National Historic Sites of Canada

With the support of notables such as Victor Hugo and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the Commission des monuments historique was created in France in 1837; it published its first list of designated sites, containing 934 entries, in 1840.

[12][13] Domestically, Lord Dufferin, the Governor General from 1872 to 1878, initiated some of the earliest, high-profile efforts to preserve Canada's historic sites.

He was instrumental in stopping the demolition of the fortifications of Quebec City, and he was the first public official to call for the creation of a park on the lands next to Niagara Falls.

The fort was not a site of significant national historic importance, but its designation provided a rationale for the acquisition of land for a park.

[9] Brigadier General Ernest Alexander Cruikshank, a noted authority on the War of 1812 and the history of Ontario, was chosen as the Board's first chairman, a post he held for twenty years.

[19] The first place designated and plaqued under the new program was the "Cliff Site" in Port Dover, Ontario, where two priests claimed sovereignty over the Lake Erie region for Louis XIV of France in 1670.

[20] Due to a lack of resources, the HSMBC limited itself to recommending sites for designation, and the focus of the program was on commemoration rather than on preservation.

Benjamin Sulte, a member of the HSMBC, wrote to Harkin in 1919 about the significant ruins at the Forges du Saint-Maurice, demonstrating his preference for the installation of a plaque over restoration: "All that can be done in our days is to clear away the heap of stones, in order to reach the foundation walls and plant a sign in the centre of the square thus uncovered.

[23] Proposals to designate sites related to the immigration of Jews, Blacks and Ukrainians to Canada were rejected, as were attempts to recognize patriots of the Rebellions of 1837.

[26] The following have served as members of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada: As time passed and the system grew, the scope of the program and the nature of the designations evolved.

Although the HSMBC took little interest in these efforts, limiting itself to a commemorative role, the Parks Branch made wide use of government relief funds to hire workers to assist with the restoration of old forts.

In particular, Howay encouraged the HSMBC to pay more attention to economic, social and cultural history, and he urged a moratorium on additional designations related to the War of 1812.

[34][38][39] Changes were not limited to new designations, as the interpretation of many existing National Historic Sites did not remain static and evolved over time.

The celebrations of Quebec City 's tricentennial in 1908 acted as a catalyst for federal efforts to designate and preserve historic sites.
Prince of Wales Fort in Churchill, Manitoba was one of the first two sites designated in Western Canada . [ 8 ]
The initial focus of the program was strictly on commemoration rather than preservation or restoration. The ruins of the Fortress of Louisbourg were designated in 1920, but efforts to restore the fortress did not commence until 1961. [ 18 ]
Áísínai’pi , a location of significant cultural and religious importance to the Blackfoot people, was designated in 2006. [ 27 ]
The historic district of Westmount, Quebec was designated in 2011 in recognition of the efforts of local citizens who had worked for decades to protect the district's historic built environment. [ 28 ] [ 29 ]
Plaques affixed to cairns were initially used to mark National Historic Sites, such as this one at Glengarry Landing in Ontario