I sent your website to my two sisters and three cousins and friends.   They are all so thankful for your  time and effort.   I belong to the Isle Madame Listserv.    It would like to tell the Listserv about it. Many have already visited the island and many more might come. 

Olive LeBlanc Dawson 

Comments: Hello! 
I want to say how much I enjoyed the picture of Isle de Madame. I saw the house where I lived with my grandmother 45+ years ago. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I could feel the tears come into my eyes. It brought back memories. My step father just past away on wednesday feb 16th 2005 and in the spring we will lay him to rest in West Arichat. So my heart is so filled with emotions to see the places that I would visit with nan. Thank you for the jump start and pick me up. You did such a great job and a lot of hard work putting the site together. 
god bless you 
Thank you so much. 

Comments: Great fotos of Isle Madame!  I had the pleasure of visiting the island in the summer of 2003 seeking my Acadian roots.  My maternal great grandmother was from Arichat and I felt  lured to Isle Madame because of that newly discovered link and also because it was love at first sight when I spotted it on a map. Great site!  Learned about it from listserv. 

Comments: Born and raised at Poirierville, son of Harold and Aggie. 
Left Isle Madame to make a living but never forgot the island. 
You have given all former residents and others who are interested, a great opportunity to enjoy and remember. Still think it is some of the most beautiful scenery one could ask for. Thanks for all your efforts GJ. 

Comments: Thank you so much, Godfrey, for sharing the wonderful pictures of Isle Madame with us.  It is a tour of the island, really, to be able to remember the folks who live or lived within the walls of those homes, and to pause for a while to drink in the beautiful scenery. A great deal of planning and time must have gone into this project,  but the end result is fantastic, and has brought so much joy to so many people, those of us who know and love the island and visit as often as possible, as well as those who have not yet had the pleasure.  Thanks again and God bless.

Comments: great photos.  must have been a lot of work.

Thanks for posting pages 9 and 33 - much appreciated to be sure.  . 

I did not realize until Olive told me, that you are the son of Doris Landry and the late Omer LeBlanc.  See your mother mostly every time I go to Isle Madame.  She looks wonderful.

Arlene

Comments: Great Pictures!

Comments: real nice ,sent it to my sisterin new brunswick she loved it hadn't seen some of the places for years 

Comments: Great place,good people

Comments:  nice web site see you next trip home

Comments: Great Pictures.

Comments: I was born in Poulamon, so I really enjoyed all the photos of the area. You have made a very interesting web site. I
definetly will book mark as a favorite.

Comments: Nice pictures, a lot of work

Comments: 

Really great!!!! 

Comments: Looks wonderfully peaceful!  great web site.

Comments: This is pretty awesome keep up the good work,(whoever you are)

Comments: Hi GJ:
Great site.  It was great looking at pictures of the homes that I am familar with.
Don't believe that I have seen you since High school ....and that was a long, long, long time ago.
Hello Beatrice: Hope things are well with you

Comments: Hi!
  What a wonderful surprise when this site was forwarded to us. You certainly did a super job which will be meaningful to many. We enjoyed it so much and we thank you for it. Can hardly wait for May to return to D'Escousse for the summer.

Comments: Wow!!It is beautiful to see all the homes in Isle Madame...I did notice that not all of West Arichat is there...because that is where I live now and my home is not photgraphed.  But, it is beautiful.  Thank you to the photographer. This is a nice keepsake for those who live away.
Sheri
Isle Madame
Webmaster Comment:  Hi:  I did not take pictures of houses I could not see from the road.  However I may have also missed a few homes or discarded any pictures that were not clear.  If you have a picture of you house I will add it.  Thanks GJL

Comments: Excellent site. Originally from Poulamon and born in Arichat. Great to be able to relate to some of the homes.

Comments: I would like to know where u find the time to take pictures of everyone's home on the island, Are u not suppose to get permission to do something like that? All I hope is that this doesn't have to do with DIMA..

Webmaster Reply:-----------------------
Dear Gizmo

You did not leave an email address so the only way I can get back to you is by adding this footnote to your letter.

I do not know who DIMA is but if they are, as I suspect,  some government organization or insurance company that is out to screw you,  they will do it without any help from me.   If it is an insurance company the only way to control them  is to unite as a community.  If you can get enough people together you can bargain with different companies that will give you some advantage.  If fact you could probably form a co-op insurance group. 

The pictures that I have on the website are to small to be of much value to commercially interested individuals.   All pictures were taken from publicly accessible locations so if anyone wanted them they would have already been taken, and you would never know about it.  It would be as simple as driving through a community with a movie camera sticking out a car window and the island could be photographed in one afternoon.  Then they would charge you if you wanted to see them or would keep them secret.

The only way to remember "the way things were" in the past is to record "how they is".  As the present becomes fades into the past we forget information is lost.   I am hoping that people will write in the guest book and share part of the life and memories of one of the most beautiful places on earth.

These pictures are for those who enjoy it, as many do if you look at the comments.  People who may live far away,  those who are in the December of their life,   people who have visited the area or have friends in the area and more.  People who want to remember or reminisce or want to show their children the communities of their ancestors 

Their are a few comments from the guest book that makes the time spent of the website worth it.
 

