Fort William
Canada · Americas
About
Fort William was a fort in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Built in 1698 to protect English interests on Newfoundland, primarily against French opposition, it was the original headquarters of the British garrison in Newfoundland. A second fort, known as Fort George was situated at the east end of the harbour connected by a subterranean passage with Fort William. On the south side of the Narrows, there was a third fortification called the Castle.
Garrison headquarters were later moved to Fort Townshend, which was built between 1775-1779.
The Fort was demolished in 1881 to make room for a railway yard, the barracks being used as the station. This was demolished in 1910 and urban development now occupies the site.
Fort William was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1952. As there are no visible remains, the site is marked by a Historic Sites and Monuments Board plaque located on a retaining wall at the corner of Cavendish Square and Duckworth Street in downtown St. John’s
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.