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Place-Names 


OF  THE 


Province  of  Nova  Scotia 


BY 


THOMAS  J.  BROWN 


1922 


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A  WORD  IN  JUSTIFICATION, 


THE  towns,  villages,  capes,  coves,  hills,  valleys,  rivers,  lakes 
and  harbors  of  this,  our  glorious  province  by  the  sea,  have 
many  strange  and  beautiful  names.  Many  of  them  were 
named  by  the  original  Indian  tribes;  others,  by  the  brave  Sp&nish, 
French,  Norse  and  English  adventurers  of  the  eariy  times;  and  still 
others  by  the  Scotch,  Irish  and  English  emigrants  who  at  a  later 
date  luckily  made  this  province  their  adopted  home. 

Often  have  we  heard  the  "stranger  within  our  gates"  exclaim: 
*'What  an  odd  [or  pretty]  name!"  "What  does  it  mean?"  "And 
why  was  it  so  named?" 

This  little  book  is  intended  to  furnish,  to  a  limited  extent,  the 
answers  to  these  questions. 

The  material  has  been  gleaned  from  many  sources;  it  would 
obviously  have  added  considerably  to  the  work  to  have  credited 
the  many  authorities  from  which  the  information  has  been  so  ruth- 
lessly plundered.  The  Author  (?)  will,  however,  frankly  admit 
that  so  far  as  he  is  concerned,  there  is  very  little  of  the  contents 
original  matter. 

The  manuscript  has  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  printer 
with  the  full  knowledge  of  its  imperfections,  but  with  the  hope  that 
it  may  some  day  be  of  assistance  to  a  more  competent  crafts- 
man. 

As  a  "Peace  Offering,"  it  is  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  Nova 
Scotia's  past  and  present  historians. 

Rock    Eyrie, 

North  Sydney,  N.  S.,  THOS.  J.  BROWN. 

December,  1922. 


"  Names  of  places  form  an  important  part  of  our  history.  They  stand  as 
memorials  of  men  and  events  in  the  past.  They  throw  light  on  the  scenes  and 
movements  of  former  ages,  and  therefore  cannot  be  neglected  in  our  study  of  the 
development  of  our  country." 

An  extract  from  an  unpublished  MS.  on  Place-Names,  by  the  late 
Rev.  Dr.  Patterson,  of  Pictou,  N.  S. 


M25^M3 


THE  INDIAN  NAMES  OF  CANADA. 


The  memory  of  the  Red  Man, 

How  can  it  pass  away, 
While  their  names  of  music  linger 

On  each  mount  and  stream  and  bay; 
While  Musquodoboit's  waters 

Roll  sparkling  to  the  main; 
While  falls  the  laughing  sunbeam 

On  Chegoggin's  fields  of  grain; 

While  floats  our  country's  banner 

O'er  Chebucto's  glorious  wave, 
And  frowning  cliffs  of  Scatarie 

The   trampling  surges   brave;  ^ 

While  breezy  Aspotogan 

Lifts  high  its  summit  blue, 
And  sparkles  on  its  winding  way 

The  gentle  Sissibou; 

While  Eskasoni's  fountains 

Pour  down  their  crystal  tide; 
While  Ingonish's  mountains 

Lift  high  their  forms  of  pride;' 
Or  while  on  Mabou's  river 

The  boatman  plies  his  oar, 
Or  the  billows  burst  in  thunder 

On  Chickaben's  rock-girt  shore  ? 

The  memory  of  the  Red  Man, 

It  lingers  like  a  spell 
On  many  a  storm-swept  headland. 

On  many  a  leafy  dell; 
Where  Tusket's  thousand  islets 

Like  emeralds  stud  the  deep; 
.  Where  Blomidon,  a  sentry  grim. 

His  endless  watch  doth  keep. 

It  dwells  round  Catalone's  blue  lake. 

Mid  leafy  forests  hid, 
Round  fair  Descouse  and  the  rushing  tides 

Of  the  turbid  Pisiquid; 
And  it  lends,  Chebogue,  a  touching  grace 

To  thy  softly  flowing  river. 
As  we  sadly  think  of  the  gentle  race 

That  has  passed  away  forever. 


Written  by 

Mr.  Richard  Huntington, 
Yarmouth,  1883. 


AMERICA. 

The  name  first  appears  in  1499,  and  is  called  after  Amerigo 
Vespucci,  an  Italian  Astronomer  and  Explorer.  The  name  as 
applied  to  the  New  Worid  had  its  origin  in  Germany. 

Colimibia,  the  name  sometimes  applied  to  America,  is  so  called 
from  Columbus,  who  discovered  America  in  1492. 


CANADA. 

The  name  first  appears  in  1540,  and  is  derived  from  the  Indian 
word  "Kannata"  or  "Kannatha"  which  means  a  settlement,  or 
collection  of  cabins.  It  is  said  to  be  of  Iroquois  Indian  derivation, 
and  was  supposed  to  have  been  applied  to  the  Indian  encampment 
at  Montreal,  but  was  unwittingly  appHed  by  Cartier  to  the  whole 
country. 

MARITIME  PROVINCES. 

The  Maritime  Provinces  were  known  by  the  Indians  as  "Mega- 
mage"  i.  e.  home  of  the  Micmacs,  or  the  true  man. 

Note.  1. — The  names  in  this  book  are  in  alphabetical  or  diction- 
ary order.  Immediately  after  the  name  appears  the  initial  letter, 
or  letters  of  the  County  in  which  the  place  is  located. 


Annapolis 

(A) 

Antigonish 

(Ant.) 

Cape  Breton 

(C.  B.) 

Colchester 

(Col.) 

Cumberland 

(C) 

Digby 

(D) 

Guysborough 

(G) 

Halifax 

(H) 

Hants 

(Hts.) 

Inverness 

(I) 

Kings 

(K) 

Lunenburg 

(L) 

Pictou 

(P) 

Queens 

(Q) 

Richmond 

(R) 

Shelbume 

(S) 

Victoria 

(V) 

Yarmouth 

(Y) 

Note  2. — So  far  as  adopted  by  them  to  this  date  the  spelling 
of  the  place  names  throughout  is  the  spelling  approved  by  the 
Geographic  Board  of  Canada. 


Place-Names  of    Nova  Scotia. 


ABERCROMBIE(P.)— This  place  was  likely  so  named  after 
General  James  Abercrombie,  a  British  General,  who  was  connected 
with  the  42nd  or  the  first  battalion  of  Royal  Highlanders.  He 
made  several  campaigns  in  Canada,  and  was  killed  at  Bunker  Hill 
in  1775. 

ABERDEEN,  C.  B.— See  New  Aberdeen. 

ABUPTIC  HARBOR  AND  RIVER  (Y.)— See  Argyle  River, 

ACADIA. — Acadia,  sometimes  Cadie  or  Kaddy,  is  the  Micmac 
Indian  equivalent  of  region,  field,  ground,  land  or  place,  the  place 
of;  and  when  joined  to  an  adjective,  it  denotes  that  the  place 
referred  to  is  the  appropriate  or  special  place  of  the  object  expressed 
by  the  noun  or  noun-adjective.  In  the  Micmac  Indian  language 
adjectives  of  this  kind  are  formed  by  suffixing  **a"  or  "wa"  to  the 
noun. 

As  an  example:  Segubbun  is  the  Micmac  Indian  for  ground 
nut.  Segubbuna,  of  or  relating  to  ground  nuts.  Segubbuna- 
Kaddy,  is  the  place  or  region  of  ground  nuts.  This  gives  us  the 
place  name   of   "Shubenacadie." 

The  Malicite  Indians  used  the  word  "quoddy"  for  "Kaddy,*, 
as  it  occurs  in  the  place  name  "Passamaquoddy." 

Acadia  included  the  greater  part  of  Maine,  Nova  Scotia  and 
New  Brunswick,  and  was  known  as  "the  Duke's  territory"  and  later 
as  "the  King's  territory",  it  was  also  sometimes  called  "the  province 
of  Sagadahock." 

ACADIA  COLLEGE— See  Wolfville. 

ACADIAVILLE  (R.)— Formerly  Little  Arichat,  changed  by 
Act  of  Parliament  to  its  present  name  in  1866. 

ADDINGTON  FORKS  (Ant.)— Likely  so  named  in  honor 
of  the  Addington  who  was  the  British  Prime  Minister  in  the  years 
that  Edward,  the  Duke  of  Kent,  was  Commander-in-Chief  of  Nova 
Scotia,  1796-1800. 

^  AINSLIE  (I.)— The  Township  of  Ainslie  one  of  the  four  sub- 
divisions of  the  north-western  part  of  Cape  Breton  Island,  was 
formed  in  the  year  1828  and  was  named  after  Lake  Ainslie  which 


8  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

in  turn  had  been  named  after  Lt.-Govemor  Ainslie,  who  was  the 
Lt.-Governor  of  Cape  Breton  Island  1816-1820. 

