Fort de La Présentation

Fort de La Présentation was a French colonial installation at the confluence of the Oswegatchie and St. Lawrence Rivers, with remains of military and religious structures still visible. The foundations reveal the division between fortified compound and mission center.

Abbé Picquet, a French Sulpician priest, founded the settlement in 1749 to strengthen French presence and control trading routes in the northern region. The location quickly became a major center of French influence along the St. Lawrence.

The site functioned as a meeting place where French missionaries and Iroquois peoples encountered one another through faith and trade. Visitors can sense today how these two worlds intersected at this river location.

The site is accessible via walking trails marked with interpretive signs explaining the historical remains. Wear comfortable shoes as the terrain is uneven and the foundation outlines are spread across open ground.

At its peak in the mid-1700s, around 3,000 Iroquois people lived here, outnumbering the population of Montreal at that time. This figure reveals how significant the location was as a gathering point for Iroquois communities.

Location: Ogdensburg

Inception: 1749

GPS coordinates: 44.69556,-75.50083

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:03