Grassy Island Fort National Historic Site, part of the Canso Islands National Historic Site off eastern Nova Scotia's tip, preserves remnants of 18th-century British fortifications on a strategically important fishing base. The island was first used by the Mi'kmaq for fishing and transportation, then developed by French settlers before the British built the fort in 1720, only to see it totally destroyed in 1744. The fortification played a pivotal role as the staging point for the 1745 British and New England expedition against the French stronghold of Louisbourg. Today, visitors access Grassy Island via free fishing boat rides and explore the ruins along a self-guided hiking trail with eight interpretive stops, while the Parks Canada Visitor Centre in nearby Canso provides comprehensive historical context.
