Annapolis Heritage Society | Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Rebuilding the Port Royal Habitation

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.

Visit the Port-Royal National Historic Site of Canada web site at Parks Canada:
ENGLISH | FRENCH

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.