Louisbourg

The French military founded the Fortress of Louisbourg in 1713 and its fortified seaport on the southwest part of the harbour, naming it in honour of Louis XIV.{{cite journal |last1=Harris |first1=Carolyn |date=Aug 2017 |title=The Queen's land |journal=Canada's History |volume=97 |issue=4 |pages=34–43 |issn=1920-9894 }} They did so by transplanting settlers there from the evacuated Terre-Neuve colony. The harbour had been used by European mariners since at least the 1590s, when it was known as English Port and Havre à l'Anglois, the French settlement that dated from 1713. The settlement was burned the first day the British landed during the Siege of Louisbourg (1745). The French were terrorized and abandoned the Grand Battery, which the British occupied the following day. It was returned to France in 1748 but recaptured by the British in 1758.

After the capture in 1758, its fortifications were demolished in 1760 and the town-site abandoned by British forces in 1768. A small civilian population continued to live there after the military left.{{cite book|last=Johnston|first=A. J. B. |author-link = A. J. B. Johnston|title=Louisbourg: Past, Present, Future|year=2013|publisher=Nimbus|location=Halifax}}

English settlers subsequently built a small fishing village across the harbour from the abandoned site of the fortress. The village grew slowly with additional Loyalists settlers in the 1780s. The harbour grew more accessible with the construction of the second Louisbourg Lighthouse in 1842 on the site of the original French lighthouse destroyed in 1758. A railway first reached Louisbourg in 1877, but it was poorly built and abandoned after a forest fire. However the arrival of Sydney and Louisburg Railway in 1894 brought heavy volumes of winter coal exports to Louisbourg Harbour's ice-free waters as a winter coal port. The harbour was used by the Canadian government ship Montmagny in 1912 to land bodies from the sinking of the RMS Titanic. In 1913 the Marconi Company established a transatlantic radio transmitting station here.

Incorporated in 1901, the Town of Louisbourg was disincorporated when all municipal units in Cape Breton County were merged into a single tier regional municipality in 1995.{{cite book |last1=MacEwan |first1=Paul |title=Miners and Steelworkers: Labour in Cape Breton |date=1976 |publisher=A. M. Hakkert Ltd. |location=Toronto, Canada |isbn=0-88866-533-4 |page=8}}

{{Historical populations

|align=right

|footnote={{cite web|url=https://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/acyb_c1966-eng.aspx?opt=/eng/1966/196602190191_p.+191.pdf|title=Canada Year Book (CYB) Historical Collection|first=Statistics|last=Canada|date=31 March 2008|website=www66.statcan.gc.ca}}[http://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/acyb_c1955-eng.aspx?opt=/eng/1955/195501660140_p. 140.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114051402/http://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/acyb_c1955-eng.aspx?opt=%2Feng%2F1955%2F195501660140_p. |date=2016-01-14 }}, Canada Year Book 1955[http://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/acyb_c1967-eng.aspx?opt=/eng/1967/196702210189_p.%20189.pdf], Canada Year Book 1967[http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=DPL&Code1=120110&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&Data=Count&SearchText=Louisbourg&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1], Census Profile - Designated place 2006 population adjusted to match 2011 boundaries.

|1941|1012

|1951|1120

|1956|1314

|1961|1417

|1981|1410

|1986|1355

|1991|1373

|1996|1267

|2001|1157

|2006|988

|2011|946

}}

Pronounced "Lewisburg" by its largely English-speaking population, the present community has been identified by slightly different spellings over the years by both locals and visitors. The town was originally spelled Louisburg and several companies, including the Sydney and Louisburg Railway adopted this spelling. On 6 April 1966, the Nova Scotia House of Assembly passed "An Act to Change the Name of the Town of Louisburg" which resulted in the town changing its official name to the original French spelling Louisbourg.

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Louisbourg had a population of 825 living in 377 of its 420 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:825-877}}|877|1}} from its 2016 population of 877. With a land area of {{cvt|3.3|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|825|3.3|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=9810001201 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=May 9, 2022}}

Louisbourg's economy is dominated by the seasonal tourism industry and seafood processing. The depletion of groundfish stocks has negatively affected local fish processing operations in recent decades.

In the 1960s, Parks Canada completed a partial reconstruction of the Fortress of Louisbourg. Today this National Historic Site of Canada is the town's dominant economic engine, employing many residents and attracting thousands of tourists every year. The fortress holds large scale historical reenactments every few years to mark important historical events and attract visitors to the town. The most recent in July 2008, commemorated the 250th anniversary of the first British siege victory over French forces in July 1758.[http://www.louisbourg2008.ca Grand Encampment Web Page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927185935/http://www.louisbourg2008.ca/ |date=2007-09-27 }} The town's more recent history is preserved at the Sydney and Louisburg Railway Museum located in the restored railway station in the centre of town.*[http://fortress.uccb.ns.ca/historic/s_l.html "Sydney and Louisburg Railway Historical Society" ''UCCB Societies Page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615122341/http://fortress.uccb.ns.ca/historic/s_l.html |date=2007-06-15 }}

