Louisbourg in 1900 – 100 years ago – Irving Gas Station – by Bill O’Shea (2000)

LOUISBOURG HERITAGE NOTES IN THE LOUISBOURG SEAGULL Extracted from © The Seagull Louisbourg Heritage Notes "January 2000" Louisbourg in 1900 - 100 years ago. The big Louisbourg event for the summer of 1900 was a visit by the Prime Minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier. He came to the fortress site to address the annual picnic of the...

Irish President Visits Nova Scotia – Fortress of Louisbourg Tour by William A. O’Shea

The President of Ireland, Dr. Mary McAleese, visited Nova Scotia from October 8-10th, 1998 as part of her official visit to Canada.  Part of that visit to Nova Scotia was flying to Sydney from Montreal and visiting the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. “On Thursday Mrs McAleese and her party flew from Montreal to...

Lighthouses of Louisbourg (Photos) – collected by William A. O’Shea

William A. O'Shea (Bill O'Shea) was very passionate about the history of his adopted home of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. This archives is proof of that. While going through records, books, and research he gave to me before his passing in 2019, I found hundreds of incredible photographs. Many of historical significance. In this post, I...

Beryl Markham’s Great Adventure: Abingdon to Baleine, September 5, 1936 –(Louisbourg Heritage Notes 11) Charles A. Burke (Edited by Bill O’Shea)

Beryl Markham’s Great Adventure: Abingdon to Baleine, September 5, 1936 (Louisbourg Heritage Notes 11) Charles A. Burke (Edited by Bill O’Shea) In West With the Night, Beryl Markham described her Kenyan childhood and subsequent career as a bust-pilot, big game spotter, horse breeder and successful transatlantic flyer. The book enjoyed immense popularity, but despite praise...

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants – Bill O’Shea (Fortress of Louisbourg)

W.A. (Bill) O’Shea 1946 - 2019 Someone once remarked that we see further when we stand on the shoulders of giants. Bill O’Shea was such a giant for the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site.  Bill’s career with Parks Canada spanned over 40 years beginning in Placentia and ending at Cornwall, but he is best...

Willie Montroy Went to War – by William A. O’Shea (A Canadian in World War One)

Written by: Bill O’Shea, July 24, 2014, revised August 2018 George William “Willie” Montroy ( 1895-1970), detail from a larger picture, taken between 1916 and 1919, which used to hang in the family parlor in Bedell, Ontario Introduction  The year, 2014, marked the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I. Between the declaration...