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CALAIS – A visitor trail to commemorate the first French settlement in North America will be opened at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct 18.
The Saint Croix Island International Historic Site Mainland Visitor Trail, located just off Route 1, is maintained under the auspices of the U.S. National Park Service.
The trail, which looks across the St. Croix River to St. Croix Island, includes bronze statues and interpretive panels.
The statues, which weigh 700 to 1,500 pounds each, commemorate French explorers led by Sieur de Monts and Samuel de Champlain who built a small settlement in 1604 on St. Croix Island that predated English colonies at Jamestown, Va., settled in 1607, and Plymouth, Mass. , settled in 1620.
The display also recognizes the role of the Passamaquoddy who were living in the area.
A brutal winter killed nearly half the settlers, and the island colony was abandoned the year after it was founded.
As the anniversary of the founding approaches, the federal government has spent $660,000 to turn an otherwise forgotten historical landmark into a showpiece.
Now a paved parking lot can accommodate 20 cars and two buses on the mainland area. The trail through a wooded area leads to the shore and a view of the island. Several weeks ago, the statues were placed at intervals along the interpretive trail.
The first statue is of a Passamaquoddy woman, standing on the shore looking at the river where the ships may have anchored.
Other figures commemorate trading with the Passamaquoddy Tribe, gathering food, building the settlement and departing the site. The project includes a bronze replica of the settlement itself.
For years, little was known of the island and it had few visitors, but all that has changed.
Preparation for this day began nearly 10 years ago when members of the Park Service came up with a general management plan.
Federal and state officials, along with members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Parks Canada, plan to attend the opening.
Parking is limited, so people have been asked to car pool.
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