Vacation :Tourism :Yarmouth, Nova Scotia : () : GrassRoutes

Into the Fog
As there fathers before them.
There by the grace of God go I.

Among the many prominent villages in the municipality is Wedgeport (pop. 739), settled in 1767 by exiled Acadians. The village gained world-wide attention from 1937 to 1959 as the location of the International Tuna Cup Match. The Wedgeport Tuna Wharf is still a busy place and worth a visit. Although the tuna migration has moved off-shore, Wedgeport hosts an annual Bluefin Fishing Tournament every year in late July.

Not far from Wedgeport on Highway 3, the Lighthouse Route, is the village of Tusket, settled originally by United Empire Loyalists from New York and New Jersey in 1785. The village became a major shipbuilding center on the banks of the Tusket River and many of the fine, old homes of the community date to the Golden Age of Sail. The Tusket Courthouse in the village Is the oldest courthouse In Canada, dating to 1805, and Is now open as a summer museum with both the courtrooms, judges' chambers and basement jail open to visitors. From Tusket, the Lighthouse Route hugs the coastline passing through the Argyles. Side routes lead to Roberts Island, Surette's Island, Morris Island and Far Point Island all accessible by roads, bridges and causeways and all worthy of exploration.

From the Lighthouse Route, Highway 335 leads to the Pubnico's - the oldest Acadian settlements in the world, dating to 1653. There are seven Pubnico's - Pubnico (English speaking), West Pubnico, Middle West Pubnico (pop. 436), Lower West Pubnico (pop, 854), East Pubnico, Middle East Pubnico and Lower East Pubnico, all fishing communities. The Acadian museum in West Pubnico is located in a house built in 1864 and contains artifacts from pioneer days.

Many of Argyle's Acadian communities maintain large, well-appointed churches including those at Ste-Anne du Ruisseau, Amirault's Hill, Wedgeport and West Pubnico. There are also many smaller, yet picturesque, Protestant churches built by the Loyalists, including the Argyle Baptist Church built in 1806 and still in use today. The numerous salt marshes, estuaries and tidal flats of the coastline are ideal places for bird-watching, clam digging and sea kayaking.

Off site Links to:
1. Municipality of Argyle
2. The Planters Society of the Argyles

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