Fort Ville - Marie Fort Ville - Marie was a fortress outpost of France in North America . It is the historic nucleus around which the original settlement of Montreal grew . Given its importance , the site of the fort was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1924 . Overview . Samuel de Champlain built a temporary fort in 1611 . He established a fur - trading post where present - day Pointe - à - Callière stands as part of a project to create a French colonial empire . He and his crew spent a few weeks clearing a site that he named " Place Royale " , dug two gardens and planted seed that grew well , confirming that the fertility of the soil . In 1613 , Samuel de Champlain returned to " Place Royale " and Sault - au - Récollet . History . In 1641 , some fifty French settlers , both men and women , recruited in France by Jérôme Le Royer de la Dauversière , of Anjou , on behalf of the Société de Notre - Dame de Montréal , set sail for New France . They hoped to convert the Natives and create a model Catholic community . After a long crossing and a number of stops , the small group , led by Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve , of Champagne , arrived in Quebec with approximately 40 men , three arriving with their wives ; Jean Gorry with Isabeau Panie , Antoine Damien with Marie Joly , and Nicolas Godé with Francoise Gadois and their three children , Francoise , Nicolas , and Mathurine . The Godés are often referred to as the first family of Montreal . There was also an unmarried woman , Catherine Lezeau . Winter was spent on the land of Pierre de Puiseaux near Sillery . In May 1642 , the group left Quebec to go to the Island of Montreal in spite of the efforts by the Montmagny governor to have them settle on the island of Orleans . Since Cartier ’ s time , an American Indian city named Hochelaga had existed on the island of Montreal but had later been abandoned following periods of war . They arrived on May 17 . Mrs . De la Peltrine , her lady - in - waiting Charlotte Barre , as well as Jeanne Mance , were part of this trip . The new arrivals set to work to build the Ville - Marie fort on the spot where Champlain had once stayed . The first governor was Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve . The French and the Dutch ( of Fort Orange and New Amsterdam ) were primarily interested in fur trading . The Iroquois had allied with the Dutch of Fort Orange and New Amsterdam and were supplied arms by them . It was in 1641 that the war with the Iroquois began . By 1643 , Ville - Marie had already been hit by Iroquois raids . In 1649 , the situation was so critical that Maisonneuve went back to France to get help . In 1653 , to confront this Iroquois danger , a group of 100 settler - soldiers came to stay in Ville - Marie . With them were 15 “ girls to marry ” placed under the care of Marguerite Bourgeoys . Jeanne Mance would set up the Hôtel - Dieu de Montréal hospital in Montreal . In the first years , the Hôtel - Dieu was hosted inside the fort . By 1685 , Ville - Marie was home to some 600 colonists , most of them living in modest wooden houses . The parish church and the seminary of the Sulpician fathers , seigneurs of the Island , dominated the little town . Most business was transacted in the Marketplace , located just next to the mouth of the little river . Here Montrealers and Amerindians would meet to trade . The fort was in use between 1642 - 1674 and was demolished in 1688 . Louis - Hector de Callière residence was built on this place in 1695 .