(See  Lake  Ainslie). 

ALBA  (L) — This  place  formerly  known  as  "Boom"  was  given 
its  present  name  by  Act  of  Parliament  in  1893.  It  is  the  Latin 
name  for  ** white"  and  the  name  is  appHcable  owing  to  the  large 
quantities  of  white  plaster  rocks  to  be  found  in  the  neighborhood. 

ALBERT  BRIDGE  (C.  B.)— The  Bridge  and  place  was  no 
doubt  named  in  honor  of  the  Prince  Coilsort,  who  married  Queen 
Victoria  in   1840. 

ALDERNE  Y  (R.) — A  place  on  Isle  Madame,  named  after  the 
Channel  Island  Alderney,  which  name  is  a  corruption  of  the  French 
"Aurigny."  A  number  of  Alderney  fishermen  frequented  this  port 
of   Cape   Breton. 

ALLEN  RIVER  OR  CREEK  (A.)— This  is  the  name  now  given 
the  smaller  Annapolis  River,  once  known  as  "L'Esquilla"  from  the 
German  "Equille",  meaning  **a  sea  needle"  or  little  fish;  French 
meaning  "splinter."  This  name  "L'Equille"  is  now  given  to  an- 
other river  in  this  county.  Called  by  Dierville  in  1708,  Du  Moulin 
River,  the  French  for  "Mill  River." 

ALMA  (P.) — So  named  in  commemoration  of  the  place  where 
a  great  victory  was  won  by  the  Allies  over  the  Russians  in  the 
Crimean  War  in  the  year  1854. 

AMAGUADUS  POND  (C.  B.)— This  place  is  said  to  be  named 
from  a  Micmac  Indian  word  meaning  "plenty."  It  was  first  settled 
by  Europeans  in  the  year  1805.  At  the  request  of  the  inhabitants 
the  name  was  changed  to  Castle  Bay  (see)  in  the  year  1896. 

AMETHYST  COVE  (K.)— So  named  owing  to  then  umber  of 
Agate,  Jasper,  and  Amethyst  specimens  found  there. 

AMET  ISLAND  (Col.)— The  original  name  of  this  island  is 
supposed  to  have  been  "Isle  L'Ormet"  or  "L'Ormet"  and  the  name 
is  supposed  to  be  suggested  by  its  resemblance  to  an  "Armet"  or 
helmet. 

AMHERST  (C.) — This  place  was  named  after  Lord  Jeffrey 
Amherst  (1717-1797)  who,  in  co-operation  with  Admiral  Boscawen, 
captured  Louisbtu-g  in  1758.  He  was  appointed  Commander-in- 
Chief  and  Governor  General  in  America  in  1761.  Previous  to 
1759,  it  was  called  by  the  French  "Les  Planches."  The  Micmac 
Indian  name  was  "Nemaloos  Kudaagun"  and  "Nemcheboogwek," 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA  9 

the  latter  meaning  * 'going  up  rising  ground."     One  of  the  three 
township  divisions  of  Cumberland  County  is  called  Amherst. 

AMIRAULT  HILL  (Y.) — ^Jacques  Amirau  (corruption  from 
Amirault,  sometimes  Amero)  settled  lands  on  the  Tusket  River  in 
Yarmouth  County  in  1766.     The  Hill  retains  his  name. 

ANDERSON  LAKE  (H.)— Given  this  name  after  an  early  set- 
tler.    This  lake  is  sometimes  known  as  Gough's  Lake. 

ANDERSON  MOUNTAIN  (P.)— Named  after  Andrew  Ander- 
son, who  received  a  grant  of  lands  there.     He  was  the  first  settler. 

ANDERSON  POINT  (C.  B.)— Near  Sydney,  named  after  a 
Mr.  James  Anderson,  who  did  a  general  mercantile  business  there 
about  1840. 

ANNAPOLIS  (A.)— It  is  said  that  Champlain  was  filled  with 
admiration  with  the  security  and  spaciousness  of  this  place  and  gave 
it  the  name  "Port  Royal."  It  was  founded  by  De  Monts  in  1604. 
In  some  old  documents  this  name  appears  as  ''Royal  Haven." 
The  Micmac  Indian  name  for  AnnapoHs  River  was  "Taoopskek" 
meaning  "flowing  out  between  rocks."  The  River  was  for  a  short 
time  called  by  the  French  the  "Dauphin,"  meaning  "the  eldest  son 
of  royalty."  It  received  its  present  name  from  the  English  in 
1710  in  honor  of  Queen  Anne  of  England.  The  name  was  formed 
by  connecting  the  name  of  Queen  Anne  with  the  Greek  word 
"polls"  meaning  city.  It  was  one  of  the  five  earliest  counties  of  the 
Province  which  were  formed  in  the  year  1759.  The  settlement  was 
destroyed  by  Sir  Samuel  Argyle  in  the  year  1618  in  the  name  of 
Great  Britain. 

AnnapoHs  was  the  capital  of  Nova  Scotia  from  1710  to  1749, 
when  Halifax  became  the  capital. 

Annapolis  County  is  divided  into  four  townships — Annapolis, 
Granville,  Wilmot  and  Clements. 

Annapolis  County  is  the  smallest  county  in  the  Province.  It 
contains  552  square  miles. 

Annapolis  was  captured  by  the  English  in  1654,  restored  to  the 
French  in  1668,  again  captured  in  1690  and  again  restored  in  1697; 
finally  captured  by  Nicholson  in  1710,  when  it  was  renamed. 

1620-1630  an  ephemeral  Scottish  Colony  was  located  at  Annap- 
olis. In  1626  it  was  captured  by  Sir  David  Kirk  with  an  English 
Fleet.     In  1634  it  was  granted  to  Claude  de  Ragilly. 

ANSE  DE  LA  CHOUX  (R.)— Near  St.  Esprit;  so  named  by 
the  French  owing  to  a  wild  celery  found  there,  excellent  for  salads 
and  soups.  Anse  is  the  French  for  cove  or  creek  and  Choux  is  the 
plural  of  the  French  word  chou,  meaning  cabbage. 


10  PLACE-NAMES    OF    NOVA    SCOTIA 


ANSE  LE  BLANG  (D.)— Le  Blanc  Cove,  settled  in  1769  and 
named  after  Charles  Le  Blanc,  an  early  settler.  Anse  being  the 
French  for  cove  and  Blanc  the  French  for  white;  the  English  named 
the  place  White  Cove. 

ANTHONY'S  NOSE  (COL.)— A  point  on  the  Shubenacadie 
River  where  the  coral  and  shell  cliff,  nearly  fifty  feet  high,  reminded 
some  early  settlers  of  a  man's  nose  and  two  robust  cheeks.  They 
called  it  St.  Anthony's  Nose — now  Anthony's  Nose. 

ANTIGONISH  (ANT.)— The  Micmac  Indian  spelling  of  this 
word  is  "Nalegelkooneech."  Dr.  Rand  says  the  Micmac  meaning 
of  the  word  is :  the  place  where  branches  are  torn  oft  the  trees  by 
bears  getting  beech  nuts.  Several  writers  say  the  name  is  from  an 
Indian  word  meaning  "River  of  fish,"  but  Dr.  Rand's  derivation 
is  likely  the  correct  one. 

Antigonish  County  is  divided  into  four  Townships — Antigo- 
nish,  Tracadie,  St.  Andrews,  and  Arisaig. 

On  Nicholas  Deny's  map  of  1672  he  calls  it  "River  d'Anticon- 
nachie."  In  1685  the  name  appears  on  Father  Jumeau's  map  as 
Artigonieche.  In  1733  it  appears  as  Antigonich.  In  1744  Bellin 
spells  it  Antigoniche.  In  1755  it  first  appears  as  Antigonish,  the 
present  form.  Father  Pacific  gives  a  Micmac  spelling  of  Antigo- 
nish as  "Alitgonieljg"  and  says  the  meaning  is  "broken  branches" 
which  partly  agrees  with  Dr.  Rand's  interpretation.  French  set- 
tlers were  in  Antigonish  as  early  as  1762.  An  English  officer 
Timothy  Hierlihy  was  in  the  country  in  1775.  He  and  eighty 
others  received  a  very  large  grant  of  land  in  1784. 

The  name  "Antigonish"  as  applied  to  the  County,  replacing 
ts  former  county  name  of  "Sydney,"  first  appears  in  1863,  when  it 
was  changed  by  an  Act  of  Parliament. 

The  Antigonish  town  of  today  was  one  time  known  as  "Dor- 
chester," the  name  of  the  township  of  which  Antigonish  is  the 
shire  town. 

