In the middle of the 19th century, the region of Temiscouata was in the midst of border quarrel between the British and the Americans. This conflict takes its roots in contradictory interpretations of the Treaty of Versailles, which had defined the boundaries in a vague manner between British North America and the United States, notably in the sector of Madawaska.

For the British, this dispute threatened the existence of a required road which linked Quebec to Halifax: the Portage Trail. In addition, the Canadian forestry industry was in full expansion owing to Napoleonic blockade, the forests of Madawaska represented a coveted and essential source of supply for England.

With the intention of consolidating its position and countering a possible American invasion, the English army establishes, in 1839, a line of defense consisting of four military posts. These posts were located in Grand Sault and Petit-Sault (Edmundston) in New Brunswick, as well as Fort Degele and Fort Ingall in Quebec.

Although the posts most likely to be attacked were those located in New Brunswick, the most intricate building was Fort Ingall, which had as its main role to protect the south end of the Portage Trail. During the era, the field fortification included eleven buildings that were entirely fabricated of wood and encircled with an imposing palisade.

Although many years of tension between british and americans, a real war has never been declared to Madawaska. The conflict came to an end on August 9th, 1842, with the signature of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty. This chapter of our history have been named the "Non-bloody" War of Aroostook.

Fort Ingall, because of its strategic role beside Lake Temiscouata, participated in keeping this fragile peace. After having been occupied by about two hundreds servicemen, Fort Ingall became progressively abandoned.

Having been forgotten for more than a hundred years, the story of Fort Ingall resurfaced one again in 1967 when archeological digs, initiated by the Society of History and Archeologie of Temiscouata, led to the retracing of various relics of the military establishment. Between 1972 and 1978, these digs resulted in the reconstruction of eight buildings of Fort Ingall which became a historical and tourist site of the utmost importance in Temiscouata.

The boundary claimed by the
British and the Americans/span>

Frédérick Lennox Ingall, builder of Fort Ingall

Archeological digs

Artefacts recovered at Fort Ingall