Cap-Haïtien, also called Le Cap, city, northern Haiti. Founded in 1670 by the French, the city was then known as Cap-Français and gained early renown as the “Paris of the Antilles.” It served as capital of the colony (then known as Saint-Domingue) until 1770 and was the scene of slave uprisings in 1791. U.S. ships used its harbour during the dispute with France (1798–1800) and during the American Civil War. Haitian and French troops razed the city in 1802. Henry Christophe, self-proclaimed king of Haiti, rebuilt much of it, but an earthquake in 1842 and a hurricane in 1928 destroyed many historic buildings; its colonial parish church survived.

Source: britannica.com