The importance of Port Royal as a settlement site was first recognised by Pierre Dugua, Lieutenant General of New France, in 1604.

After the nearby fortified habitation he constructed was destroyed by a raid from Virginia in 1613, a new fort was built on the current site by Scottish settlers in 1629 under the leadership of Sir William Alexander.

Parks Canada operates a museum in the 1797 Officer's Quarters daily from mid-May until mid-October.

Numerous events take place in and around the fort during the year, normally culminating on Natal Day, the first Monday in August.

The Annapolis Basin was part of a larger areas known as "Kespukwitk" meaning "Land's End" in the Mi'kmaq language and covered the southern peninsula of modern Nova Scotia.

[3] Allains Creek, was the site of a traditional Mi'kmaq campsite as it was on a key canoe and portage route across southern Nova Scotia.

[4] Nonetheless, Pierre Dugua chose a site on the opposite side of the Annapolis Basin to build his habitation in 1605.

This site received the natural protection of the rivers and was adjacent to an agricultural area that was previously developed by the French.

Guthry further describes,"The platt of the fort wes drawen by Captane Ogilvie in forme of a pentagonon, with many horne works good both for offence and defence...befor the latter end of the month the fort with the infinit pains and alacrity both of sea and land men was finished, eight pieces of ordinance planted, four demi culvering, and four minion, out magasene built and stored, the Generals house formed.

"[1]In 1632, Acadia, along with Quebec and Cape Breton Island, reverted to French control due to the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

It repelled the first two attacks by fellow French settlers during the Acadian Civil War, but fell to the English in 1654.

Port Royal Governor D'Aulnay's captain was killed, nonetheless La Tour and his men were forced to surrender.

Also around this time, the street layout adjacent the fort were altered to accommodate the massive new project.

Work was recommenced on the fort in 1702, approximately on the footprint of the 1689 construction, but this time adhering to a Vauban configuration which remains largely intact to this day.

From a defensive perspective, the Vauban star shape and gently sloping walls soften the angle of impact from incoming fire.

From an offensive perspective, the star shape enables more cannons to fire, no matter the angle of attack.

The Governor of Acadia, Louis-Alexandre des Friches de Menneval, had only 70 soldiers and the fort was not prepared for an attack.

In 1713, as a result of the Treaty of Utrecht, a large portion of Acadia, including Port Royal, was officially ceded to Great Britain.

The last major attempt to retake Fort Anne by the French was during King George's War (1744–1748).

Upon the completion of the citadel at Halifax in 1854, the British Garrison at Fort Anne was permanently deployed to that location.

Under potential siege, in May 1722, Lieutenant Governor John Doucett took 22 Mi'kmaq hostage at Annapolis Royal to prevent the capital from being attacked.

They never received the assistance they required from the ill-fated Duc d'Anville Expedition and were forced to retreat.

Captain MacDonald arrived by sea to find a large privateer ship raiding the port.

Raid of Annapolis Royal (1781) - In 1780, the permanent garrison at Fort Anne was deployed to assist British troops in South Carolina.

The stamps are perforated 12+1⁄2 x 13 mm and were printed by Ashton-Potter Limited based on the designs by Rolf P.