This is a view of the island from the interpretive site on the Canadian side of the river.
A small group of Frenchmen landed on Saint Croix Island in 1604 with a mission to claim the land for France, bring religion to the natives, and search for precious metals. Pierre Dudua, lieutenant-general in charge of the group, chose the island for it’s defensible position in the middle of the river but this proved to be a detriment when a much colder winter than they expected froze the river. Slabs of frozen ice, broken up by the tides, made crossing to the mainland impossible. 36 of the 79 men died, most likely from scurvy. With the coming of warmer weather the settlement was moved to Port Royal and, even though most of original men returned to France soon afterwards, this marked the start of the French presence in the New World.
A trail with informative signs makes a loop from the picnic shelter. The trail is steep with loose crushed stone so it’s not wheelchair accessible but the view can be seen from the parking lot.
RVs can park lengthwise across the spaces. Site
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