Acadian History
L'Acadie...where authentic Acadian culture comes to life. It's a tale of struggle, tragedy and ultimate triumph that began in New Brunswick...the history and the joie de vivre (zest for life) of these French-speaking Acadians attract people from around the world to hear the stories of the past come to life and to visit one of the few places in the world where you can experience authentic Acadian culture!
Acadia is Born
Beautiful St.Croix Island, surrounded by the St. Croix River and settled in 1604, was the birthplace of French Acadian culture in North America. After sailing into Passamaquoddy Bay, Samuel de Champlain, the Sieur Demonts and Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt landed on the island, which now forms the boundary between St. Stephen, New Brunswick and Calais, in the state of Maine.
The Survival of a People
From the upheaval caused by the Treaty of Utrecht - which ceded Acadia to England in 1713, to the Deportation, which tore many Acadian families apart and exiled nearly 8,000 people south to the Eastern seaboard and Loiusiana, Acadia has survived. Many Acadian families eventually found their way back home to New Brunswick... where their culture continues to thrive even today!