Annually, the community hosts the Louisbourg Crab Fest.{{cite web|url=http://www.louisbourgcrabfest.ca/|title=Crab Fest web page|access-date=2007-08-15|archive-date=2007-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071004214649/http://www.louisbourgcrabfest.ca/|url-status=dead}} A large golf course and residential resort is planned near the community; designed by Nick Faldo, the resort was expected to open in 2010 but development stalled in the recession.[http://www.louisbourgresort.com Resort Web Page]

Louisbourg is home to the Louisbourg Playhouse, a theatre company operating in an Elizabethan theatre that was used as a prop in the live-action 1994 Disney film Squanto: A Warrior's Tale.{{cite web|url=http://www.louisbourgplayhouse.ca/|title=Louisbourg Playhouse}}

Louisbourg experiences a marine influenced humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb). The highest temperature ever recorded in Louisbourg was {{convert|34.0|C|0}} on 2 September 2010 and 15 July 2013.{{cite web

| publisher = Environment Canada

| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1972-07-01%7C2013-11-30&mlyRange=1972-01-01%7C2006-02-01&StationID=6388&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=9&Day=2&txtStationName=louisbourg&timeframe=2&Year=2010

| title = Daily Data Report for September 2010

| work = Canadian Climate Data

| date=31 October 2011 | access-date = 31 August 2017}}{{cite web

| publisher = Environment Canada

| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1972-07-01%7C2013-11-30&mlyRange=1972-01-01%7C2006-02-01&StationID=6388&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=7&Day=15&txtStationName=louisbourg&timeframe=2&Year=2013

| title = Daily Data Report for July 2013

| work = Canadian Climate Data

| date=31 October 2011 | access-date = 31 August 2017}} The coldest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-26.0|C|0}} on 18 January 1982.

{{Weather box

|location = Fortress of Louisbourg, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1972–present