In  Antigonish  is  the  St.  Francis  Xavier  College,  a  Diocesan 
Institution  opened  as  Arichat  College,  at  Ajichat,  C.  B.,  in  1853, 
transferred  to  Antigonish  and  established  as  a  college  under  its 
present  name  in  1855;  University  powers  created  by  an  Act  of 
Legislature  in  1866.  Named  after  Saint  Francis  Xavier,  the 
Patron  Saint  of  Canada. 

,  ANTON  (COL.)— Formerly  known  as  Polly  Bog,  changed  to 
Anton  in  1880  by  an  Act  of  Parliament. 

ANTRIM  (H.)— So  named  after  the  Ulster  Town  or  County 
in  Ireland  of  that  name. 

APAGWIT  (G.)— A  small  island  in  the  Gut  of  Canso.    An 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  11 

Indian  word  meaning  "moored  in  shelter"  or  "sheltered  by  the 
encircling  shore."  (This,  or  "Abagwit"  was  the  original  Indian 
name  for  Prince  Edward  Island). 

APPIN  (ANT.) — Named  after  a  small  district  near  Loch 
Linnhe  in  Argyleshire,  Scotland. 

APPLE  RIVER  (C.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Agoomakun"  meaning  "where  they  catch  herring." 

APSLEY  (C.  B.)  This  name  is  found  in  1820  applied  as  the 
"Parish  of  Apsley"  in  the  County  of  Bathurst.  It  was  within 
the  present  County  of  Cape  Breton  boundaries.  The  name  comes 
from  the  house  of  Lord  Bathurst  "Apsley,"  which  became  famous; 
as  it  was  the  house  presented  to  the  Duke  of  Wellington  by  a 
grateful  country  in  the  year  1820. 

ARCADIA  (Y.) — This  place  was  once  known  as  Upper  Che- 
bogue.  It  received  its  present  name  on  the  27th  of  January,  1863. 
The  name  was  chosen  because  of  the  building  of  a  brig  there  in 
1817  by  Bartlett  Gardner.     The  brig  was  named  "Arcadia." 

ARCHIBALD  MILLS  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place 
was  "Kesokedek"  meaning  "the  road  that  runs  over  a  hill." 

ARCHIBALD  POINT  (V.)— A  point  north  of  North  Bay, 
Ingonish,  said  to  be  named  after  Archibald  &  Co,  a  firm  that  ran  a 
fishing  establishment  near  there  some  years  ago. 

ARDNESS  (P.) — The  name,  in  a  Scottish  settlement,  suggests 
Aird,  a  town  in  the  Isle  of  Skye,  from  which  some  of  the  settlers 
came;  and  "Ness,"  akin  to  nose,  a  point  of  land  running  into  the  sea. 
It  is  an  inland  village,  but  nevertheless  we  believe  that  this  is  how 
the  name  was  constructed.  The  prefix  "Ard"  is  found  in  a  number 
of  place  names  of  Scotland. 

ARENBERG  ISLAND  (L.)— Sometimes  called  "Paradise 
Island."  Named  after  a  family  named  Arenberg,  who  for  many 
years  made  the  island  their  home. 

ARGYLE  (Y.) — One  of  the  two  township  divisions  of  Yar- 
mouth County.  This  place  is  no  doubt  named  after  Argyle  or 
Argyll,  in  Western  Scotland.  The  Township  was  granted  in  1771, 
and  contained  187  sq.  miles.  The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Bapkoktek."  It  was  named  Argyle  by  Capt.  Ronald  McKinnon 
who  received  a  grant  of  land  here  in  consideration  of  his  services 
as  a  soldier. 


12  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 

ARGYLE  (I.) — Formerly  known  as  South  Side  Lake  Ainslie, 
in  the  year  1893  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  was  changed  to  its  pres- 
ent name. 

ARGYLE  RIVER  (¥.)— Was  known  as  Abuptic  River.  The 
Indian  name  and  spelling  was  *Tobbobtek"  or  "Bapkoktek.  It 
was  settled  in  the  year  1763.  The  settlement  was  named  Argyle 
by  Captain  Ronald  McKinnon,  an  early  settler  from  the  Western 
Highlands  of  Scotland,  and  the  name  of  the  settlement  was  applied 
to  the  River. 

ARICHAT  (R.)— The  Micmac  Indian  name  "Nerichat"  was 
by  transformation  brought  to  Arichat.  On  some  early  plans  it  is 
found  as  "Nerichau."  West  Arichat  was  at  one  time  named 
** Acadia ville,"  as  some  of  the  Acadians  after  their  expulsion  from 
Grand  Pre,  settled  in  this  place.  The  Indians  also  had  the  name  of 
"Liksake"  for  Arichat,  meaning  worn  rocks,  also  **EHksake"  mean- 
ing "the  camping  ground  " 

ARISAIG  (ANT.) — This  place  was  settled  just  previous  to 
1815  by  families  from  Arisaig  in  the  Highlands  of  Scotland,  who 
gave  their  old  home  name  to  their  new  home.  The  grants  were 
dated  1815,  but  there  is  no  doubt  the  settlers  were  there  at  an 
earlier  date.  It  is  one  of  the  four  Township  divisions  of  Antigonish 
County. 

ARLINGTON  (H.)— The  old  name  for  this  place  was  Moose- 
land.  It  was  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament 
passed  in  1897.     (See  Arlington  West). 

ARLINGTON  WEST  (A.)— So  named  in  1876  by  the  inhab- 
itants who  met  together  for  that  purpose  at  the  time  of  the  opening 
of  a  Post  Office  for  the  community.  The  name  was  probably 
suggested  by  some  citizen  after  Arlington  in  Massachusetts. 

ASHVILLE  (I.) — Formerly  named  Sodom.  In  the  year  1875 
the  name  was  changed  to  Ashville  by  an  Act  of  Parliament. 

ASKILTON  (I.) — At  one  time  part  of  and  known  as  River 
Inhabitants,  but  in  the  year  1865  was  named  "Askilton,"  a  word 
coined  from  the  name  of  Donald  McAskill,  who  was  the  Postmaster 
at  that  time. 

ASPOTOGAN  (L.)— Also  "Ashmutogun."  The  name  is 
derived  from  the  Indian  name  "Ukpudeskakun,  "  which  means 
"When  they  blockade  the  passageway,"  referring  to  the  place 
where  the  seals  go  in  and  out.  The  In  diansused  to  block  up  the 
passage  in  order  to  enable  them  to  kill  the  seals.  "Kebego  Kooctk," 


PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA   SCOTIA  13 


meaning  "a  closing  of  the  passage"  is  another  Micmac  name  for 
Aspotogan.  There  are  the  Harbor,  Mountain,  Peninsula  and 
Village  of  this  name. 

ASPY  BAY  (V)— The  French  called  this  bay  Havre  D'Aspe  or 

D'Achepe.  Some  authorities  say  that  the  Basque  sailors  named  it 
Pic  d'Aspe,  after  a  Pyrenees  Mount;  others  say  it  is  from  the  Mic- 
mac Indian  word  "apago"  meaning  codfish.  There  is  also  the 
River  of  this  name. 

ATHOL  (C) — A  name  possibly  suggested  by  descendants  of 
the  Loyalists  after  John  Murray  the  4th  Duke  of  Athol.  The 
name  is  now  applied  to  the  place  that  was  formerly  known  as  ''Little 
Forks."      The  change  was  authorized  by  Parliament  in  1871. 

AULD  COVE  (G)— First  settled  about  the  year  1785.  It  is 
named  after  one  of  its  first  settlers,  a  Mr.  Alexander  Auld. 

AVON  RIVER  (HTS)— was  at  one  time  known  as  ''Ingogon." 
The  Indian  name  was  "Tooetunook"  meaning,  "flowing  square 
into  the  sea."  The  largest  branch  of  the  river  the  Indians  called 
"Amagapeskjik"  which  means  "running  over  stones."  The  present 
name  is  after  the  river  Avon  in  Scotland,  made  famous  in  song. 
The  eastern  branch  of  this  river  was  called  by  the  Indians  "Apset- 
kwechk",  meaning,  "running  small"  and  the  largest  branch  was 
known  as  "Amagapakitjik",  meaning  "rushing  over  rocks"  or 
"running  over  stones." 

AYLESFORD  (K)— Granted  as  early  as  1770.  The  township 
was  one  of  the  four  townships  of  Kings  County  and  was  formed 
in  the  year  1784.  The  name  was  probably  given  in  honor  of  the 
Fourth  Earl  of  Aylesford,  Lord  of  the  Bedchamber  to  King  George 
III. 

Aylesford  Bog  the  Indians  called  "Kobetek"  meaning  "beaver" 
or  "the  beavers'  home"  from  a  little  beaver-shaped  island. 


