Louisbrick

During the summer of 2024, the Fortress of Louisbourg Historic Site, through our partner organization the Fortress Louisbourg Association, hosted the incredible Louisbrick project – a model of the eighteenth-century fortified town constructed entirely of LEGO^® bricks.  The project was undertaken by a group of enthusiasts from Quebec, following the initiative of Jean Bédard and his brother Louis. 

The model on display at the McLennan Centre is a representation of the Island Battery, which guarded the entrance to the Louisbourg harbour during the conflicts between France and Great Britain. It was constructed by Nathalie Boucher and generously donated to the Fortress Louisbourg Association for permanent display.

If you missed the 2024 exhibition but would like to celebrate Louisbrick’s legacy with us, you can search for these villagers who missed the boat back to Québec!

Louis Antoine Grange dit Brindamour

McLennan Centre

Occupation: Soldier

Louis Antoine was a soldier in the Compagnies Franches de la Marine at Louisbourg. Louis was originally from Paris and unlike many of his fellow soldiers, could write his own name. He sometimes worked a second job cutting hay when not on duty.

Antoine Héron dit le Parisien

De la Plagne House

Occupation: Gardener

Antoine was a gardener who came to Louisbourg from Placentia in modern-day Newfoundland. He tended a garden that was nearly 100 feet long and more than 65 feet wide; he was likely helped by his wife and six children.

Élisabeth de Catalogne (Madame de Gannes)

De Gannes House

Occupation: Lady

Élisabeth came from an interesting family - her father Gédéon was a map-maker, engineer and farmer. She married Michel de Gannes de Falaise, a military captain at Louisbourg. The family owned a number of toys, games and books, probably enjoyed by their six children.

Dominique Bellefond

King’s Bastion

Occupation: Sergeant

Dominique was a town sentry at Louisbourg. He and other guards patrolled the town from their sentry posts and could arrest and detain mischief-makers. Late one night, Sergeant Bellefond broke up a fight in the streets and discovered one of the men had been stealing from a nearby warehouse on the Quay!

Capitaine Philippe-Joseph d'Allard de Sainte-Marie

King’s Bastion

Occupation: Cannoneer

Captain Philippe-Joseph commanded a unit of cannoneers at Louisbourg and also sometimes worked as an engineer on Île Saint Jean (present-day PEI). Did you know that trained cannoneers enjoyed better rooms and pay than regular soldiers?

Henry Goupy dit Picard

Duhaget House

Occupation: Soldier

Henry was a soldier in the Compagnies Franches de la Marine at Louisbourg . Life was often difficult for the soldiers and many of them worked a second job to earn extra money. Henry worked a second job taking care of animals.

Catherine Paré (Sœur Saint-Louis-des-Anges)

De la Perelle House

Occupation: Sister of the Congregation of Notre Dame

Catherine came to Louisbourg from Montreal as a young novice and took her vows in 1736, taking the name Sœur Saint-Louis-des-Anges. She and the other Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame ran the only school for girls in Louisbourg.

André Monier dit Surgère

Carrerot House

Occupation: Carpenter

André was a carpenter. Records show he came to Louisbourg from a little village near La Rochelle, in France. He and his wife Jeanne had 7 children, which may seem like a lot by modern standards, but large families were quite common in Louisbourg’s time!

Jacques Brulay

Ordonnateur’s Residence

Occupation: Sailor

Jacques was a sailor and cargo manager aboard a ship called L’Espérance that came to Louisbourg in 1741. He must have done a lot of reading because he had more than 20 books with him on the ship. The books were about everything from navigation to law, science, and religion.