New France Riches

Before the first explorers came to Canadian waters with the hope of finding a direct route to China. . . fishermen came for the Cod. The Grand Banks had an abundance of various fish that would be caught, cleaned, salted, sun dried or smoked and sold in France, Portugal, Spain and other European countries. This was the major export of New France! On his first voyages, Champlain like Cartier, searched for a passage to China. A little later Champlain brought men to the lands around the mouth of the St Lawrence and a little later to Quebec to experiment in settlement. He respected the Amerinds and befriend many Native American tribes over time, build a network of outposts that spread Christianity and developed a trading monopoly, exchanging French manufactured goods for furs. At one time, French forts dotted the Great Lakes at Detroit, Duluth, Niagara and Mackinaw while the English and Dutch where bottled up by the Appalachian mountains. French men traveled as far as the Rockies, naming the Grand Tetons, through the Great Lakes, to the sources of the St Lawrence, Ottawa and many other river systems. These were the French men's highways. Brigades of these hardy voyageurs paddled large birch-bark canoes up to seventy miles a day, delivering trade goods to outposts, returning with up to 4 tons of wild animal furs to Quebec and on to France. The economy of New France depended on these furs. In France, most of these furs were processed into felt and made into stylish hats.

Wind Mill

During the seventeenth century, military officers, gentlemen of means or a Catholic order would request a large parcel of land in New France. Soldiers, men who had served as contract labor and others might, in turn, ask for a small section of this land. This section would usually be a long narrow ribbon of land with the front edge bordering on a river. As there were few roads in New France, freight and people moved by boat during the warmer months. In the winter, horse drawn sleighs used the rivers as frozen highways.

The habitants (farmers) would clear the land closest to the river and grow wheat and other grain crops. The habitants would pay a few coins rent as well as a share of their crops and a portion of livestock to the owner of the land.

The owner, in turn, was expected to pay for the construction of a wind mill. The wind mill was used to grind the habitants' wheat and rye into flour. A portion of the flour was paid to the miller for his services.


This windmill dates back to the days of New France and is located on Ile aux