Arichat, Nova Scotia
| Arichat | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
|
The island community of Arichat, Isle Madame, Nova Scotia as seen from Cannon Look-Off. These cannons commemorate the eighteenth century period of the community's long history. | |
  Arichat | |
| Coordinates: 45°30′40.17″N 61°0′46.5″W / 45.5111583°N 61.012917°W | |
| Country |
 Canada |
| Province |
 Nova Scotia |
| District | Richmond County |
| Established | 1785 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Village |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-4) |
| • Summer (DST) | AST (UTC-4) |
| Postal code span | B0E |
| Area code(s) | 902 |
| Website | http://www.arichat.ca/fr/acceuil.php |
Arichat is a Canadian village in Nova Scotia. It is one of the oldest communities in the province, dating back to the 18th century.
It is a district of Richmond County on Isle Madame.
History
Arichat is located on what forms a protected natural harbour. As such, it was an important gem in the maritime province of New France, along with the contemporary capital of Ile Royale, Louisbourg.
After the British victory in the Seven Years' War, Arichat would be a gem in the fishery trade, the emperors of which were Charles Robin and John Janvrin, amongst others.
During the American Revolution, on 22 September 1776, Canso, Nova Scotia was attacked by American privateer John Paul Jones - the Father of the American Navy. The privateer sailed on the USS Providence and destroyed fifteen vessels, and damaged much property on shore. There he recruited men to fill the vacancies created by manning his prizes, burned a British fishing schooner, sank a second, and captured a third besides a shallop which he used as a tender. Jones then pillaged the community of Petit-de-Grat and Arichat and then returned to Boston.
The LeNoir Forge was originally built in 1793 by Thomas LeNoir and his brother Simon. Both were natives of France. They were skilled locksmiths; however the monetary return for their labor was not as rewarding as hoped and they eventually returned to regular blacksmithing. During this period of history shipbuilding and repair was flourishing on Isle Madame. The forge produced materials that were used in this industry. By the end of the 19th century the heyday of wooden sailing ships was over, business dwindled and the forge eventually fell into disrepair. The Isle Madame Board of Trade took on the sponsorship to restore this stone building as a 1967 centennial and municipal project.[1]
Ecclesiastical history
Since 1884, it was the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arichat, as its former cathedral Église Notre Dame de l’Assomption testifies.
However the see was moved in 1886 to Antigonish, and the title of the diocese was adapted.
References
External links
Coordinates: 45°30′40.17″N 61°0′46.5″W / 45.5111583°N 61.012917°W