The fort was originally the French Fort Beausejour, captured by the British in 1755 and renamed Fort Cumberland. The interpretation centre includes information on the original Acadian inhabitants and their deportation. The centre also has a collection of artefacts from the late 1600's and early 1700's including wooden shoes and tools. A model of an Acadian women dressed in replica flax homespun clothing gave an excellent idea of the rough and bulky clothing worn during that time. I was particularly struck by the difference between this type of clothing and the extremely ornate uniforms worn by French and British soldiers. All around us, guides and visitors were speaking both French and English and it was clear that many of the visitors had come because they had family ties to the area.
Other displays in the interpretation centre helped in forming an impression of life in the later 1700's. The collection included pieces of English china once owned by the Trueman family which had close connections to the Ripleys. There was also an early portrait of their Methodist minister William Black.
The fort was built in a star shape which is still visible from the air. Visitors are able to walk around the fort and explore its many underground rooms which have been excavated and restored. I found the barracks particularly interesting as the Ripleys likely stayed there for at least a few days before finding a home. It's still possible to identify what looks like a cooking area in one corner of the excavated barracks. The fort is large, but it was difficult to believe that 500 soldiers had been housed there at one time.
As we were leaving, we spotted a black truck with a Riptide logo on the door. The Riptide flyshop in nearby Amherst is owned by a Danny Ripley. Just one of those marvelous coincidences that seem to occur when you're doing genealogical research. Photos of the visit and information about Fort Cumberland have now been updated on this website on the Fort Cumberland page.