Noel, Nova Scotia facts for kids
Noel is a small community in Nova Scotia, a province in Canada. It is part of the Municipal District of East Hants, which is in Hants County, Nova Scotia. Noel is famous for two main reasons: it was named after an important early resident, Noël Doiron, and it was a busy place for building ships in the 1800s.
Noël Doiron is so important that several nearby places are also named after him. These include Noel Shore, Nova Scotia, East Noel (also called Densmore Mills, Nova Scotia), Noel Road, Nova Scotia, and North Noel Road, Nova Scotia. The first time the name "Noel" was written down for this community was in 1752 by a surveyor named Charles Morris. Before that, the area was known as "Trejeptick." Noel was also home to the Osmond O'Brien Shipyard, a place where many ships were built.
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The First People: Acadians and Mi'kmaq
The Mi'kmaq people were the first to live in this area. They called the community "Trejeptick." This name likely means "worn rocks," referring to the old sandstone cliffs and tall rock formations by the sea.
Around 1710, an Acadian man named Noël Doiron and his family moved to the area. He lived there for about 40 years. When English surveyors first mapped the village, they decided to name it after him. During this time, Noël Doiron and other Acadians in Noel Bay built a small church at Burntcoat Head, Nova Scotia. They also built eight homes and special walls called dykes to protect their land from the tides. These dykes are still there today!
At this time, the village of Noel was in the middle of a conflict. New England and New France were fighting to control the region of Acadia. In 1747, a military officer named Daniel Liénard de Beaujeu visited Noel. He stopped there to help his injured soldiers after a battle. He was the first known visitor to the village.
A Difficult Journey for the Acadians
In the 1750s, many Acadians, including Noël Doiron, were forced to leave mainland Nova Scotia. This event is known as the Expulsion of the Acadians. Noël Doiron and his family moved to a French colony called Ile St. Jean, which is now Prince Edward Island. They settled in a place called Pointe Prime, which is now Eldon, Prince Edward Island.
However, in 1758, the British took control of Ile St. Jean. They then forced Noël Doiron and the other former Noel residents to leave the island. They were put on ships to be sent to France. One of these ships was called the Duke William. Sadly, the Duke William sank on December 13, 1758. At least 360 Acadians, including Noël Doiron and most of his family, lost their lives. This was one of the worst ship disasters in Canadian history.
The captain of the Duke William, William Nichols, said that Noël Doiron was a very respected leader on the ship. He called him the "father of the whole island." Noël Doiron was admired for his bravery and calm attitude during this terrible event. His story was even shared in books and newspapers in England and America during the 1800s.
New Settlers: The Ulster Scots
After the Acadians were forced to leave Noel in 1750, the land was empty for 21 years. In 1771, a new group of settlers arrived. These were the Ulster Scots people, including Timothy O'Brien and his four sons. They made Noel their new home.
Building Ships in Noel
The Noel Bay was a very busy place for shipbuilding in the 1800s. Many shipyards operated there. The most famous one was the Osmond O'Brien Shipyard. This shipyard built 20 ships! The largest ship they built was named the Amanda. It was sailed out of the bay by Captain William Scott. Another ship, a barque (a type of sailing ship) called the "Noel," was also built at this shipyard and named after the community.
Why is it Called Noel?
For a long time, people didn't know why the village was called "Noel." This was partly because the stories passed down through families were lost after the Acadians were forced to leave. The new settlers, the Ulster Scots, created their own stories. They thought the village was named "Noel" (which is the French word for Christmas) because either the Acadians or the Irish settlers first arrived on Christmas Day.
This idea even made it into newspaper headlines, like "Village of Noel has Direct Association with Christmas" in 1965. A children's book called Magical Christmas Light of Old Nova Scotia (2003) also shared this folklore. Even Canada Post created a special Christmas postmark for the community in 2005! However, we now know that the village was truly named after the Acadian leader, Noël Doiron.
Important People from Noel
- Noel Doiron - The Acadian leader and namesake of the village.
- Silas McLellan - A notable person from the community.
