JUDIQUE: The coastal community of Judique is preparing to honour 250 years of history, music, and migration with a weekend celebration that will bring locals and visitors together to remember the roots of one of Cape Breton’s most storied settlements.
Opening ceremonies for the 250th anniversary of Judique will take place on August 3 at 6 p.m. at Michael’s Landing – a historic site named in honour of Michael “Mor” MacDonald, the first documented settler in the area. A sea captain, merchant, and poet from South Uist in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, MacDonald first arrived in Judique in 1775 after emigrating to Prince Edward Island three years earlier.
Known for the words he penned during his solitary first winter – “Fair is the place I have here by the sea” – MacDonald is widely regarded as the community’s founding figure. His arrival and later settlement on land where the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail now winds set in motion generations of Scottish-Gaelic culture that remain deeply rooted in the region today.
A cairn erected in 1975 during Judique’s bicentennial stands as a tribute to MacDonald and the Highland emigrants who followed him. It reads: “In commemoration of Michael MacDonald, pioneer settler of Judique, and of his intrepid compatriots, to whom this community owes its noblest and most enduring traditions.”
The celebration not only commemorates MacDonald’s legacy but also acknowledges the deeper, older history of the land. In 1975, an archaeological dig led by St. Francis Xavier University’s Dr. Nash and his student team uncovered Mi’kmaq artifacts at nearby Indian Point, just across the pond from Michael’s first winter shelter. Their findings – arrowheads, axes, and pottery – suggested a Mi’kmaq village had existed at the site for more than 2,000 years, used seasonally outside of winter months.
This dual heritage – of Mi’kmaq stewardship and Scottish settlement – is central to the 250th anniversary commemoration. Organizers hope the weekend serves not only as a celebration of the past, but as a reflection on the resilience and relationships that built the community.
MacDonald, who managed three ships trading between Quebec, Halifax, Newfoundland, Cape Breton and P.E.I., was instrumental in laying the economic and cultural foundation for Judique. By the early 1800s, more Highland families had joined him, clearing forested land to build farms and homes – creating the Judique known today for its rich musical heritage and tight-knit spirit.
With its scenic views and strong sense of identity, Judique continues to inspire those who call it home and those who trace their roots back to its shores.
As the cairn at Michael’s Landing reminds visitors: the traditions of this small community – forged by those brave enough to cross an ocean – endure through time, carried on by the people of Judique, 250 years later.