Acadian Beaubassin

(Delayed posting. Visited during summer 2024) 

Beaubassin, a place the First Nations Mi'kmaw and Acadians dwelled, once existed here. For myself it is a new historical place to visit and I am glad I did. It is important, being half Acadian, to find out about the past of potential ancestors. It is now a federal park.

The Acadians of the Beaubassin area, before and after its founding in the 1670's, engaged with friendly Mi'kmaw for good relationships, trade, and intermarriage. Reclaiming land for settlement and cattle raising, the town grew to just under 3000 people and was a major trading hub of the Maritimes by collecting nearby goods for trade with Fortress Louisbourg and other destinations.

The farms, houses, and church that once existed in this area are now gone. During the Seven Years War (French Indian or Wilderness War in North America) between the French and British, when the conflict was not going well and British forces were moving onto Beaubassin, French officials convinced the populace to burn everything down in 1750 and relocate to nearby Fort Beauséjour or scatter.

The British forces created a basic defence works here, known as Fort Laurence, and five years later took Fort Beauséjour. The Acadian Expulsion occurred shortly thereafter. Acadians were allowed to return, after taking an oath of allegiance, but many British colonists followed soon afterwards. The Acadians became a second class citizen and were treated as a conquered people.

Also of local significance is the small group of American sympathizers, led by Jonathan Eddy of Massachusetts, whom landed here hoping to take Fort Cumberland (nee Fort Beauséjour). He wanted to rally the people of Nova Scotia to the American cause to fight the British. Three local British soldiers, led by Captain Thomas Dixon, snuck away and alerted command in Halifax who sent a force to rout the invaders. In the picture below you can just see Fort Beausejour on the left on the rise, which is far enough away to prevent cannon fire but close enough for trade (which the British and French fort commanders did).

There are many plaques that talk about the history and landscape of the area.

There is also a list of Acadian families who lived here if conducting initial research or geneology.

The landscape is still filled with farms, but the remnants of the Acadian past still remains with artifacts and cellars just below the surface.

Being just off the major route between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, along a dead end road behind the Nova Scotia visitors centre, it is a good place to visit and learn about the local and region's history. For more information other links are here and here.