Fort La Tour, officially known as Fort Sainte-Marie, is a historic site located on Portland Point at the mouth of the Saint John River in what is now Saint John. Established in 1631 by Charles de Saint-Étienne de La Tour, this fort played a crucial role in the French fur trade and colonial struggles in Acadia during the 17th century.
The site where Fort La Tour was built had been used for over 4,000 years by Indigenous peoples, particularly the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Mi’kmaq, and Passamaquoddy Nations, as a key location for trade, gathering, and ceremonial purposes.
In 1631, Charles de Saint-Étienne de La Tour, then Governor of Acadia and an influential fur trader, established the fort as a fortified trading post. Its strategic location allowed control over access to the rich inland resources of the Saint John River and the Bay of Fundy.
The early decades of French rule in Acadia were marked by rivalry between competing French leaders. La Tour’s greatest adversary was Charles de Menou d’Aulnay, another French nobleman who controlled Port-Royal (modern-day Nova Scotia) on the other side of the Bay of Fundy.
In April 1645, while Charles de La Tour was away seeking reinforcements, d’Aulnay launched a surprise attack on Fort La Tour. In his absence, Françoise-Marie Jacquelin, La Tour’s wife, took command of the fort’s defense. She and her garrison held out for three days before ultimately surrendering. D’Aulnay, despite promising fair treatment, executed the surviving defenders in front of Jacquelin. She later died in captivity, and her bravery remains one of the most compelling stories of Canadian colonial history.
After d’Aulnay’s victory, theFort was abandoned, and a new fort was constructed across the harbour. The original fort fell into ruin, though its location remained an important hub for trade .
By the 1760’s, a group of British Loyalist traders, Simonds, Hazen, and White, established a trading post at the site. This business grew as thousands of British Loyalist refugees arrived in 1783, following the American Revolution. Over time, the area was developed into Saint John, which became the first incorporated city in Canada.
Fort La Tour was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1923, recognizing its importance in early French colonial history and the fur trade. Archaeological excavations have uncovered remnants of the fort’s original structure, providing deeper insight into life at the settlement.
Today, the site has been revitalized as Place Fort La Tour, offering visitors historical exhibits, reenactments, and educational programs that highlight its diverse history, from its Indigenous roots to its role in Acadian struggles.
The Fort stands as a symbol of early French settlement, Indigenous trade, and colonial conflict. It played a key role in the development of Acadia, and the dramatic siege of 1645 has cemented its place in Canadian history. Whether through its military past, its connection to the fur trade, or its role in the development of Saint John, Fort La Tour remains an enduring testament to the region’s complex and fascinating heritage.
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