Cap-Acadie History
Cap-Acadie History
It's important to remember all that the Aboriginals have passed on to us: their economy, culture and expertise, which have subtly and naturally entered into our lives. The Regional Town of Cap-Acadie (formerly Beaubassin-est and Cap-Pelé) retains a topography of Mi'kmas names, such as Aboujagane, Tedish, Kouchigougouac, Chimougoui and others, continually reminding us of the presence of the first inhabitants of the lands we now occupy.
The name Beaubassin comes from an old Acadian settlement dating back to 1672 and extending to 1755. These were the people who, upon the arrival of the English, decided to set fire to their village rather than leave it to the invaders. In 1789, the parish of Barachois was established, which at the time included all of what is now Beaubassin-est and Tedish, now Cap-Pelé. Father Bédard built a small chapel on Chemin Paturel. Cap-Pelé was established in 1780, followed by Shemogue in 1804 and Haute-Aboujagane in 1820. All three remained part of the parish of Saint Henri de Barachois. In 1826, the first church was built in Barachois. A historical note states that people from Saint-André worked on it, a sign of the collaboration between the different localities. At that time, our region was mainly a farming and fishing community, with wood for heating and building our homes. It was the necessary start to what we have become today: a regional town.
In less than a century and a half, the region developed, not at lightning speed, but with a steady, progressive stride. New trades, new industries, new professions, stores and businesses of all kinds were established. The construction of small fishing boats, lobster traps, bookbinding and sewing, as well as the cooking of our Acadian delicacies. In 1881, the first national convention of Acadians was held in Memramcook. People from our region turned out in droves. Acadians had discovered that we were no longer isolated little corners, but a nation on the move. In 1961, the Cap-Pelé Canadian Legion was founded, comprising the parishes of Barachois, Haute-Aboujagane, Cap-Pelé and Shemogue. It was the first organization to unite the people of our four parishes.
The Village of Cap-Pelé was incorporated as a municipality in 1969. At first glance, Cap-Pelé looks like a typical fishing village on Canada's east coast. However, one very special feature makes the Village of Cap-Pelé unique in Canada. The village and surrounding area are home to some 30 "boucanières" (the exact term is "saurisserie", but nobody really uses it), or herring smoke-drying plants.
In 1994, the Cap-Pelé Area Chamber of Commerce was founded. Membership was split 50/50 between Cap-Pelé and Beaubassin-est. In February 2006, it became the Cap-Pelé/Beaubassin-est Chamber of Commerce. In the same 1990s, the CUTER report - the Commission des Terres et Environnement Rural - was published. The status quo of Beaubassin-est's rural regions was ill-equipped to face the challenges of the new millennium on the horizon. CUTER recognized the need to give these rural areas the tools to plan their rural environment. The municipality of Beaubassin-est was born of this new concept in 2006, when nine communities joined forces: Boudreau-Ouest, Grand-Barachois (including Robichaud), Haute-Aboujagane, Cormier-Village, Saint-André-LeBlanc, Trois-Ruisseaux, Shemogue, Petit-Cap and Portage. All forming a municipal entity in its own right.
The Beaubassin-est Rural Community and the Village of Cap-Pelé amalgamated to form the Regional Town of Cap-Acadie on January 1, 2023, under the Local Governance Act. The transition committee has proposed that the new entity 38, which brings together the Beaubassin-est Rural Community and the Village of Cap-Pelé, be named Cap-Acadie (our advertising name is Regional Town). Committee members arrived at their choice of name after asking students from the Donat-Robichaud, Père-Edgar-T.-LeBlanc and Louis-J.-Robichaud schools to submit suggestions. They received 48 name proposals, and then brought together community leaders to arrive at a shortlist of potential names and choose their preferences. The transition committee members then ratified the community group's choice of name.
What is Cap-Acadie?
Cap-Acadie, a coastal town in southeastern New Brunswick, is renowned for its warm welcome. This Acadian town is undoubtedly a gem for adventure-seeking tourists. Cap-Acadie's Acadian richness and heritage make it a picturesque fishing town. During the herring, scallop and lobster fishing season, more than 60 boats land these delicacies of the sea.
Cap-Acadie's reputation lies in its "fumet", prepared in some 30 smokehouses.Cap-Acadie's economy is heavily dependent on fishing. The town's fishing fleet currently numbers some sixty boats, fishing for herring in spring, mackerel in early summer and lobster, the king of crustaceans, from mid-August to mid-October. Scallops are also caught here. Buccaneers (smoked herring drying plants) account for 95% of Canada's total smoked herring production. In addition to smokehouses, there are also seafood and fish processing plants. Agriculture still plays an important role in our town's economy. There are several potato growers, market gardeners and a few greenhouses.
Tourism is also a major economic driver. Over the past few years, the latter has focused on the Aboiteau Park project, with its amusement, accommodation and recreation sites. There's no shortage of facilities and services to meet the needs of both itinerant travelers and vacationers at Cap-Acadie. Our community's greatest asset, however, is the unique joie de vivre of our people, which translates into the warmest of welcomes.
Throughout the year, discover a festive atmosphere in the heart of Acadia! Fiddling, singing, dancing and bonfires are the order of the day. In summer, the town's sandy beaches are among the finest in Eastern Canada, with the warmest waters north of the Carolinas. Aboiteau Beach, a 5-star, 2.5 km-long beach, offers a variety of first-rate services and has become a first-class tourist destination, with its licensed beach center, Rainbow certification and numerous activities. The Regional Town of Cap-Acadie hosts many cultural and recreational activities throughout the summer season.
Come and visit us in the heart of Acadia!
Cap-Acadie, a place to enrich yourself, a culture to discover, an ideal vacation spot.