14  PLACE-NAMES   OF    NOVA   SCOTIA 


B 


BACCARO,  BACCARO  POINT  (S)— This  place  is  named 
from  the  Basque  word  Baccalaos,  meaning  cod  fish.  The  name 
Baccalaos  was  at  one  time  given  to  Newfoundland  and  Nova 
Scotia,  later  to  Nova  Scotia  only.  This  place  and  a  small  Isle  in 
Conception  Bay,  Newfoundland,  are  the  only  remains  of  a  general 
name  "Baccaleanmi  Regis"  which  was  at  one  time  (1542)  applied 
to  Canada. 

BADDECK  (V.)— Strictly  speaking,  Bedek  or  Ebedek,  an  old 
Micmac  Indian  name  changed  by  the  early  French  to  Bedeque. 
Dr.  Rand  gives  the  spelling  as  Epdek  or  Eptek  and  the  meaning 
as — the  warm  place — but  he  applies  this  meaning  to  Bedeque,  P.  E. 
I.  For  Victoria  County  *'Baddeck"  he  gives  the  word  "Abadak," 
meaning  a  portion  of  food  put  aside  for  some  one.  Dr.  Patterson 
says  it  is  Indian,  meaning,  place  with  an  island  near ;  this  would 
fit  Baddeck,  as  Kitson  Island  is  directly  in  front  of  the  village. 

BAILLIE  BROOK  (P.) — Takes  its  name  from  one  of  its  earli- 
est settlers,  John  Baillie,  a  native  of  Sutherlandshire,  Scotland, 
who  took  up  lands  and  settled  near  the  brook. 

BAIN  ROAD  (Y.)— Named  after  an  early  settler,  Mr.  Alex- 
ander Bain. 

BAIRD  COVE  (C.  B.)— On  the  south  shore  of  Morien  Bay, 
so  named  owing  to  James  Baird  having  opened  a  coal  mine  nearby 
in  the  year  1867. 

BAKER  ISLAND  (L.)— So  named  after  a  settler  named 
James  Baker. 

BALACHE  POINT  (I.)— In  the  Strait  of  Canso  named  after 
a  Jersey  family  of  early  settlers,  sometimes  called,  incorrectly, 
McMillan's  Point  and  Plaster  Cove. 

BALEINE  (R.) — Probably  named  by  the  French  at  an  earlier 
date  after  Baleine  in  France.  At  one  time  known  as  Puerto  Nova 
(New  Port).     Captain  Leigh  in  1597  says  he  was  in  Puerto  Nova. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  name  was  suggested  by  a  whale- 
shaped  island  at  the  entrance — the  French  word  for  whale  being 
"baleine." 

Lord  Ochiltree  built  a  fort  here  in  1629  and  made  an  effort 


PLACE-NAMES   OF    NOVA   SCOTIA  15 

to  colonize  the  place,  but  was  forced  by  the  French  under  Captain 
Daniel  to  abandon  it. 

BALL  CREEK  (C.  B.)— Named  after  an  English  family  of 
this  name,  who  came  to  Sydney  in  its  early  days  and  settled  near 
where  the  present  bridge  crosses  the  creek. 

BALMORAL  (C.  B.),  BALMORAL  (R),  BALMORAL 
MILLS  (C  O  L) — Named  after  the  place  in  Scotland  made  famous 
by  being  a  residential  choice  of  Royalty. 

BARN  RIVER  (D.) — Named  so  owing  to  an  early  settler 
John  Hill  having  built  a  barn  at  the  river. 

BARNES  CREEK,  BARNES  POINT  (Y.)— Named  so  after 
an  early  settler  John  Barnes,  who  settled  in  Plymouth,  Yarmouth 
County,  173L 

BARNEY  RIVER  (P.)— There  is  a  river  and  village  of  this 
name  named  after  Barnabas,  or  Barney  McGee,  who  was  the  first 
settler  in  Merigomish.     He  moved  to  Barney  River  in  the  year  1776. 

BARRACK  POINT  (C.  B.)— Part  of  Sydney,  so  named  owing 
to  the  existence  of  Military  Barracks  there.  This  point  was  fort- 
ified in  1794  and  was  then  called  "Fort  Ogilvie." 

BARRA  HEAD  (V.)— Near  St.  Ann's.  The  Indian  name  of 
this  place  was  "Bootlotek"  (See  Barra  Strait). 

BARRA  STRAIT  (C.  B.)— (See  Grand  Narrows).  This 
place  was  settled  about  1802  and  named  after  Barra,  Scotland.  The 
original  "Barra"  is  so  named  in  honor  of  the  Saint  "Kilbar,"  or 
"Bar  of  the  cell." 

BARRACHOIS  HARBOR  (COL.)— (See  Barrasois).  This 
place  was  at  one  time  known  as  Joseph  Harbor,  as  named  by  Col. 
Joseph  Frederick  Wallet  Desbarres,  after  himself. 

BARRASOIS  or  BARACHOIS— A  descriptive  name  found 
in  many  places  throughout  Nova  Scotia.  The  word  is  from  Acad- 
ian French  "Barre  a  cheoir,"  and  means  lagoon  or  pond.  It  is 
generally  applied  to  ponds  separated  from  larger  bodies  of  water 
by  necks  of  land  or  sand  bars. 

In  Pichon's  History  (1760)  he  refers  to  the  name  "Bara- 
chois"  thus  "They  give  the  name  in  this  country  to  small  ponds 
near  the  sea  from  which  they  are  separated  only  by  a  kind  of 
causeway.  There  is  no  possibility  of  travelling  even  the  distance  of 
a  league  along  the  coa«st  of  Cape  Breton  without  meeting  with  some 
of  these  pieces  of  water." 


16  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 

BARRIE  BEACH  (H.)— The  old  name  of  this  place  was 
Stoney  Beach. 

HARRINGTON  (S)— Called  by  the  French  "La  Passage'^ 
and  by  the  Indians  "Ministiguish,"  or  "Ministegek"  meaning  "he 
has  gone  for  it."  It  was  settled  in  1760-63  by  eighty  families  from 
Nantucket  and  Cape  Cod. 

The  town,  township  and  passage  received  their  present  name 
after  the  2nd  Viscount  Barrington  (1717-1793).  He  was  secretary 
of  war  1755-61  and  again  1765-78. 

Shelbume  County  is  divided  into  two  townships,  Shelburne, 
and  Barrington,  which  was  formed  in  the  year  1767. 

BARRINGTON  COVE  (C.  B.)— (See  Prince  of  Wales  Land- 
ing). 

BARTON  (D.)— So  named  after  Lt.-Col.  Joseph  Barton  an 
early  Loyalist  settler.     It  was  formerly  known  as  Specht's    Cove 

BATESTON  (C.  B.)— So  called  after  a  family  of  early  settlers 
named  Bates. 

BATTERY  POINT  (C.  B.)— At  Sydney  Mines.  There 
was  a  Battery  of  guns  on  this  point  (which  was  then  known  as 
Pecks  Head)  in  the  year  1794.     The  fort  was  called  Fort  Dundas. 

BATTERY  POINT  (L.)— There  was  a  Blockhouse  on  this 
point  in  1753,  hence  the  name.  It  was  at  one  time  called  "Fort 
Boscawen." 

BAXTER  HARBOR  (K.)— This  place  had  an  early  settler 
whose  name  was  Dr.  William  Baxter,  after  whom  it  was  named. 

BAYER  SETTLEMENT  (H.)— First  settled  in  the  year  1779 

by  a  family  named  Bayer  and  named  after  the  family. 

BAYFIELD  (ANT)--So  named  in  honor  of  Admiral  Henry 
Wolsay  Bayfield,  who  surveyed  and  made  charts  for  the  Gulf  of 
St.  Lawrence,  and  many  other  parts  of  Canada,  between  the  years 
1814  and  1854. 

BAY  OF  FUND Y— The  Portugese  called  the  place  "Baia 
Fundo"  meaning  deep  bay,  hence  the  present  name.  Others 
claim  that  the  word  "Fundy"  is  derived  from  "fond"  meaning  the 
end  or  top  of  the  bay.  In  1604  DeMonts  called  the  bay  "le  grande 
Bay  Francoise,"  a  name  it  retained  until  the  English  renamed  it. 
Sir  William  Alexander  in  1624  called  it  Argall's  Bay  after  Sir 
Samuel  Argall,  an  English  adventiirer  who  raided  it  in  1613. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA  17 

BAYSWATER  (L.)— By  an  Act  of  the  Legislature  passed  in 
1865  Sandy  Beaches,  Northwest  Cove,  Southwest  Cove,  Cole- 
man's Cove  and  Aspotogan  Harbor,  on  the  western  side  of 
St.  Margaret's  Bay,  were  all  included  under  the  name  of  Bayswater. 

