many “doors” opened here at Fort Point, La Have. But, to make a long story short, squabbles between rival French factions in LaHave and Port Royal resulted in Fort Point burned to the ground in 1850. The land changed hands between the French and English until the Treaty of Utrecht finally turned all of Acadia over to the British in 1710.
The Museum was opened in the former light keeper’s house in 1972.
Doorway into the gardens.
The doors of the building housing the communal oven are open wide.
The oven door.
We haven’t been here in years, but we dropped in on a cycling trip last weekend. And we were suitably impressed by this little museum perched above the beach.
While there, I made a happy discovery. Seems one of my family names (Comeau) is connected with the first French settlers. I’ll definitely be back to learn more about that!
Linked with Norm’s Thursday Doors
Rose Bay Letters 
What a fascinating post and how wonderful to discover a possible close connection. I’m interested in the name Petitpas … It’s a favourite French expression of mine (in full – petits pas aux petits pas …. Little by little) and I had no idea it was also a family name 💫
That’s a lovely expression. And Petitpas is a ver pretty surname. It’s a pretty common Acadian name here. Apparently it can be traced back to a Claude Petitpas who came to Acadie from Gascony in France.
This is SO interesting 🙂
😃
I think so, too!!
Great post Janet! This part of the country is so rich in history, not to mention the wonderful views – it’s no wonder I keep going back there so often 🙂
Thanks Norm! I’m so glad!
Such an interesting post .. That door way into the gardens looks special
A very inviting garden door, don’t you think? The garden itself was laid out in a very simple par terre style. Sadly, since we haven’t had any significant rain fall in about 3 months, it looked a little droopy.
Want some rain 😃
Yes please.
An interesting piece of history, Janet. Nova Scotia is rich with history that’s much older than our’s in Upper Canada. I forget how much french influence there was there.