Grand Pré

ARTICLE CONTENTS:  |  Links to Other Sites
Grand Pré, NS, Unincorporated Place. Grand Pré is located on the shore of the MINAS BASIN 83 km northwest of HALIFAX. Founded by ACADIANS shortly before 1680, the name refers to the 1000 ha "Great Meadow" of fertile marshland that drew settlers eastward from PORT-ROYAL to farm on the shores of MINAS BASIN. Using traditional French diking techniques to protect the low-lying marsh from the saltwater tides of the basin, Grand Pré farmers annually exported agricultural products to Port-Royal, other French colonies and New England.

Google Map

By the early 18th century, Grand Pré was the focus of Les Mines (Minas), the most populated of 3 Acadian districts. In the 1740s it consisted of 150 houses that stretched in a line some 4 km long. On 11 Feb 1747, it was the scene of the Battle of Grand Pré, a surprise attack by French and Indians on British troops during the WAR OF THE AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION.

Longfellow's romantic poem EVANGELINE portrayed the tragic events of the Acadian deportation at Grand Pré (1755). In 1917 property near the centre of the village was set aside to develop as a tourist attraction. A bronze statue of Evangeline was unveiled in 1920, and a memorial chapel in the style of mid-18th-century French architecture opened in 1930. The area is now a historic site - Grand Pré National Historic Park.

Grand Pré
Grand Pré
Grand Pré Memorial
Grand Pré Memorial
Stained-glass memorial dedicated to the memory of the Acadian Deportation (courtesy T.E. Smith).
Grand Pré Chapel
Grand Pré Chapel
This memorial chapel, in the style of mid-18th-century French architecture, opened in 1930 (photo by Freeman Patterson/Masterfile).

Author DEBRA MCNABB


Links to Other Sites
United Nations World Heritage Sites
Information about locations in Canada that have been designated United Nations World Heritage Sites. From the United Nations website.

Kings County
The website for the Municipal Government of Kings County.

Atlantic Provinces Chambers of Commerce
The website for the Atlantic Provinces Chambers of Commerce (APCC), formerly the Maritime Board of Trade. Formed in 1896, this organization promotes and supports business and economic development in Atlantic Canada. Click on "Chambers" for links to local Chambers of Commerce.

Nova Scotia: Community Profiles
Search for statistical profiles of communities in the Province of Nova Scotia.

Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada
Explore the Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada, which commemorates Grand-Pré area as a centre of Acadian settlement from 1682 to 1755 and the Deportation of the Acadians, which began in 1755 and continued until 1762. From Parks Canada.

0
0
Absolutely free, with over 40,000 articles in French and English, The Canadian Encyclopedia is the ultimate online resource for all things Canadian, from history, sports, arts, science, technology, and much, much more. Get started at www.TheCanadianEncyclopedia.com
Feature Articles
Maisonneuve and the Founding of Montreal

The story of the founding of Montreal is perhaps unique in history....

INSIDE TCE

Gallery
Browse the rich visual resources of The Canadian Encyclopedia through thematic galleries of Canadian Art, History, Nature, People, and Science and Technology.
Interactive Resources
Illustrations, lively text, animations, sounds and games help make learning about Canadian history, art, geography, architecture and other topics entertaining as well as informative.
Canucklehead
The ultimate test of your knowledge of Canada, trivial and otherwise. You can choose from more than 60 dynamic quizzes with visual or text clues. Your scores depend on the speed with which you answer and the number of clues you need. Results are sent to you by email and high scores are posted on the site.
Timeline
This unique resource includes more than 6000 events from Canadian and world history. It can be searched by era, subject, keyword or date. To find out what happened on your birthday, select the month and day of your birth.
100 Greatest Events
This selection of the 100 "greatest" events in Canadian history was made by editor in chief James H. Marsh to draw attention to events that have left an indelible memory in the minds of later generations.