BAY  VERTE  (C.)— Named  by  the  French  *'Baie  Verte," 
meaning  "green  bay."  It  is  said  to  be  so  named  owing  to  the  salt 
water  grasses,  which  at  times  present  the  appearance  of  green 
meadows.  The  Micmacs  called  it  *'Weg-wam-a-gwek,"  which 
means  "land's  end." 

BAY  VIEW  ISLAND  (A.)— This  island  was  first  called  "L'Isle 
du  Couchons,"  by  the  French;  and  "Hog  Island," — which  is  a 
direct  translation  from  the  French  name — by  the  English. 

BEAL  ISLAND  (Y.)— An  Island  in  Chebogue  Harbor  which 
received  its  name  from  an  early  settler  Josiah  Beal,  who  came  from 
New  England  about  the  year  1761. 

BEAR  RIVER  (D.)— This  place  was  at  one  time  called  "St. 
Anthony"  also  at  one  time  called  "Imbert"  after  Simon  Imbert,  a 
Frenchman  who  commanded  a  relief  ship  for  Port  Royal  in  1612. 
Corrupted  from  Imbert  to  Bear  River.  The  Indian  name  was 
"Eelsetkook"  meaning  "flowing  along  by  high  rocks." 

The  name  of  this  place  appears  on  some  modern  maps  as 
"Hillsborough."  Some  say  the  name  was  given  it  because  the 
famous  Rogers  Rangers  killed  a  bear  on  its  bank,  but  it  is  more 
likely  a  corruption  of  Imbert,  or  Herbert,  after  Louis  Herbert  an 
apothecary  who  accompanied  Champlain  in  1604.  It  is  referred 
to  as  "Riviere  Herbert"  in  Lescarbot's  "History  de  la  Nouvelle 
France"  1612. 

BEAVER  COVE  (C.  B.)— Beavers  may  have  been  plentiful 
here,  and  hence  the  name;  but  in  the  early  years  of  the  19th  century 
an  Irishman  named  Beaver  lived  in  this  vicinity,  and  the  place  was 
very  likely  named  after  him. 

BEAVER  HARBOR  (H.)— The  Indian  name  of  this  harbor 
was  "Kobelawakwemoode"  meaning  beaver  harbor.  Indian  tra- 
dition relates  that  here  Glooscap  threw  one  of  the  large  rocks  there 
at  the  mystical  beaver. 

BEAVER  LAKE  (Q.)— So  named  owing  to  the  beavers  at 
one  time  being  found  in  numbers  in  its  vicinity. 

BEAVER  RIVER  (Y.)— So  named  because  beavers  were  at 
one  time  plentiful  there.  The  settlement  first  took  the  name  of 
the  River,  but  part  of  it  was  later  named  Maitland. 


18  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


BEDFORD  (H.)— Named  in  honor  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford, 
who  was  Secretary  of  State  in  1749.  The  Indians  called  this  place 
"Kwebek"  meaning  the  head  of  the  tide.  It  was  known  as  Fort 
Sackville  before  receiving  its  present  name. 

BEINN  BHREAGH  (V.)— Formerly  known  as  Red  Head  a 
descriptive  name  given  it  owing  to  the  reddish  character  of  the 
rocks.  The  property  of  the  late  Prof.  Graham  Bell,  the  inventor 
of  the  telephone. 

The  name  is  the  Gaelic  for  ''Beautiful  Mountain."  The  Indian 
name  for  this  place  was  **Megwatpatek,"  meaning  the  red  head. 

BELFRY  LAKE  (C.  B.)— Near  Gabarouse  Lake.  Pichon 
says — "Near  Gabarus  is  a  pond  called  '* Belief euille."  It  is  quite 
possible  that  Belfry  is  a  corruption  of  the  French  name. 

BELLE  COTE  (L)— Formerly  known  as  East  Side  Margaree 
Harbor,  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year 
1892.     The  name  is  French,  meaning  "Pretty  hillside." 

BELLENDEN  HEAD— See  Pettipas. 

BELLI SLE  (A.) — Received  its  name  from  Alexander  Le- 
Borgne,  an  early  settler,  whose  title  was  the  "Sieur  de  Bellisle"  and 
who  was  left  by  the  Sieur  de  Morillon  de  Bourg  in  1668  as  the 
Commander-in-Chief  of  Port  Royal. 

BELLIVEAU  COVE  (D.)— So  named  after  a  French  Acadian 
family  of  that  name  who  settled  there.  There  is  also  a  village  of 
the  same  name  in  Digby. 

BELL  COVE  (L) — Near  Lower  Dublin,  received  its  name  after 
an  early  settler  named  Bell. 

BELL  ISLAND  (L.) — Named  after  an  early  settler,  Alexander 
Bell. 

BELLONI  (C.  B.) — Named  after  an  American,  Robert 
Belloni,  who  at  one  time  owned  and  operated  a  coal  mine  in  this 
part  of  Cape  Breton. 

BELMONT  (Hts.) — This  place  was  previously  known  as 
Highfield.  It  was  changed  to  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment in  the  year  1873. 

BENACADIE  (C.B.)— The  original  of  this  name  is  the  Mic- 
mac  Indian  word  "Ooobunakade"  meaning  "place  of  bringing 
forth."     It  was  a  moose  resort  in  the  calling  or  mating  season. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA  19 

Again  it  is  said  to  be  from  the  Micmac  Indian  word  "Benakade" 
meaning  "the  humble  place." 

BEN  EOIN  (C.  B.)— This  is  a  Gaelic  word  meaning  "Jona- 
than's Mountain" — the  Scotch  often  call  two  of  their  family 
by  the  same  Christian  name.  When  it  is  John,  the  second  is 
generally  known  as  Jonathan.  One  of  the  early  settlers  was  known 
as  Jonathan,  the  Gaelic  of  which  is  Eoin,  hence  the  name  of  the 
place. 

BERLIN  (0.)— See  East  and  West  Berlin. 

BERWICK  (K.) — It  is  said  that  this  district  was  settled  as 
far  back  as  1760  by  English  from  Connecticut  who  took  the  places 
vacated  by  the  unfortunate  Acadians.  It  was  formerly  named 
"Pleasant  Valley,"  and  the  village  was  known  as  "Currie's  Comer," 
later  called  "Congdon's  Corner"  and  in  1835  "Davison's  Corner," 
after  a  man  named  Davison,  an  early  settler. 

The  present  name  was  given  it  in  1857 — at  a  meeting  called 
for  that  purpose — and  is  after  the  English  seaport  town  on  the 
Tweed.  At  the  meeting  it  was  also  decided  the  word  would  be 
pronounced  Ber-wick,  not  Ber-ick,  as  is  the  English  name. 

BHEIN  VIORACH  (I.)— A  Gaelic  name  meaning  sharp 
mountain. 

BIG  BEACH  (C.  B.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Amamkeak,"  meaning  "the  long  sand  beach." 

BIG  POND  (C.  B.)— A  descriptive  name.  The  Micmac 
Indians  called  Big  Pond  and  its  neighborhood  "Edoobukuk." 
The  maps  as  recent  as  1868  give  this  name.  Big  Pond  itself,  Dr. 
Rand  says,  the  Indians  called  "Naookteboojooik,"  meaning  "it 
stands  alone."  The  name  of  this  place  also  appears  as  "Anse  du 
Charbon"  which  is  the  French  for  Coal  Cove. 

BIG  THRUMCAP  (H.)— See  Thrumcap. 

BIG  TUSKET  ISLAND  (Y.)— (See  Tusket.)  This  Island  is 
sometimes  known  as  Magray  Island,  owing  to  its  first  settler  who 
came  there  from  Marble  Head  in  1774,  being  named  John  Magray. 

BILLTOWN  (K.)— About  the  year  1770  this  place  was  settled; 
one  of  the  settlers  was  William  C.  Bill,  after  whom  the  place  was 
named. 

BIRCHTOWN  (S.)— A  descriptive  name,  as  the  birchwood 
was  plentiful  there.     This  place  is  opposite  Shelburne  town.     It 


20  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


was  laid  out  about  the  year  1783  as  a  town  for  the  negroes.  They 
numbered  about  four  thousand  at  the  time  and  built  quite  a  large 
town  there.  The  greater  number  of  them  were  removed  to 
Sierra   Leone  in   1790   or    1791. 

BIRD  ISLANDS  (V.)— A  resort  for  many  kinds  of  sea  birds. 
The  name  of  these  islands  appears  on  the  very  old  maps  as 
^'Ciboux  Islands"  and  being  near  the  entrance  to  St.  Ann's,  gives 
rise  to  the  belief  that  the  name  "Cibou"  was  given  to  St.  Ann's 
and  not  to  Sydney,  as  stated    by  some  authorities.    (See  Sydney.) 

