Precolonial period and New France
As a meeting place near the St. Lawrence River, the promontory of Quebec attracted numerous visitors and travellers. After the founding of Québec in 1608, the land was progressively settled by the residents. This was also the period in which it gained its name, Plains of Abraham.
Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais—the Scot
Abraham Martin, one of the first French colonists of New France, gave his name to the Plains of Abraham.
Read on for a short history of his life.
The Plains of Abraham in New France
The resources of the New World were a source of interest to Jacques Cartier as he explored the St. Lawrence in the 16th century. Part of his quest, as one might expect, centred on precious metals and stones, but he was also fascinated with the trees and plants growing on the western end of the Quebec City promontory.
The Dumont Mill
In 1760, two armies clashed in the countryside near Québec City.
One building became the strategic centre of the battle: Dumont Mill.
