Geo Quiz

Fort Frontenac

A little military history might come in handy for today’s Geo Quiz. Forward Operating Base Frontenac is at the front line of the Afghanistan war.

Last week the top US military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen paid a visit to rally the US Army troops stationed there in Kandahar province. But we wondered about the name of this military outpost. Specifically we wonder: where does the name Frontenac come from? And where was the original Fort Frontenac?

“Initially it was built out of stone and felled trees and it was like a big square in terms of shape with bastions at each corner which would have had the guns to protect the fort.”

Here’s another clue: While the troops based in Kandahar battle the Taliban and try to shut down the opium (illegal poppy) trade. The forces at the historic Fort Frontenac battled the Iroquois Indians, and fought to control the lucrative fur trade in North America. They sited their fort at the beginning of a major Canadian river.

Ok… You take it the rest of the way.

Our Geo Quiz today took us to Kandahar Province in Afghanistan. We wanted to know more about (FOB) Forward Operating Base Frontenac. The top US military commander Admiral Mike Mullen made a stop there last week.

He urged troops stationed there in southern Afghanistan …. to focus on protecting civilians and to ensure that Afghans can move freely in their own country. But we wanted to know where the name Frontenac comes from…just who is Frontenac?

We enlisted the help of a Canadian military historian. Maj. John Grodzinkski teaches at the Royal Military College. Major Grodzinkski — can you help us out here? Where does the name Frontenac come from? The Geo answer is Comte de Louis de Buade Frontenac, was governor general of New France 1672.