Thank you for your letter Gizmo. If their are pictures that you or anyone would like removed please let me know.
 

Yours Sincerely
G.J.LeBlanc

Comments:

Webmaster Comment: Hello Henry 

Comments: Hello Godfrey,

What can we say but WOW!  Thank-you for sharing your gift with the rest of us.  It was wonderful to see pictures of  my husband's aunt's and uncle's homes, Denis' Mémé and Pépé's old homestead in Boudreauville, and our cottage in Poirierville!

Makes me count the days for vacation when we're back in God's country.

Godfrey, thanks again, you gave us many hours of pleasure, and whenever we need a little pick-me-up, we can visit your site.

Take care Godfrey, and to anyone who has never seen beautiful Isle Madame, start making your vacation plans now, but be warned you'll never want to leave!!

Denis and Jacquie Theriault

Comments: 

Date: 4/1/2005
Name: harold christie
Location: halifax
E-Mail: hchristie4@hotmail.com

Comments: Great Pictures I grew up right across from the Poirierville warf I also have land in Poirierville 

Comments: Just wondered if you could do a update photo of pic. Im-1798JpG as it was too dark and you could not see our home..and if real estate starts to climb I would like to have a good photo on your web...thanks harold.& dorothy..Lockside Rd.
Webmaster Comment: Have lightened it up. Thanks for you letter

Comments: Godfrey
Thanks for fixing the photo and we want to tell you how much we enjoyed the photo's you did a great job and now we are able to share the beautiful Island with our friends and family here in Ont. Thanks again Harold & Dorothy Martell.

Comments: 

Comments: I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful website. The pictures are wonderful, it must have taken an awful long time.  My children thought it was great to see Pondville Beach on the internet... Thanks again.

Comments: Descendant of Arthur and Lilly Dorey Janvrins Island

Comments: Hey fellow Islanders... You're making me homesick with all the beautiful pictures... You've done a beautiful job capturing the natural beauty of our Island... It would really be nice to have pictures of the people (family and friends) who still live there posted on your website... I grew up in Poirierville, daughter of Anna DeCoste. Attended many Rockybay/D'Escousse Hall dances... Say hi to my sister Carolyn/Charmane DeCoste. Thanks for the memories... 

From: Ridgegazer@aol.com 
Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 01:49:57 EDT 

I stumbled onto your site while web-surfing, and what a beautiful surprise!  It was wonderful to see all the pictures of homes on Isle Madame, and just as they looked when we last visited, in summer 2004.  Thank you so much for all your hard work in preserving the history of the island through your photographs!  My husband and I and our 2 young daughters first visited Isle Madame in the summer of 2002, staying for a week in Silver Donald Cameron's rental cottage in Poirierville.  From day one, we fell in love with the island's beauty, history and people.  We felt such sorrow at leaving at the week's end that we returned later in the summer to purchase our own little piece of Isle Madame.  We've been told that the old house on the property is unsalvageable, so we hope to build a new one someday in the meadow to the right of the house in your photo. 
    Please update your listing for Poirierville #261, we purchased the old abandoned Britten house from Ivo Winter in the summer of 2002.

Thomas & Debra Pulaski
Madison, Virginia, USA

Comments: Hello G.J.,
I loved the pictures of Isle Madame on your website. I think you did a fantastic job. I wish I had taught of it myself. Keep up the good work. It was fun going through all the pictures and figuring them out. I must say even though I've lived on Isle Madame all my life, I still got lost a few times....lol. I even had a hard time to find my house.
Great job!!!
Matilda
Hello Mathilda.  Long time no see.  I hope things are well with you.

Comments: Although your intentions may be good I feel that there may be a bit too much information with this format. Peoples names & civic #s are posted along with the picture of their house. There may be some people who do not want this posted for all the world to see. I feel that people should have been given the option. That would be a major undertaking but then again so was the rest of this site.

Webmaster Comment:  Thank you for your letter of concern.  No one has asked to remove any information but I have had some who wish more information to be added or updated or to have clearer pictures of their homes or to have their home added to the site.   Civic numbers are not listed on the site.  If anyone would like their pictures removed they have only to say which information or picture they wish removed and it will be.  You did not ask me to remove your house so I asume that you basically think this project has some value.   As you can see from the comments people are really enjoying the work that was put into making this site.  This site is costing me money to keep up and I do not make money from it so I may not be keeping it up for long anyway. 

Date: 4/21/2005
Name: melanie joshua ..AKA  Twin
Location: West arichat
E-Mail: mellyj58@hotmail.com

Comments: this site was awesome my friends and i are working on a french project in french class on Isle Madame and we we going to go out and take picture of all the tourist attractions on our Island but know we don't have to because we found this site.
The picture don't lie people and the island is definitely the place to be when and if you wanna live in a place that feel like home.

Webmaster Comment:  Thank you for taking the time to write.  Hope you do well on your French project. 

