Le camp de détention de Spirit Lake en Abitibi (1915-1917) : d’une transformation du paysage à la colonisation du territoire

Abstract

Canada’s entry into war alongside the British allies in August 1914 soon raised the question of nationals from enemy countries living on Canadian soil. Twenty-four internment camps were subsequently set up across the country to detain prisoners and suspects. The Spirit Lake camp near the city of Amos in Abitibi, which opened in January 1915, became one of the largest detention camps in Canada, with over 1 200 detainess and nearly 150 women and children. Archaeological work initiated within the scope of an enhancement project has made it possible to evaluate the heritage potential of the Spirit Lake detention camp, to better understand its spatial organization, while assessing its influence on the original landscape.

Keywords

• First World War
• internment archaeology
• military occupation
• spatial organization
• landscape modification and alteration