1713: French colonists establish a settlement on Cape Breton Island (Île Royale) following the Treaty of Utrecht
1719–1720: Construction begins on the grand fortified town to protect the lucrative cod fishery and French trade routes.
1748: The fortress is handed back to France under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
1758: British forces under General Jeffrey Amherst and Admiral Edward Boscawen besiege and recapture Louisbourg during the Seven Years’ War.
1760: British military engineers systematically demolish the fortifications to prevent future French reoccupation
1760–1763: Britain conquers New France.
1765: Britain is deeply in debt from the war. Britain taxes the Thirteen Colonies to recover costs.
1775: The American Revolution begins.
1928: The ruins are designated as a National Historic Site.
1961: The Canadian government launches a massive historical reconstruction project, rebuilding roughly one-quarter of the original town using original 18th-century-style techniques and blueprints.
2026: Daniel C. MacNeil Creates the Full Digital Reconstruction