What whispers echo across Île au Boeuf? This unassuming islet, nestled within the Hochelaga Archipelago, holds a secret chapter in Montreal’s story. Île au Boeuf, or “Ox Island,” wasn’t always a peaceful sanctuary. It once bore witness to the clash of empires, a strategic pawn in the struggle between France and Britain for control of North America.
Île au Boeuf is located near the confluence of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence rivers. This location was crucial for the French fur trade. In 1753, Fort de la Rivière au Boeuf was built on the island. This fort, named after the nearby LeBoeuf Creek, became a key link in a chain of fortifications. It connected Lake Erie to the Ohio River. The fort at Île au Boeuf wasn’t a grand fortress. It was a smaller version of Fort Presqu’île, with a palisade of upright posts instead of horizontal timbers. Inside, barracks and buildings formed a square, with a guardhouse, chapel, infirmary, and commander’s storehouse tucked within the bastions.
The fort at Île au Boeuf saw its share of drama. Captain Marin, the expedition’s leader, oversaw its construction amidst challenges like illness, difficult terrain, and low river levels. He even clashed with his officers, sending Captain Dumas back to Niagara after a heated exchange. In October 1753, Marin died and was buried within the fort’s cemetery. His successor, Saint-Pierre, arrived in December, just days before a young George Washington arrived with a message from Governor Dinwiddie. Washington, impressed by the elderly Saint-Pierre’s soldierly demeanor, received a polite but firm reply: any land disputes were for higher authorities to decide.
The fort at Île au Boeuf continued to play its part in the French and Indian War. It served as a supply depot for Fort Duquesne and a vital link in the portage route. In 1759, after the fall of Niagara, the French abandoned and destroyed the fort. Its ruins, explored by British officers later that year, revealed the remains of burned batteaux and a small fort on a rise, a silent testament to the island’s turbulent past. Though the fort is gone, the story of Île au Boeuf reminds us that even small places can play a big role in history.