Elaine Sawlor

PO Box 1743

Sydney NS

B1P 6T7

 Beyond the Fog gives rise to haunting family voices 

Once upon a time, on the rocky shores of Cape Breton Island, stood the mighty Fortress of Louisbourg. In time, conquering forces left the once-proud fortress in ruins. From these ruins a small village grew and spread along the ocean shores. The people who settled the area became the founding families of modern-day Louisbourg. In the 1920s and again in the 1960s, plans for fortress reconstruction compelled the resident families to relocate.

 

Elaine Sawlor’s book Beyond the Fog brings to life the stories of the 81 families whose expropriated properties were developed into the national historic site that is today the Fortress of Louisbourg. Through hundreds of photographs and dozens of family stories, the first-time author provides a lively record of founding families in Fort Louisbourg, West Louisbourg, Kennington Cove and Deep Cove from 1758 to the mid-1960s.

 

For the past 11 years, Sawlor has been immersed in research for her book. “I was inspired by my own family connections to this rugged, haunting place,” she said. “Irresistibly drawn to the voices of my past, I felt compelled to allow them to speak of their own times and experiences.”

 

The author has fond memories of summer days spent in Old Town Louisbourg. Sawlor’s grandparents were among the 81 families who relocated to make way for reconstruction of the fortress. She said that, looking into her own family history, she became acutely aware of how powerfully we are all connected to our past. “That’s why this book had to be written,” she said. “Recording the lives of those who came before us creates a legacy for those to come.”

 

A book launch for Beyond the Fog will be held on Friday, July 18 at 5 pm at the Joseph Trimm Community Centre in Louisbourg, Cape Breton, or visit the web site at www.beyondthefog.ca

 

Contact: Elaine Sawlor, (902) 539-6121