The  Indian  name  for  these  islands  was  **Kloopskeaakade."  On 
some  plans  the  outer  Bird  Island  is  called  Hiboux,  evidently  a 
mistake  for  Ciboux ;  the  inner  island  appears  as  Hertford  Island. 

BISHOPVILLE  (K.)— Named  after  John  Bishop  or  some  of 
his  descendants.  He  and  four  sons  came  and  settled  at  or  near 
Horton  in  1760.     They  came  from  Connecticut. 

BLACKAVON  (Ant.)— This  was  a  portion  of  the  settle- 
ment known  as  Black  River,  and  was  given  its  present  name  by 
an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1891. 

BLACKETT  LAKE  (C.  B.)— At  one  time  known  as  Portage 
Lake,  later  Barn  Lake,  owing  to  one  of  the  first  settlers,  Ingoville's, 
bam  being  near.  Still  later  known  as  Forks  Lake.  Received  its 
present  name  after  a  family  of  residents. 

BLACK  RIVER  (Ant.)— One  time  part  of  Beauly.  Divided 
and  named  Black  River  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1887. 

BLACK  ROCKS  (L.)— A  descriptive  name.  This  place  was 
first  settled  by  families  named  Tanner  and  Allen. 

BLANCHARD  (P.)— Settled  by  William  Cummings  from 
Inverness,  Scotland,  in  the  year  1802.  The  road  was  cut  out  by 
Colonel  Blanchard  of  Tiuro,  hence  the  name. 

BLANDFORD  (L.)— Named  and  settled  by  several  Irish 
families:  Murphys,  Carrolls.  Keatings  and  Rileys,  some  time 
previous  to  1767. 

BLOCKHOUSE  HILL  (L.)— This  hill  is  near  the  town  of 
Lunenburg.  It  was  in  the  early  days  called  Windmill  Hill,  from 
the  fact  that  there  was  a  corn  mill  on  it.  It  was  fortified  by  a 
blockhouse  as  early  as  1753.  The  last  blockhouse  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  1874. 

BLOMIDON  (K.)— The  Micmac  Indians  called  this  place 
"Glooscap's  week."  i.  e.,  Glooscap's  home. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  21 

The  Indian  name  as  given  by  Dr.  Rand  was  "Owkogegechk," 
meaning  "dogwood  grove."  The  name  **Blomidon"  is  said  by- 
most  authorities  to  have  been  given  the  place  by  the  Portuguese. 
The  Indian  name  for  the  cape  was  'Tlekteok"  meaning  a  hand- 
spike. Navigators  in  old  times  used  to  call  the  cape  "Blow-me- 
down." 

BLONDE  ROCK  (Y.)— Received  its  name  from  the  fact  that 
a  ship  named  the  ''Blonde"  was  wrecked  on  the  rock  on  the  10th  of 
May  1782. 

BLOODY  CREEK  (A.)— About  twelve  miles  from  Annapolis. 
So  named  because  the  Indians  killed  an  officer  and  some  men,  and 
took  about  sixty  prisoners,  at  this  place.  They  were  from  the  fort 
at  Annapolis  and  were  sent  to  deal  with  some  insurgent  Acadians 
when  the  Indians  fell  upon  them. 

At  one  time  called  * 'Bloody  Run,"  also  "Moccasin  Hollow." 

BLOOMFIELD  (D.)— At  one  time  called  "West  Settlement" 
and  again  "Thomas'  Road";  was  settled  about  the  year  1800  by 
Gains  Prit chard. 

BLOOMINGTON  (A.)— The  earliest,  or  at  least,  early  settlers 
were  Jesse  Viditi  and  John  Hoofman.  The  present  name  was  sug- 
gested by  Elias  Grimes  of  Torbrook,  and  was  adopted  by  the  resi- 
dents. 

BLUE  MOUNTAINS  (P.)— So  named  by  Wm.  Ross,  who 

settled  there   in  1818.     Wm.  Urquhart,  from  Scotland,  was  the 
£rst  settler,  in  the  year  1815. 

BLUE  MOUNTAINS  (Y.)— This  place  the  Indians  called 
^'Kookujook"  meaning  "the  giant's  home,"  from  "Kookwes"  a 
^iant. 

BLUE  ROCKS  (L.)— A  descriptive  name.     The  place  was 

first  settled  by  German  families  named  Knickle  and  Heinrich. 

BL YSTEINER  LAKE  (L.)— So  named  after  a  family  of  early 
settlers. 

BOAR'S  BACK  (K.)— A  ridge  near  Parrsborough,  named  by 
the  Indians  "Ou  wokun,"  or  "Awokun"  meaning  a  portage  or  a 
short  cut. 

BOISDALE  (C.  B.) — Named  after  a  place  of  this  name  in 
•South  Uist,  Scotland,  where  the  first  settlers,  Mclntjnres  and  Camp- 
bells came  from  in  1823.     There  were  some  Irish  settlers  named 


22  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

Lockman,  Bray,  Beaver,  etc.,  at  this  place,  but  they  left  shortly  after 
the  Scotch  arrived.  This  name  is  found  spelled  "Borsdell"  in  some 
records  of  1840. 

The  Indian  name  was  "Migtcetcwegatic." 

BOLMAN  HILL  (L.) — So  named  after  a  Doctor  Bolman  who 
lived  near  by. 

BONNAR  HEAD  (C.  B.)— Named  after  a  family  named 
Bonnar,  of  Scottish  descent,  who  had  their  home  on  the  point  for 
many  years,  and  some  of  the  family  are  still  there. 

BOOT  ISLAND,  Near  Horton  (A.)— Indian  name  "Kade- 
bunegek"  meaning  "clam  diggings,"  or  place  where  clams  are  dug. 

BOTTLE  BROOK  (L.)— Near  Hebb  Mills,  a  favorite  drinking 
brook  for  man  and  horse,  which  indirectly  gives  the  reason  for  its 
name. 

BOUCHE  HARBOR  (Ant.)— French  name  meaning  mouth 
or  entrance.  It  was  so  named  by  the  early  French  because  the 
expanse  of  the  harbor  cannot  be  seen  until  the  mouth  or  entrance  is 
passed  through. 

BOULARDERIE  (C.  B.)— The  first  Frenchman  who  obtained 
a  grant  to  settle  and  develop  the  fine  island  at  the  entrance  to  the 
Bras  d'Or  Lakes  was  Louis  Simon  de  St.  Aubin  de  Poupet,  Cheva- 
lier de  la  Boularderie.  His  name  was  given  to  the  island.  He 
distinguished  himself  at  the  defence  of  Annapolis  in  1707.  He  was 
taken  prisoner  at  Louisburg  in  1745.  It  was  once  called  by  the 
French  "He  de  Verderonne."  Captain  Bayfield  gives  the  name  of 
this  island  as  "Boulactria." 

BOUTILIER  (H.)— Cove,  Lake,  and  Point  are  all  named  after 
a  George  Boutilier  (1756-1831)  an  early  settler  of  this  district, 

BOWSER  STATION  (H.)— Named  in  1900  after  a  man  named 
Angus  Bowser,  who  ran  a  small  hotel  there  and  was  the  first  Post- 
master. 

The  first  settler  was  a  French  Huguenot  named  Nicholas 
Boutilier  (about  the  year  1825). 

It  is  only  ten  miles  from  Halifax,  and  the  old  Boutilier  farm 
was  a  great  hunting  ground  in  bygone  days.  In  the  year  I860,. 
King  Edward  VII,  then  Prince  of  Wales,  and  his  following  visited 
here  on  a  fishing  trip  and  camped  over  night.     (See  Timberlea.) 

BOYLSTON  (G.)— This  place  was  settled  and  laid  out  inta 
lots  in  the  year  1786,  by  the  Loyalist  settlers,  who  were  settled  oa 
the  Hallowel  Grant  of  Milford  Haven. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  23 

BRAS  D'OR  (C.  B.)— This  beautiful  name  is  said  to  be  (and 
we  should  like  to  believe  it)  from  the  French  meaning  "The  Golden 
Arm."  The  Micmac  Indian  name  was  "Petoobook,"  meaning  "a 
long  dish  full  of  salt  water."  On  the  maps  of  1872  and  earlier,  the 
Lake  is  named  "Le  Lac  de  Labrador,"  and  this  is  more  likely  the 
true  derivation  of  the  present  name.  The  literal  meaning  of 
Labrador  is   '  *  Laborer. ' ' 

The  Indians  called  the  entrance  to  the  little  Bras  d'Or  "Bano- 
skek,"  meaning  "a  deep  cutting." 