It's important to remember all that the Aboriginals have passed on to us: their economy, culture and expertise, which have subtly and naturally entered into our lives. The Regional Town of Cap-Acadie (formerly Beaubassin-est and Cap-Pelé) retains a topography of Mi'kmas names, such as Aboujagane, Tedish, Kouchigougouac, Chimougoui and others, continually reminding us of the presence of the first inhabitants of the lands we now occupy.
The name Beaubassin comes from an old Acadian settlement dating back to 1672 and extending to 1755. These were the people who, upon the arrival of the English, decided to set fire to their village rather than leave it to the invaders. In 1789, the parish of Barachois was established, which at the time included all of what is now Beaubassin-est and Tedish, now Cap-Pelé. Father Bédard built a small chapel on Chemin Paturel. Cap-Pelé was established in 1780, followed by Shemogue in 1804 and Haute-Aboujagane in 1820. All three remained part of the parish of Saint Henri de Barachois. In 1826, the first church was built in Barachois. A historical note states that people from Saint-André worked on it, a sign of the collaboration between the different localities. At that time, our region was mainly a farming and fishing community, with wood for heating and building our homes. It was the necessary start to what we have become today: a regional town.
In less than a century and a half, the region developed, not at lightning speed, but with a steady, progressive stride. New trades, new industries, new professions, stores and businesses of all kinds were established. The construction of small fishing boats, lobster traps, bookbinding and sewing, as well as the cooking of our Acadian delicacies. In 1881, the first national convention of Acadians was held in Memramcook. People from our region turned out in droves. Acadians had discovered that we were no longer isolated little corners, but a nation on the move. In 1961, the Cap-Pelé Canadian Legion was founded, comprising the parishes of Barachois, Haute-Aboujagane, Cap-Pelé and Shemogue. It was the first organization to unite the people of our four parishes.
The Village of Cap-Pelé was incorporated as a municipality in 1969. At first glance, Cap-Pelé looks like a typical fishing village on Canada's east coast. However, one very special feature makes the Village of Cap-Pelé unique in Canada. The village and surrounding area are home to some 30 "boucanières" (the exact term is "saurisserie", but nobody really uses it), or herring smoke-drying plants.
In 1994, the Cap-Pelé Area Chamber of Commerce was founded. Membership was split 50/50 between Cap-Pelé and Beaubassin-est. In February 2006, it became the Cap-Pelé/Beaubassin-est Chamber of Commerce. In the same 1990s, the CUTER report - the Commission des Terres et Environnement Rural - was published. The status quo of Beaubassin-est's rural regions was ill-equipped to face the challenges of the new millennium on the horizon. CUTER recognized the need to give these rural areas the tools to plan their rural environment. The municipality of Beaubassin-est was born of this new concept in 2006, when nine communities joined forces: Boudreau-Ouest, Grand-Barachois (including Robichaud), Haute-Aboujagane, Cormier-Village, Saint-André-LeBlanc, Trois-Ruisseaux, Shemogue, Petit-Cap and Portage. All forming a municipal entity in its own right.
The Beaubassin-est Rural Community and the Village of Cap-Pelé amalgamated to form the Regional Town of Cap-Acadie on January 1, 2023, under the Local Governance Act. The transition committee has proposed that the new entity 38, which brings together the Beaubassin-est Rural Community and the Village of Cap-Pelé, be named Cap-Acadie (our advertising name is Regional Town). Committee members arrived at their choice of name after asking students from the Donat-Robichaud, Père-Edgar-T.-LeBlanc and Louis-J.-Robichaud schools to submit suggestions. They received 48 name proposals, and then brought together community leaders to arrive at a shortlist of potential names and choose their preferences. The transition committee members then ratified the community group's choice of name.
What is Cap-Acadie?
Cap-Acadie, a coastal town in southeastern New Brunswick, is renowned for its warm welcome. This Acadian town is undoubtedly a gem for adventure-seeking tourists. Cap-Acadie's Acadian richness and heritage make it a picturesque fishing town. During the herring, scallop and lobster fishing season, more than 60 boats land these delicacies of the sea.
Cap-Acadie's reputation lies in its "fumet", prepared in some 30 smokehouses.Cap-Acadie's economy is heavily dependent on fishing. The town's fishing fleet currently numbers some sixty boats, fishing for herring in spring, mackerel in early summer and lobster, the king of crustaceans, from mid-August to mid-October. Scallops are also caught here. Buccaneers (smoked herring drying plants) account for 95% of Canada's total smoked herring production. In addition to smokehouses, there are also seafood and fish processing plants. Agriculture still plays an important role in our town's economy. There are several potato growers, market gardeners and a few greenhouses.
Tourism is also a major economic driver. Over the past few years, the latter has focused on the Aboiteau Park project, with its amusement, accommodation and recreation sites. There's no shortage of facilities and services to meet the needs of both itinerant travelers and vacationers at Cap-Acadie. Our community's greatest asset, however, is the unique joie de vivre of our people, which translates into the warmest of welcomes.
Throughout the year, discover a festive atmosphere in the heart of Acadia! Fiddling, singing, dancing and bonfires are the order of the day. In summer, the town's sandy beaches are among the finest in Eastern Canada, with the warmest waters north of the Carolinas. Aboiteau Beach, a 5-star, 2.5 km-long beach, offers a variety of first-rate services and has become a first-class tourist destination, with its licensed beach center, Rainbow certification and numerous activities. The Regional Town of Cap-Acadie hosts many cultural and recreational activities throughout the summer season.
Come and visit us in the heart of Acadia!
Cap-Acadie, a place to enrich yourself, a culture to discover, an ideal vacation spot.
