David M. Stewart Museum
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| Established | 1955 |
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| Location | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Type | historical fort |
The Fort de l'Île Sainte-Hélène, a historic site on Saint Helen's Island that belongs to the city of Montreal, Quebec, was constructed in the early 1820s as an arsenal in the defensive chain of forts built to protect Canada from a threat of American invasion. Although not heavily fortified, it served an important purpose as the central artillery depot for all forts west, and in the Richelieu River Valley, known as the Valley of the Forts. These included Fort Henry and Fort Lennox. The red stone used to build the Fort is a breccia quarried on the island, which is situated in the St. Lawrence River between the island of Montreal and the south shore.
The Levis Tower, contrary to popular belief, was not part of the fortifications on the island. It was built in the 1930s to house a water tower.
Built in 1820-1824 by the British, the fort served as arsenal and a storage facility for weapons and equipment. It was transformed into a military prison after the rebellions of 1837. The complex was however ravaged by fire in 1848, only to be rebuilt in 1863-1864.
After the British Army left the fort for ruin, it became part of the City of Montreal. In the 1930s, it was restored as part of a job creation project during the Great Depression. During the Second World War, it was used as an internment camp for Italian Canadians. During the summer months the Fort houses two reconstituted 18th century regiments, The Olde 78th Fraser Highlanders, and Les Compagnies Franches de la Marine.
Today the Fort is also home to the David M. Stewart Museum, an institution founded in 1955 to collect, store and display historical artifacts from Canada's colonial past, particularly that of New France. The museum collections include artifacts dating from the 16th century through to the 19th century. Both the Fort and the museum are open year-round.
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Wikipedia