The  present  Little  Bras  d'Or  settlement  was  known  as  French 
Village,  Owing  to  the  settlers  all  being  French  and  French  Aca- 
dians. 

The  Big  or  Great  Bras  d'Or  Lake  was  named  by  the  Indians 
"Moglakadik"  meaning  "place  of  brant  geese." 

In  a  paper  prepared  by  the  late  Dr.  Patterson  for  the  Nova 
Scotia  Historical  Society  he  says  he  believed  the  name  Bras  d'Or 
came  from  the  Breton  form  of  Bras  'd'eau  arm  of  water  or  of  the 
sea. 

BRENTWOOD  (CoL)— The  former  name  Graham  Siding 
was  replaced  by  the  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1903. 

BREWSTER  PLAINS  (K.)— This  place  is  named  after  one 
of  its  early  settlers,  Mr.  Samuel  Brewster. 

BRIAN  LAKE  (H.)— The  second  of  the  Tangier  Lakes,  named 
by  the  Indians  "Milpagech." 

BRICK  KILNS  (C.)— Near  Parrsboro  named  by  the  Indians 
"Kooltanegoochk,"  meaning  "the  neck  cord"  or  "strung  together." 

BRIDGES  CREEK  ( Y.)— The  place  received  its  name  from  an 
early  settler,  George  Bridges,  who  was  a  British  Navy  man  and 
settled  there  in  the  year  1765. 

BRIDGEPORT  (C.  B.)— Named  in  honor  of  a  Mr.  Bridge, 
a  member  of  the  London  firm  of  jewellers,  Messrs.  Rundell,  Bridge 
and  Rundell,  the  original  members  of  the  General  Mining  Asso- 
ciation. This  Association's  history  is  closely  woven  in  the  early 
political  and  economic  history  of  the  Province.  The  Indians  called 
the  place  "Melasuk"  meaning  "abundance"  or  "a  place  of 
beauty." 

BRIDGETOWN  (A.)— This  place  was  first  known  as 
Hicks'  Ferry.  The  present  name  was  given  it  in  the  year  1824 
because  of  the  bridge  connecting  Granville  with  Annapolis,  which 
caused  it  to  grow  into  a  town  of  considerable  importance. 


24  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


BRIDGEWATER  (L.)— Appropriately  named  owing  to  loca- 
tion near  the  Bridge  over  the  La  Have  River.  It  was  settled  about 
the  year  1810.     It  was  incorporated  as  a  Town  in  the  year  1899. 

BRIGHTON  (D.)— Received  this  name  in  1861.  Was  form- 
eriy  known  as  "Head  of  St.  Mary's  Bay." 

BRILEY  BROOK  (Ant.)— One  of  the  eariy  settlers  Ensign 
John  Brailey,  Breariy  or  Briley  owned  a  portion  of  land  inAntigo- 
nish  in  the  present  town.  The  brook  ran  through  his  place  and 
received  his  name.  He  is  said  to  be  the  founder  of  the  present 
town  of  Antigonish. 

BRINE  (H.)— A  lake  named  after  a  family  of  early  settlers 
named  Brine,  not  Brian. 

^  BRISTOL  (OO— This  place  formeriy  known  as  "Dean's 
Point,"  was  named  after  a  Captain  Dean,  who  with  others  estab- 
lished a  whale  fishery  at  Green  Harbor. 

The  present  name  is  modern,  and  after  the  English  seaport 
city  of  this  name.  (The  former  name  for  Bristol  in  England  was 
Bristowe) . 

BROAD  COVE  (I)— A  descriptive  name.  This  place  was 
formerly  known  as  "Hunter's  Bay." 

BROAD  COVE  MINES  (I.)— This  place  was  formeriy  known 
as  Loch  Leven  and  was  changed  to  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of 
Parliament   passed   in    1895. 

BROAD  RIVER  LAKE  (O-)— A  descriptive  name.  The 
Indians  named  this  lake  "Wobe-akade,"  meaning  "white  place," 
from  woba  meaning  white,  and  akade  meaning  place.  It  is  some- 
times translated  as  Swan-land. 

BROOKDALE  (R.)— The  old  name  for  this  place  was  Black 
River  Rear.  It  was  in  1907  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of 
Parliament. 

BROOKFIELD  (Col.)— Was  first  settled  and  named  about 
the  year  1786.  The  first  settlers  were  William  Hamilton  and 
Daniel  Moore,  later  joined  by  William  Downing,  William  Carter 
and  James  Boomer.  The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Sibumea- 
dook." 

BROOKFIELD  (O-)— A  descriptive  name.  First  settled 
by  William  Burke.  Burke  was  a  remarkable  pioneer,  and  is  said  to 
be  the  first  white  man  to  explore  the  interior  of  Queens  County.    * 

The  Indian  name  of  this  place  was  "Bankwenopskw,"  meaning 
"We  hunt  him  among  the  rocks."     (See  Greenfield.) 

BROOKLAND   (Ant.) — Formerly    known  as  a    portion    of 


PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  25 


Hallowell  Grant,  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in 
1892. 

BROOKLYN  (Hts.)— The  Indians  called  the  place  "Nelegan- 
kunek"  meaning  * 'broken  snowshoes." 

BROOKLYN  (0-) — The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Katkooch,"  and  also  "Katkoolch,"  meaning  "a  hill  on  the  opposite 
side."     The  place  was  formerly  known  as  ''Herring  Cove:" 

BROOKLYN  (Y.)— First  settled  by  Stephen  Durkie  and  was 
at  one  time  known  as  "Squirrel  Town." 

BRORA  (P.) — Named  after  a  village  in  Sutherlandshire 
Scotland. 

BROUGHAM  (Q.)— Settled  and  named  in  1822.  ^  Evidently 
named  after  Lord  Brougham,  who  was  Lord  Chancellor  in  England 
about  this  date. 

BROWN'S  POINT  (P.)— Named  after  an  early  settler  John 
Brown. 

BRUE  HILL  (Hts.) — Named  after  an  early  French  Acadian 
settler  named  La  Brun. 

BRULE  (COL.) — This  is  so  named  from  the  French,  meaning 
Burnt  Land.  The  Harbor  was  named  by  the  Indians  "Segwak' 
meaning  a  "barren  place." 

BUCKFIELD  (Q.)— See  Greenfield. 

BUDD  BROOK  (D.)— So  named  after  an  early  settler  Elisha 
Budd,  who  settled  there  about  the  year  1789. 

BULLS  GUT  (H.)— The  Indians  named  the  place  "Emkok- 
etcajitwakade,"  meaning  the  abode  or  place  of  toads. 

BUNKER  ISLAND  (Y.)— Named  in  memory  of  Hezekiah 
Bunker,  a  very  early  settler  of  Yarmouth. 

BUNKER  LAKE  (Y.)— Probably  so  called  after  Mr.  Paul 
Bunker,  an  early  settler  of  Yarmouth. 

BURNCOAT  (Hts.)— First  settled  by  Thomas  and  Robert 
Faulkner  about  1795.  A  story  goes  that  it  received  its  name 
in  this  way:  They  left  a  coat  on  the  marsh  and  went  off  and 
set  fire  to  the  hay;  the  fire  spreading,  burnt  up  the  coat. 

BURTON  SETTLEMENT  (D.)— First  settled  by  Timothy 
Burton  and  named  after  him. 


26  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 


CABBAGE  CREEK  (R.)— See  Anse  de  la  Choux. 

CALDWELL  COVE  (D.)— So  named  after  a  first  settler  Mr. 
John  Caldwell,  a  Scottish  crofter  who  settled  here  about  the  year 
1789. 

CALEDONIA  (Q.)— Settled  and  named  by  six  Scotch  fam- 
ilies in  the  year  1820.  There  are  many  places  in  the  Province  with 
this  name  or  variations  of  it,  all  named  by  seUlers  in  honor  of  their 
Scottish  home. 

CALUM-RUADH  BROOK^  (L)— This  place  is  named  after 
a  nearby  resident.  It  is  a  Gaelic  word  meaning  "Red  Malcolm's 
Brook." 

CAMPBELL  HILL  (Col.)— So  named  after  one  of  Tatama- 
gouche's  early  and  progressive  settlers  Alexander  Campbell,  the 
founder  of  shipbuilding  in  that  place. 

CAMPBELLTON  (I.) — This  place  received  its  name  after  a 
family  of  residents  by  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1885.  It  was 
hitherto  known  as  Rear  Loch  Ban. 

CANADA  CREEK  (K.)— This  place  is  named  after  an  early 
settler  named  Kennedy,  sometimes  pronounced  Kanidy.  This  is  a 
case  where  a  change  of  form  has  given  the  place  its  name. 

There  are  some,  however,  who  claim  it  was  named  after  an 
original  grantee  of  Cornwallis  township  a  Major  William  Canada. 

