Chéticamp, Nova Scotia

Chéticamp is a municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. It lies on the Cabot Trail on the west coast of Cape Breton Island and at the western entrance of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The village is situated on a large bay which is protected by a barrier island on the St. Lawrence Gulf. A majority of about 3,000 residents are Acadians.

The origin of the name ' Chéticamp ' is uncertain, but leads to the French words ' chetit ' and ' camp ', meaning ' low stock', which are due to the rocky soil and the strong storms. Today the buildings are specially reinforced to withstand the harsh climate at.

History

Initially Chéticamp was used in the summer months by Charles Robin, a dealer from Jersey as a fishing base. In the following years, the pursuit of the Acadians many came into the coasts of Chéticamp. The first permanent settlers were the families of Pierre Bois and Joseph Richard, who in 1782 settled. The settlement was founded in 1790 by country guarantees to 14 families.

Economy

In addition to a major gypsum mine, which has been shut down frequently, remained the main economic activity of fishing. However, because the fish stocks are declining in recent years, tourism has grown in importance. For visitors whale watching and deep sea fishing are offered.