1534
Jacques Cartier sails by the shores of the island, but does not land there. It is during his second trip to North America in 1535 that he named Anticosti Island “Assumption Island”, to honor the August 15th holiday (Christian religious holiday).
1680
Concession of Anticosti Island as a seigneury by Governor Frontenac and Intendant Duchesneau to Louis Jolliet. Jolliet receives the island and the Mingan Islands in recognition of his many explorations and discoveries. He establishes a fishing post at Anticosti and a fur trading post at Mingan.
1690
Admiral Phipps and his fleet seize Jolliet's barge in Anticosti and take Jolliet's wife, Claire Bissot, and mother-in-law, Marie Couillard, as prisoners. In 1692, two other English ships destroy the settlements of Mingan and Anticosti Island. Louis Jolliet died in 1700.
14 novembre 1736
Shipwreck of the ship La Renommée at the southern tip of the island.
1763 à 1825
During the two hundred years following the death of Louis Jolliet in 1700, the island has several owners. Among these are the six children of Jolliet. Between the conquest (1763) and the confederation (1867), Anticosti was part of Newfoundland for 27 years; the ownership is then moved to Lower Canada for 50 years, and then to United Canadas for 27 years. After 104 years, the Island is placed under the territorial authority of the province of Quebec.
1828-1899
138 shipwrecks happened on the coasts of the island during this period.
Novembre 1828
The Granicus ship runs aground on the eastern part of the island; the 30 passengers and crew take refuge near Baie au Renard (Fox Bay); they feed on the provisions of the stranded ship.
1831
Construction of the first lighthouse on the island at the Southwest tip, at a cost of $33,820. Elevation of 91 feet (28 m).
1835
Construction of the second lighthouse on the island at Pointe aux Bruyères at the end of the eastern tip of the island, at a cost of $25,135. Rising 91 feet (28 m), it receives its light only 14 years later.
1858
The Pointe-Ouest “light” was added to the network of lighthouses on the St. Lawrence and became the third to be built on the island, at a cost of $50,000. Elevation of 112 feet (34m), interior staircase of 120 steps and 8 floors.
The Forsyth company attracts settlers through a diversified development project in fisheries, mines and logging and decide to establish its quarters there. The resident population increases to more than 500 inhabitants, with people coming mainly from Acadie or Newfoundland.
1872
A british company, The Governor and Company of the Island of Anticosti, acquires the island around these years. To arouse interest, they undertake the colonization of the island and install its representative there. Several families from Îles de la Madeleine, Gaspésie or the North Shore are attracted by these announcements of major developments and come to settle on the island.
1880
Acquisition of the island by the Frenchman Henri Menier, famous king of chocolate, avant-garde industrialist. The island is experiencing unprecedented development. Being the lighthouse keeper at Pointe-Ouest at the time, Henri Menier renamed English Bay Baie-Sainte-Claire, to honor his mother's memory, Claire-Henriette-Clémence Gérard.
December 1895
1905
Inauguration of the Menier villa; the General Governor of Canada, Lord Grey, participates.
Exploitation of the Anticostian forest began with the installation of mobile sawmills for the construction of villages. A first inventory of forest resources is ordered from the Lumber Sales Corporation of New York and marks a new stage. Notable investments are made for the production of pulpwood (paper pulp). The forest industry develops around Baie Ellis (now Port-Menier). The engineers' house is built as well as camps to house the forestry workers. Lac Saint-Georges is laid out for the retention of logs and the canal for their transport to the “debarker's mill”.
1908
Sale of the island to a consortium of paper mills, the Anticosti Corporation, following Menier's death and a loss of interest from the estate in this major undertaking. The most active period of the forestry industry, which became the primary reason for the purchase of the island. Port-Menier takes on the appearance of a boom town. The population of the island undergoes an exponential increase passing from 600 to 3000 people approximately. There are so many people that it is hard to know where to lodge them. The Anticosti Corporation is investing in mechanized loading of wood into the boats. The Anticosti corporation became the Consolidated Paper Corporation Limited.
1926
era ending in
1931
1967
The Consolidated Paper Corporation Limited became the Consolidated Bathurst.
1974
While the island's only main industry is its forest, we learn that "la Consol" is selling its Anticostian domain to the Quebec government. The vocation of the vast territory changes with the new buyer.
1983
Residents become owners of their homes. They add their personal touch.
