Community History
Rebuilding the Port Royal Habitation (1938 –1940)
In the 1930s, a replica of the 1605 Habitation of de Monts and Champlain was built near the original site in Lower Granville. Interest in the project was largely due to the efforts of Harriet Taber Richardson of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who galvanized support and organized the Associates of Port Royal in New England. Money raised there was used to hire the services of Harvard-educated archaeologist C.C. Pinckney who had experience excavating sites at Williamsburg, Stratford, and Mount Vernon in the United States. Following authoritative research in France, the Canadian government undertook the rebuilding of the Habitation, employing local tradesmen in its construction. The Port Royal Habitation was opened in 1940.
Our collection of photographs was compiled by Kenneth D. Harris, the Chief Architect for the reconstruction. The images document the stages of construction as well as many of the workers who built the Habitation. The explanatory text included with the images is largely taken from Mr. Harris’ notes. Click on each picture to enlarge it.
First exploratory excavation work to locate the eastern wall foundations of the Habitation.
Photograph taken August 30, 1938
Two workers using naturally curved timbers for struts of roof trusses.
Photograph taken July 22, 1939
Workers shaving and splitting pine shingles.
Photograph taken September 7, 1939
Two broadaxemen using adzes to square timbers.
Photograph taken July 18, 1939
Workers operating a circular saw.
Photograph taken October 27, 1939
Worker hewing bent logs to form roof truss struts.
Photograph taken July 24, 1939
This image shows two workers preparing the hewn log framing of the cannon platform.
Photograph taken August 18, 1939
Men at work making shingles for the roof of the Habitation.
Photograph taken September 1, 1939
View looking south showing the foundation of the west line of buildings.
Photograph taken July 14, 1939
Moulded bricks being sun dried.
Photograph taken July 22, 1939
Brick kiln prior to being daubed with clay.
Photograph taken July 25, 1939
Sun dried bricks being piled to form a kiln.
Photograph taken July 24, 1939
A roof truss being framed and fitted on the ground. All of the joints were mortised, tennoned and pinned.
Photograph taken July 12, 1939
Masons on the cannon platform building stone steps.
Photograph taken August 14, 1939
A view of the cannon platform from the powder magazine.
Photograph taken August 4, 1939
Palisade posts being set in place.
Photograph taken October 27, 1939
View looking east showing the north line of buildings. The buildings were framed in a modern manner which was later concealed.
Photograph taken July 27, 1939
Interior view of the Common Room.
Photograph taken September 1, 1939
Interior of the courtyard looking south-east. This image shows the entrance gateway being framed and the shingled roof of the blacksmith shop.
Photograph taken October 18, 1939
A more completed view of the Habitation.
Photograph taken October 18, 1939