Comments: Hello G.J. Long time since I heard from you.Heard you are in Yarmouth..Thanks a lot for the lovely pictures of the Island..I see your mom, when I go home from time to time..She is still doing well, and looks great. Thanks again and best wishes..Earl

Hi Earl: Hope things are well with you.  GJ

Comments: THANK YOU: I believe and imagine that these pictures of the island will give me many years to think about. Every picture of every page have opened memories press between pages of my mine forever. Thank You Once Again;
                   George Hearn, An Old Time Friend.

Hello George;  Thanks for you letter.  Glad you enjoy the site.  GJ

Comments: Nice Photo's of Isle Madame.  It was nice to see our house

Comments: Hi, our friends Wayne & Jen Gleave of Highway 320 Poulemon told us about the site.  Had a look around and it brought back a lot of lovely memories of our visit last year.  Hi to Naomi & Willard Fougere, Lionel, Laura & family and everyone who made us feel so welcome.  Hope to see you all next year (except the guy who smashed up our hire car at Wal Mart in Port Hawkesbury!!) 

See yas soon! 

Alan, Caroline & Mark

Comments: Well done, it is essential to document elements of our past before the data is gone.

Comments: I've heard of altruism but you take the biscuit. My whole childhood comes roaring back in one huge, emotional wallop -= definitely added to favourites.

Comments: love the website.

Comments: Hello, 
You did a wonderfull job with the pitures.
It is a great tool to look back and never forget where you came from and the memories you had growing up in such a great community. 

Comments: love your pics kepping them for relatives to see and enjoy          sandy and ann mckenna                                                              ISLE MADAME

Comments: WOW....Wonderful web-site, Great pictures, Excellent Job....   MY HAT'S OFF TO YOU....This comes from a former Petit De Grat native and it rekindles old memories......THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE. 

Comments: Hi Guys:
Hope to hear from some of my graduating buds or just family and friends that I grew up with.
Hope to hear from you.
Darlene

Comments: What a wonderful web site...for me it was like walking down memory lane! My mom was from P.D.G. and growing up, I spent nearly every summer vacation In Petit de Grat with my aunts, uncles and cousins. So many of the houses are exactly as I remember them! Jeanette Macleod

Comments: Enjoyed the pictures of Isle Madame. What a great idea and a wonderful reminder to those who are away what a wonderful Island we live on.
(hi Cecilia)

Comments: Beautiful pictures- why so many houses?  A misplaced Cape Bretoner.

Comments: Great job. Our Island is as good as it looks. Only a person from Isle Madame could love enough to do such a thing. And DIMA stands for Development Isle Madame. We are trying to help our people to continue to live here.

Mr. Godfrey J. LeBlanc:

I enjoyed your Isle Madame website very much.

I was wondering if you could help me.  My grandfather Napoleon "Paul" Arthur Fougere born 9-18-07 in Nova Scotia ( I believe in Cape Breton and maybe Isle Madame); his father was Simon Paul Fougere (born Nov. 9,1861 Died 1909); mother was Leonie-Lida Pertus.

 I am trying to find out where my grandfather grew up.....which address; which house.  I noticed on you website picture #113 says it was bought from Simon Fougere. I wonder if that was my great grandfather.  Do you know of any one I could talk to about this?

Thank you,
Norman R. Fougere, Jr.
99 Heritage Lane
Duxbury, Ma 02332
781-934-0460
Webmaster Comment:   I do not know, but maybe someone will read this who knows the answer and will contact you.

Comments: I was born in Cap La Ronde. I find it interesting to see pictures of houses from my old neighbourhood. 

Comments: Incredible pictures, you must have a lot of patience.

Comments: What a great site! Thanks so much, GJ. 
Silver Donald Cameron, D'Escousse, Isle Madame

Comments: I have not been to my grandparent's house in Poulamon since I was a child, so I appreciate the photo of it.  We had a wonderful time visiting and I thank you for the trip down "memory lane".

Comments: I am the grandson of Ina Burke Poirier of D'Escousse. She was married to Phillip Poirier of Poirierville.  They emigrated to Boston in the early 1920s. My grandmother was a cousin of Eva Harding also of Boston. Eva's son was Uncle Tony, Anthony Harding of Wilmington,MA and somewhere on Isle Madame. I will be traveling through the area the first week of August.  I have never visited the area before and am very excited to see where my dad's family (Richard Edgar Poirier) came from.  I am just so taken with the history of the area and would love to learn more.  Please contact me with any information or suggestions of where to stay and points of interest.   Thanks so much, Dick Poirier

Comments: It was wonderful looking at the pictures of "home".  I will be visiting in a few weeks and I am looking forward to it!

West Arichat

Comments: hey all the gang down there! im bored today and i was feeling a little homesick (for Nova Scotia) so i started looking for some pics online, finally i found some and now its a little better. anyways, thought id sign this cause someone might find it. anyways, talk to all you guys soon hopefully. bye

Comments: Grandaugther of Harold and Agnes Britten, daughter of Ben Britten.
I love your pictures. It brings back alot of fun summertime holiday memories in Cape Breton. You never appreciate where you come from until you are too far away. I'll be back soon.