Fox Creek Aboiteau

The heritage value of the remains of the Fox Creek Aboiteau resides in their association with the use of the marshes by the Acadians between 1800 and 1980. Around 1800, approximately fifteen years after the pioneers came to Fox Creek and Saint-Anselme around 1785-86, they began building this aboiteau. An aboiteau may have existed before 1755 in the same location, since Acadian families have settled at Fox Creek since the late 1740’s.

Maintaining the canals, the dykes, and the aboiteau was the community responsibility of the owners of the marshes. The costs were assumed by the Province. Around 1875, a new aboiteau was erected a little to the west of the first one, the remains of which are incorporated into the more modern one that was built by the federal government around 1940.

In 1911, 39 landowners shared 186 acres of marshes. An acre was valued at $25 to $56, and the total value of the marshes was $10,093.25. In 1915, dyke repairs totaled $373. The approximately 20 owners, most of the shovelers, put in 333 hours of work, and were paid $1.75 per day. The seven workers who provided their own teams of horses to haul earth, branches, and wood were paid $3.50 per day. Some were helped by their teenage sons.