Get down and dirty with the past in our Public Archaeology Program! The program offers amateur history buffs the chance to have a truly unique experience sifting through the sands of time to uncover actual artifacts from the original settlement of Louisbourg. Seeing and touching real tools, dishware, and portions of buildings used hundreds of years ago by French, British, and American Colonists drives home the reality of their existence like nothing you will ever experience.
For five days in August you too can touch the lives of our ancestors. As part of a crew of 10-12 amateur archaeologists, you will learn real archaeological field and lab techniques, attend presentations on historical research, and participate in a supervised dig at the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. Everything we uncover, no matter how small, contributes to our understanding of the era and helps shape the Fortress of Louisbourg’s ongoing reconstruction efforts. The cost of this once in a lifetime experience is just $650 per person.
Keep in mind that to enroll, you must be a member of the Fortress of Louisbourg Association and be at least 18 years of age.
The town’s layout was a carefully laid-out plan with 45 blocks. Eleven of those blocks were eliminated when it was decided to continue the fortifications around the entire town. The Quayside blocks contained many storehouses, inns and taverns. Block 1 was reserved exclusively for major royal buildings. Most of the other blocks were a mixture of shops, homes and warehouses.
