St. Croix Island anniversary this weekend Park rangers to offer French, English tours on settlement’s 401-year history

CALAIS – People will be able to step back Sunday and savor the rich history of St. Croix Island and the French settlement that was once part of its landscape.

National Park Service rangers have prepared some programs in English and French that talk about the expedition and the colonization of North America by the French.

The English programs will begin every hour on the hour, while the French programs will begin every hour on the half-hour.

In 1604, explorers Pierre Dugua and Sieur de Mons, and cartographer Samuel de Champlain landed on the island. They brought two galleons and three smaller ships. The resulting settlement included 12 to 15 buildings.

During that winter, one of the harshest on record, nearly half the 79-man expedition died of scurvy, malnutrition and exposure.

The first snowstorm struck Oct. 6, and they were in snow until April 1605. The colony moved that June to Port Royal, Nova Scotia.

The park service has created the onshore interpretive park to tell the story of the settlement.

The mainland park features bronze statues commemorating the American Indians and explorers who were a part of the island’s history.

“It’s a pleasure to continue with the wonderful energy that was created during last year’s 400th commemorative events,” said Meg Scheid, park ranger and lead interpreter at St. Croix Island International Historic Site.

“Because the story of the settlement can be retold annually starting on June 26, we have the opportunity to reach out to new visitors to the site and to community members who would like a deeper understanding of history and the significance surrounding the site.”

And 401 years later there still is much history to tell.

“It was on June 15, 1605, at 11 p.m. when Dugua received word that the supply ship from France had finally arrived at the St. Croix settlement. That was after Dugua had given up all hope of relief only one month earlier. And it was in August of 1605 that the settlement was relocated to Port Royal, where a more successful settlement was established,” Scheid said.