French Colony
The area of the present-day City of Fredericton was first used for seasonal farming by the Mi'kmaq and Maliseet peoples. Maize was a primary crop they grew in the area. Interestingly, in a sense, the site of Fredericton served as a sort of capital for Aboriginals in the area. Aucpaque, the "principle village" of the Aboriginals in the area, was located a few kilometres up river from the site of present day Fredericton.
The first European contact in the area was by the French in the late 17th Century, who granted the land to Joseph de Villebon. In 1692, he built a fort (Fort Nashwaak) on the north side of the Saint John River, at the mouth of the Nashwaak River. For a period, Fort Nashwaak served as the capital of the French colony of Acadia.
Read more about this topic: History Of Fredericton
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