Did you know that at one time in Arichat: there were three licensed barrooms between the Court House and Godfrey’s Lane; there was a tavern called The Pig and Whistle; there was a photo salon at the head of the harbour; there was a Chinese laundry; and squid was so plentiful in the harbour that fishermen would scour the shore each morning and secure enough fresh bait for a day of hand lining?
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Arichat and its waterfront reached their peak of economic activity and prosperity in the two decades between 1850 and 1870. From 1855 some 413 ships were registered, although closer to 600 operated out of the port. It is estimated that 137 captains sailed out of Arichat. The shoreline was dotted by 15 to 20 major commercial wharves, as well as dozens of smaller private wharves.
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Most residents of Richmond County will be familiar with the surnames Bourinot, Mauger, LeVesconte, LeBrun, and Lelacheur. Some may be surprised to learn that these names have their roots in the Channel Islands.
It is also interesting to note that in the censuses of 1841 and 1861 of the Channel Islands other surnames that are common to this county appear: Amy, Langlois, Dore, Luce, Malzard, LeNoir, Marchand, LeBlanc, Samson, Benoit, Martel, Girard, Boucher, Kavanagh, Shaw, MacDonald, Richard, Landry, and Burton.
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With the exception of Indigenous people, one of the founding ethnic groups of this area was the Basques. Proof of this resides in the surnames Goyetche, DesRoches, Josse, and Baccardax. Arguably, Basques were fishing the shores of Cape Breton as early as the 1500s. In fact, the name Cape Breton has its roots in the Basque language.
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A particularly eventful year was 1900. That year, the bell in St. John’s Anglican church first rang on the 5th of April.
On April 16, the American schooner Quickstep was wrecked on the shore at Cap Auguet with a full load of fish. The Goliath spent 10 days unloading the cargo and stripping the wreck
The HMS Tribune was in port in July from the 17th to the 20th and Redcoats paraded on the streets. The ship was open to visitors and a free concert was given on the 19th by the ship’s crew.
Also in 1900, a speech was delivered by Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier on the Notre Dame de l’Assomption Convent grounds on Aug. 15.
The old post office was built by E.C. Doyle.
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The following are Cajun words and phrases which illustrate some differences but mostly similarities between Louisiana Cajun French and Acadian French:
Asteur = now
Amarrer = tie up
Grouiller = move
Vous autres = y’all
Haiisable = hateful
Par en sous = sneaky
Mes pied sont trempe = my feet are wet
Gar-ici = look here
Moitier fou = half crazy
Bouche, jeulle = mouth,
Pomee = laugh or cry hard (Acadians would say Pawmee)
Freeson = goosebumps
Wey or wye = yes