French Occupation
The St . Croix River , which now forms the international boundary between Maine and Canada , was called “ Skutik ” by the Passamaquoddy people . Prior to that it was inhabited by their ancestors . The St . Croix ’ s first settlers arrived nearly 12,000 years ago . The river became a major crossroads for harvesting seafood and accessing the Penobscot and Saint John River systems through the upper lakes .
Just inside the river ’ s mouth is St . Croix Island , site of the first French attempt in 1604 to colonize the territory they called l ’ Acadie . The short-lived French settlement at St . Croix Island was one of the earliest European settlements in northern North America , predating even the British colony of Jamestown .
Pierre Dugua led a group of French settlers , including Samuel Champlain , to locate the elusive China trade route and profit from trade in l ’ Acadie . They chose Saint Croix Island to settle on for its prime location near the confluence of two rivers and a bay . The winter of 1604-1605 was
St Croix Island International Historic Site - Pierre Dugua led a group of French settlers , including Samuel Champlain , to locate the elusive China trade route and profit from trade in l ’ Acadie . They chose Saint Croix Island to settle on for its prime location near the confluence of two rivers and a bay . The winter of 1604-1605 was one of the coldest on record ; the settlers were unprepared for its brutality . Ice floes prevented them reaching the mainland , and food . Nearly half of them died from scurvy , malnutrition , and exposure . Saint Croix Island International Historic Site , the only International Historic Site in the world , commemorates this settlement . The National Park Service and Parks Canada each administer a site on their respective side of the Saint Croix River .
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