Cape d'Or facts for kids
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| Cape d'Or Lighthouse | |
| Location | Cape d'Or Advocate Nova Scotia Canada |
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| Coordinates | 45°17′27.2″N 64°46′27.23″W / 45.290889°N 64.7742306°W |
| Year first constructed | 1874 (fog horn station) 1922 (first) |
| Year first lit | 1965 (current) |
| Construction | concrete tower |
| Tower shape | quadrangular tower with balcony and lantern attached at one corner fog signal building |
| Markings / pattern | white tower, red lantern |
| Height | 9 metres (30 ft) |
| Focal height | 24 metres (79 ft) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 6s. |
| Fog signal | 3 blasts every 60s. |
| Admiralty number | H3938 |
| CHS number | CCG 167 |
| NGA number | 10980 |
| ARLHS number | CAN-095 |
Cape d'Or is a cool headland in Nova Scotia, Canada. It's found near Advocate in Cumberland County. This cape sits right on the edge of the Bay of Fundy.
Cape d'Or marks the northern entrance to the Minas Basin. It's part of the North Mountain rock formation. The cape has amazing cliffs. On its western side, cliffs rise about 200 m (660 ft) high. The southern cliffs are about 30 m (98 ft) tall. These cliffs look over very strong tidal currents in the Minas Channel. A rocky reef stretches from the Cape into the Bay of Fundy. Here, it meets the powerful Dory Rips. This is a rip tide caused by three strong ocean currents crashing together.
Contents
Cape d'Or: A Place of History
Cape d'Or has a long and interesting past. It was important to the first people who lived there.
Mi'kmaq History at Cape d'Or
The Mi'kmaq people, who are the native people of Nova Scotia, called this cape L'mu'juiktuk. It was a key spot for making and trading tools. This was because the cape had veins of hard, dense rock like chert. This rock could be shaped into sharp tools and weapons. The Mi'kmaq also found copper here. In 1980, archaeologists found many old Mi'kmaq items near the lighthouses. Some of these items were about 2000 years old.
French Explorers and the "Cape of Gold"
French explorers named the cape "Cape of Gold." This was because bright copper deposits looked like gold. In 1607, Samuel de Champlain explored the copper at Cape d'Or. He named the nearby area Advocate Harbour "Port of Mines." This name showed there was copper ore at Cape d'Or.
The French didn't start a mine at Cape d'Or. The huge cliffs and strong tides made the copper hard to reach. But the name "Les Mines" became linked to the upper Bay of Fundy. This area became known as the "Baie des Mines," and later the Minas Basin. The Acadian towns around the southern shore of the Minas Basin were also called Les Mines.
Mining Attempts at Cape d'Or
Later, a company called the Colonial Copper Company tried to mine copper at Cape d'Or. They started in 1897. The company spent a lot of money to develop the site. Mining began in 1900.
They dug three shafts along the cliff. They also built a plant to process the ore. A small railway connected the shafts to the plant and a shipping area. A small town was built for the workers. But by 1905, the mine stopped. The copper veins didn't produce as much as hoped. The site was left empty in 1907. The houses were even moved by sea to other towns.
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Horseshoe Cove around 1905. The processing plant is on the right.
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Miners from the Colonial Copper Company on the narrow gauge railway.
Cape d'Or Lighthouse
Lighthouses are important for guiding ships. Cape d'Or has had one for a long time.
Early Lighthouse History
A steam-powered foghorn was set up at Cape d'Or in 1875. This horn helped ships find their way in foggy weather. In 1922, a square wooden lighthouse was added. This lighthouse tower had actually been used before at Apple River.
Modern Lighthouse and Its Future
In 1958, two new homes were built for the lightkeeper and their helper. A new concrete lighthouse was built in 1965. The last lightkeeper was Ernie Morris. He worked there until 1989, when the light no longer needed a person to run it.
In 1995, a local group worked to save the site. They fixed up the lightkeeper's houses. Today, one house is a restaurant called the Lightkeeper's Kitchen. The other is a guesthouse where people can stay.
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The lighthouse seen from the cliffs.
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The lighthouse, foghorn, and keeper's homes.
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Cape d'Or's Amazing Scenery
Cape d'Or is known for its beautiful views. It's a great place to visit.
Most of the cape is covered in thick forest. But the areas near the lighthouse are open and grassy. From here, you can see far across the cliffs and sea stacks. You can also watch the strong tidal rips in good weather. The dramatic rocky views at Cape d'Or have attracted many photographers. Even Vogue Magazine used Cape d'Or for a fashion photoshoot in 2015. Famous models like Karlie Kloss and Dylan Brosnan were there.
Natural Wonders of Cape d'Or
The rocks at Cape d'Or are very special. They hold many interesting minerals.
The basalt rock at Cape d'Or contains minerals like copper and cuprite. You can also find calcite, apophyllite, and many zeolite minerals. These include stilbite, analcime, chabazite, mesolite, and thomsonite. These minerals form in small pockets, veins, and broken rock areas. They often have beautiful crystal shapes. The forest at Cape d'Or has a mix of hardwood and softwood trees. Many plants that like coastal areas grow here too.
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Native copper crystals on basalt, from Cape d'Or.
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Fruit of the white baneberry plant, Cape d'Or.
