Designation

Commemorative Intent

Charles Fort was designated a national historic site in 1951 for the following reasons:

• it was the fort built by Sir William Alexander to plant the colony of “Nova Scotia”;
• it was occupied by Scottish colonists from 1629 to 1632, when the territory was restored to France.

Plaque Text

A group of about 70 Scottish settlers began a colony here in 1629, eight years after King James I granted 'Nova Scotia' to Sir William Alexander. Led by Alexander's son, the Scots built a small fort, the remains of which lie beneath Fort Anne. Despite many deaths during the first winter, the surviving colonists thrived on agriculture, fishing, and trade with the Mi'kmaq. Most returned to Great Britain in 1632 after France reacquired the region by treaty. Although the colonization attempt was short-lived, the province of Nova Scotia owes its name, flag, and coat of arms to this early Scottish settlement.