Discover an island

Discover an island

Les terres de l’île d’Orléans

Exhibition centred on a scale model of Île d’Orléans at 1:5,000 scale. Visitors can observe the lands of the first settlers and learn about the history of families who lived on the island for several generations. Visitors can also identify correspondences between historical land lots and present-day addresses.

Who discovered the Island of Orleans? How many families came here? What is their history?

At the heart of the exhibition is a large three-dimensional model of Île d’Orléans, offering a clear and immersive reading of the territory: the division of land, its agricultural development, the establishment of rangs and villages, and the evolution of human settlement. This central feature allows visitors to visualize concretely how the island was “built,” both geographically and socially. Complementing this territorial perspective, the testimony table gives voice to residents and their descendants. Through personal accounts, archival documents, and historical images, it sheds light on everyday life, agricultural practices, traditions, and the challenges faced by insular communities. These testimonies bring history to life and connect the places represented on the model with the human stories that give them meaning. By combining a spatial reading of the territory with a sensitive, testimony-based approach, Building an Island offers a comprehensive understanding of the history of Île d’Orléans, rooted in both the landscape and the collective memory of those who have lived there.

Keywords

heritage, genealogy, history