L’Île-de-la-Vallière/Tonge’s Island

Ile de la Valière from Fort Lawrence with the Missiguash in the foregroundIle de la Valière/Tonge’s Island is situated on Brown Road, off Aulac Road in the Beauséjour Marsh just west of the Missaguash River (between Aulac and Fort Lawrence).
ILE DE LA VALIÈRE/TONGE’S ISLAND
1676
In 1676, Michel le Neuf de la ValliËre was granted land on the Chignecto Isthmus and built and developed a settlement on an “island” in the marsh just west of the Missiguash River. In 1678 la ValliËre became the governor of Acadia and this site became the capital of Acadia. It remained so until 1684 when the French stripped la ValliËre of his governership.A monument with a historical marker (below) is situated is situated in the Fort Beauséjour National Historic Site.
ILE DE LA VALLIERE/TONGE’S ISLAND

Jadis capitale de l’Acadie, située entre Fort Beausjour et Fort Lawrence. Concédée en 1676 à Michel LeNeuf de la Vallière, Seigneur de Chignecto, qui remplit les fonctions de commandant et gouverneur sous le Comte de Frontenac, 1678-84.Once capital of Acadia, situated between Fort Beauséjour and Fort Lawrence. Granted to Michel LeNeuf de la Vallière, Seigneur of Chignecto, 1676. There he acted as Commandant and Governor under Count de Frontenac, 1678-84.

Marker placed by Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, in 1927.
This location was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1925, and is listed in the Canadian Register of Historic Places; for fuller details see Tonge’s Island National Historic Site of Canada

Hamilton, Bill, “Are There Islands on the Marsh?”, Sackville Tribune-Post, 1 March 2000, p.5.

Hamilton, Bill, “From Île de la Valliè to Tonge’s Island”, Sackville Tribune-Post, 3 March 2004, p.5.

On the earliest Acadian settlement and the role of de la Vallière, see Bird, Will R.,A Century at Chignecto: The Key to Old Acadia (Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1928), pp. 1-30.

On de la Vallière (1640-1705), see J.-Roger Comeau, ” Leneuf de la Vallière de Beaubassin, Michel (the elder)”, Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol.II.

Tantramar Heritage Trust | Historic Sites