Missaguash River facts for kids
The Missaguash River (which is Rivière Missaguash in French) is a small river in Canada. It helps form the border between the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. This river is located on the Isthmus of Chignecto, a narrow strip of land connecting the two provinces.
In the 1700s, the Missaguash River was very important. It acted as the unofficial border between lands controlled by the French and lands controlled by the English. This made the river a key location during times of conflict.
River's History and Name
The name of the river comes from the Mi'kmaq people. It likely means "marsh river," because it flows through the Tantramar Marshes. Another possible meaning for the name is "muskrat."
Over time, the river's name has changed. It was called Musaguash in 1750 and Mesiguash in 1781. Since 1901, it has been known as Missaguash. The river flows south and empties into the Cumberland Basin. Its journey begins several kilometers to the north, in an area called the Missaguash Bog.
Early Settlements Along the River
Around the year 1672, a small group of Acadians started a new settlement. These settlers came from Port Royal. Their leader was Jacques Bourgeois.
They built their village, named Beaubassin, on the south bank of the Missaguash River, close to where it meets the sea. The Acadians were very clever farmers. They built special walls called dykes to keep the sea out. This allowed them to farm the rich salt marsh land next to the river.
Conflict and Change
The village of Beaubassin grew steadily until 1750. At that time, tensions were rising between the French and the British. A French priest named Jean-Louis Le Loutre played a big role in what happened next.
He led Mi'kmaq warriors to burn down the village of Beaubassin. His goal was to make the Acadian settlers move to French-controlled areas north of the Missaguash River. He wanted to gather French settlers together for safety.
In the autumn of 1750, the English army arrived. Under the command of Major Charles Lawrence, they built Fort Lawrence. This new fort was built right on the site where the village of Beaubassin had once stood.