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan record high C = 14.0

|Feb record high C = 13.0

|Mar record high C = 26.0

|Apr record high C = 19.0

|May record high C = 29.0

|Jun record high C = 31.7

|Jul record high C = 34.0

|Aug record high C = 32.0

|Sep record high C = 34.0

|Oct record high C = 25.0

|Nov record high C = 20.0

|Dec record high C = 13.5

|year record high C = 34.0

|Jan high C = -1.0

|Feb high C = -1.1

|Mar high C = 1.4

|Apr high C = 5.6

|May high C = 11.0

|Jun high C = 16.4

|Jul high C = 20.3

|Aug high C = 21.4

|Sep high C = 18.3

|Oct high C = 12.5

|Nov high C = 7.0

|Dec high C = 2.3

|year high C = 9.5

|Jan mean C = −4.9

|Feb mean C = −5.2

|Mar mean C = -2.2

|Apr mean C = 2.2

|May mean C = 6.9

|Jun mean C = 11.9

|Jul mean C = 16.2

|Aug mean C = 17.6

|Sep mean C = 14.3

|Oct mean C = 8.9

|Nov mean C = 3.8

|Dec mean C = -1.1

|year mean C = 5.7

|Jan low C = -8.9

|Feb low C = -9.3

|Mar low C = -5.9

|Apr low C = -1.3

|May low C = 2.7

|Jun low C = 7.4

|Jul low C = 12.2

|Aug low C = 13.8

|Sep low C = 10.3

|Oct low C = 5.2

|Nov low C = 0.6

|Dec low C = -4.5

|year low C = 1.9

|Jan record low C = -26.0

|Feb record low C = -25.0

|Mar record low C = -23.0

|Apr record low C = -13.5

|May record low C = -7.0

|Jun record low C = -1.5

|Jul record low C = 4.0

|Aug record low C = 3.5

|Sep record low C = -1.7

|Oct record low C = -4.5

|Nov record low C = -12.0

|Dec record low C = -20.6

|year record low C = -26.0

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 147.0

|Feb precipitation mm = 138.0

|Mar precipitation mm = 143.6

|Apr precipitation mm = 147.5

|May precipitation mm = 127.6

|Jun precipitation mm = 113.1

|Jul precipitation mm = 108.4

|Aug precipitation mm = 107.8

|Sep precipitation mm = 133.0

|Oct precipitation mm = 158.3

|Nov precipitation mm = 168.9

|Dec precipitation mm = 153.1

|year precipitation mm = 1646.3

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 83.4

|Feb rain mm = 77.9

|Mar rain mm = 100.1

|Apr rain mm = 127.9

|May rain mm = 126.9

|Jun rain mm = 113.1

|Jul rain mm = 108.4

|Aug rain mm = 107.8

|Sep rain mm = 133.0

|Oct rain mm = 158.3

|Nov rain mm = 160.7

|Dec rain mm = 106.3

|year rain mm = 1403.6

|Jan snow cm = 58.5

|Feb snow cm = 56.6

|Mar snow cm = 41.2

|Apr snow cm = 17.9

|May snow cm = 0.8

|Jun snow cm = 0.0

|Jul snow cm = 0.0

|Aug snow cm = 0.0

|Sep snow cm = 0.0

|Oct snow cm = 0.0

|Nov snow cm = 8.2

|Dec snow cm = 44.6

|year snow cm = 227.8

|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 15.4

|Feb precipitation days = 13.3

|Mar precipitation days = 13.7

|Apr precipitation days = 15.3

|May precipitation days = 15.2

|Jun precipitation days = 14.0

|Jul precipitation days = 13.9

|Aug precipitation days = 14.3

|Sep precipitation days = 15.2

|Oct precipitation days = 16.8

|Nov precipitation days = 18.9

|Dec precipitation days = 17.8

|year precipitation days = 183.8

|unit rain days = 0.2 mm

|Jan rain days = 8.3

|Feb rain days = 7.2

|Mar rain days = 9.6

|Apr rain days = 13.6

|May rain days = 15.1

|Jun rain days = 14.0

|Jul rain days = 13.9

|Aug rain days = 14.3

|Sep rain days = 15.2

|Oct rain days = 16.8

|Nov rain days = 17.5

|Dec rain days = 11.9

|year rain days = 157.3

|unit snow days = 0.2 cm

|Jan snow days = 9.3

|Feb snow days = 8.0

|Mar snow days = 6.3

|Apr snow days = 3.1

|May snow days = 0.24

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.0

|Nov snow days = 2.2

|Dec snow days = 8.0

|year snow days = 37.1

|Jan sun = 89.9

|Feb sun = 109.0

|Mar sun = 138.4

|Apr sun = 150.7

|May sun = 170.7

|Jun sun = 185.5

|Jul sun = 184.7

|Aug sun = 182.1

|Sep sun = 159.8

|Oct sun = 130.9

|Nov sun = 74.9

|Dec sun = 74.2

|year sun = 1650.7

|Jan percentsun = 31.9

|Feb percentsun = 37.3

|Mar percentsun = 37.5

|Apr percentsun = 37.2

|May percentsun = 36.9

|Jun percentsun = 39.5

|Jul percentsun = 38.8

|Aug percentsun = 41.6

|Sep percentsun = 42.4

|Oct percentsun = 38.6

|Nov percentsun = 26.2

|Dec percentsun = 27.4

|year percentsun = 36.3

|source 1 = Environment Canada{{cite web

| publisher = Environment Canada

| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6388&lang=e&province=NS&provSubmit=go&dCode=0

| title = Louisbourg, Nova Scotia

| work = Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010

| date=31 October 2011 | access-date = 11 May 2015}}{{cite web

| publisher = Environment Canada

| url = ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/NS/NS_ANNA-YARM_ENG.csv

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201031083611/ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/NS/NS_ANNA-YARM_ENG.csv

| url-status = dead

| archive-date = 2020-10-31

| title = Louisbourg, Nova Scotia

| work = Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010

| access-date = 11 May 2015}}{{cite web

| publisher = Environment Canada

| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1972-07-01%7C2013-11-30&mlyRange=1972-01-01%7C2006-02-01&StationID=6388&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=3&Day=28&txtStationName=louisbourg&timeframe=2&Year=2012

| title = Daily Data Report for March 2012

| work = Canadian Climate Data

| date=31 October 2011 | access-date = 29 September 2016}}

|date=August 2010

}}

Louisbourg (spelled Louisberg) was mentioned in Nathaniel Hawthorne's story Feathertop. The town is also a major setting for Thomas H. Raddall's 1946 novel Roger Sudden. The town "Louisburg" is mentioned in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Evangeline. The 2011 film Take This Waltz begins with a re-enactment scene from the fortress and features the lighthouse in several shots.

• Fortress of Louisbourg
• Royal eponyms in Canada

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/cap/places/page.asp?ID=375 Places Names of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management, p. 375]{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{EB1911 poster|Louisburg}}

• {{cite book|last=Johnston|first=A.J.B.|title=Louisbourg: Past, Present, Future|year=2013|location=Halifax|publisher=Nimbus Publishing|isbn=978-1-771080-52-1}}
• {{Cite book |publisher = At the presses of S. Hall, and Thomas & Andrews |location = Boston, Massachusetts |author = Jedidiah Morse |author-link=Jedidiah Morse |title = The American Gazetteer |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/americangazettee00mors#page/n293/mode/2up |chapter=Louisbourg |date = 1797 |ol = 23272543M }}
• {{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Louisburg |short=x}}
• {{Cite NSRW|wstitle=Louisburg |short=x}}

{{Cape Breton Regional Municipality}}

{{NSCapeBreton}}

{{Coord|45|55|11.5|N|59|58|22.1|W|display=title}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Communities in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Category:Designated places in Nova Scotia

Category:Former towns in Nova Scotia

Category:Unincorporated communities in Nova Scotia