CANARD  RIVER  (K.)— The  old  Indian  name  for  this 
River  was  " Apcheechkumoochwa-akade, "  meaning  "abounding  in 
little  ducks."  Hence  the  French  name  "Canard"  which  means 
"duck." 

CANNES  (R.) — Named  after  the  watering-place  "Cannes"  in 
France,  is  a  French  settlement.  The  post  office  was  opened  in 
1884.  It  was  first  settled  by  Louis  McPhee,  Marshall  and  Andrew 
Dugast  and  others  about  1795. 

CANNING  (K.)— Was  first  named  "Apple  Tree  Landing," 
later  was  called  "Habitant  Corner."  About  the  year  1830  at  a 
citizens*  meeting  called  for  the  purpose,  it  was  named  in  honor  of 


PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  27 

George  Canning,  Prime  Minister  of  England,   1827  (Born  1770; 
died  1827).     He  was  a  great  Constitutionalist. 

CANN  HILL  (Y.) — Named  after  Hugh  Cann,  who  settled  in 
the  vicinity  in  the  year  1784. 

CANSO  (G.) — Some  authorities  say  this  word  was  derived 
from  the  name  of  a  French  navigator,  Canse,  and**eau"  (water). 
Others  say  that  the  French  spelling  "Campseau"  suggests  that  the 
Harbour  was  so  called  because  it  was  a  common  rendezvous  for 
vessels.  Haliburton  says:  "It  is  said  that  the  derivation  of  the 
word  "Canso"  is  from  the  Spanish  "Ganso"  a  goose,  a  name 
given  to  it  on  a'ccount  of  the  immense  flocks  of  geese  then  seen 
there."  Dr  Rand  states  it  is  from  the  Indian  word  "Kamsok," 
meaning  "opposite  the  lofty  cliffs."  This  would  appear  to  be  the 
proper  derivation  of  the  name  as  the  Indians  called  White  Head 
nearby  "Kamsokootc"  meaning  "the  little  place  opposite  the  lofty 
cliffs." 

In  1765  the  town  was  known  as  Wilmot  Town,  so  named  in 
honor  of  Montague  Wilmot,  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Nova  Scotia 
at  that  time. 

The  strait  was  at  one  time  called  "Straits  of  Fronsac"  also 
at  one  time  called  by  the  French  "Passage  du  Glas." 

Canso  Township  was  one  of  the  four  sub-divisions  of  the  north- 
western part  of  Cape  Breton  Island,  formed  in  1828. 

The  Micmac  Indians  sometimes  applied  the  name  "Taooog- 
unak"  to  the  Gut  of  Canso.  This  name  appears  to  particularly 
apply  to  the  passage,  and  it  is  the  general  Micmac  word  for  any 
passage. 

CANTICOOK  (Hts.)— This  place  in  Newport  Township 
was  called  by  the  Micmac  Indians  "Kunetkook"  meaning  "place 
near  or  close  at  hand."  This  Indian  word  was  eventually  brought 
to  the  present  form. 

CAPE  A  GROS  NEZ  (R.)— Named  so  by  the  eariy  French 
meaning  Cape  of  the  Great  Nose.  It  is  near  Petit  de  Grat  on  Isle 
Madame. 

CAPE  BLOMIDON  (K.)— (see  Blomidon). 

CAPE  BRETON  (C.  B.)— The  Cape  from  which  the  whole 
Island  received  its  name  was  so  named  by  Basque  or  Breton  fisher- 
men after  a  cape  of  the  same  name  in  their  own  country. 

The  mariners  know  this  place  better  by  the  name  "Port  Novy 
Land,"  called  so  from  the  small  adjacent  islands  of  " Puerto Neuvo." 
We  find  this  Cape  called  '  'Flourillon. ' '  "Forillon'  *  is  a  word  applied 
by  the  French  to  a  large  rock  split  off  the  coast. 


28  PLACE-NAMES   OR  NOVA   SCOTIA 

CAPE  BRETON— Discovered  by  John  Cabot  in  1497.  The 
old  Indian  name  of  Cape  Breton  was  "Oonamaagik"  sometimes 
appearing  as  "Oonamggee."  This  spelling  "Onumage"  or  "Wum 
age"  traces  the  meaning  back  to  a  variation  of  the  name  "Meg- 
amage,"the  name  the  Indians  applied  to  the  whole  of  the  Maritime 
Provinces,  which  means  "home  of  the  Micmacs  or  the  true  men." 
It  was  also  called  "Baccalaos,"  the  Basque  word  for  codfish.  It  was 
named  St.  Laurent  or  St.  Lawrence  Island  by  Champlain  in  1603. 
Vevazzano  named  Cape  Breton  "Isle  Du  Cap."  Later  it  was 
known  as  "Isle  Royale"  (1714). 

The  Cape  was  probably  given  its  name  by  Basque  or  Breton 
fishermen  in  remembrance  of  the  land  of  their  origin,  Cape  Breton 
in  the  Basque  country,  and  this  name  was  later  applied  to  the  whole 
island. 

Cape  Breton  is  the  oldest  French  name  in  American  geography. 
In  the  year  1621  Sir  William  Alexander  transferred  the  Island  of 
Cape  Breton  to  his  friend  Sir  Robert  Gordon  of  Lochenvar.  Sir 
Robert  and  his  son  obtained  a  royal  charter  and  named  the  island 
the  Barony  of  New  Galloway.  The  present  county  of  Cape 
Breton  contains  1169  square  miles.  (See  Sydney,  Louisburg  and 
Cape  Breton.) 

The  Island  was  ceded  to  England  in  1763,  was  a  separate 
colony  from  1784  to  1820,  and  was  annexed  to  and  incorporated 
with  Nova  Scotia  in  1820. 

A  "County  of  Cape  Breton"  was  formed  in  the  year  1765,  on 
December  10th.  It  included  all  of  the  Island  of  Cape  Breton 
and  all  islands  within  three  leagues  of  it. 

In  1821,  Cape  Breton  had  three  Townships  formed,  named  St. 
Andrew's,  St.  Patrick  and  Sydney. 

In  1828,  the  north-western  part  of  Cape  Breton  Island  was 
divided  into  four  townships,  and  they  were  named  Canso,  Port 
Hood,  Ainslie  and  Margaree. 

The  following  list  of  ancient  spelling  appearing  on  old  maps 
for  the  name  "Cape  Breton"  may  be  of  interest: 

1527  "C.  de  berton." 
1529  "Terra  de  bretto." 
1542  "Cabo    Bretos." 

"Cavo  de  bretoni." 

1544  "Del  berto." 

1546  "Terre  des  Britons." 

"Cap  aux  Bretons." 

"C.  Bretain." 

1550  "Tierra  de  los  broton." 
1554  "Terra  de  los  bertoms." 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  29 


1540  "C.  Britonum." 
1558  "C.  dos  bertoens," 
1558  "Tierra  de  los  Briton." 
1569  "Cap  de  Breton." 
1593  "C.  de  brits." 
1596  "C.   de  Bertram." 
1715  "Gaspey    Island." 

CAPE  BRULE  (C.B.)— So  named  from  the  French  word 
"Brul^"  meaning  burnt,  owing  to  a  coalpit  being  fired  there  in  1752. 

CAPE  CHIGNECTO  (C.)— At  one  time  called  "Cape  of 
Two  Bays"  because  it  separated  Chignecto  Bay  (see)  from  the 
Basin  of  Minas. 

CAPE  DAUPHIN  (V.)— Indian  name  for  Cape  Dauphin  was 
"Kookumijenagwanak"  meaning  "our  grandmother"  named  from 
a  certain  rock. 

St.  Ann's  Bay  was  called  Port  Dauphin  by  the  French  in  1711, 
when  they  believed  it  was  a  better  place  than  Louisburg,  and  were 
advocating  its  being  fortified.  It  is  now  applied  to  the  Cape  only. 
Dauphin,  from  the  French  "Dauphin,"  the  eldest  son  of  Royalty — 
"Prince"  is  the  English  equivalent.  Sometimes  erroneously 
spelled  "Dolphin." 

CAPE  D'OR  (C.)— Was  at  one  time  called  "Cap  des  Mines," 
owing  to  the  attempts  made  here  to  mine  copper.  The  French 
named  it  "Cap  d'Or,"  i.  e.  "Golden  Cape,"  they  having  mistaken 
its  native  copper  for  gold. 

CAPE  EGMONT  (V.)— See  Egmont  Lake. 

CAPE  GEORGE  (Ant.)— Formerly  known  as  Cape  St. 
George,  undoubtedly  so  named  by  the  English  after  one  of  the 
English  kings  of  that  name.  Earlier  than  this  it  was  known  as 
Cape  St.  Louis,  named  by  the  French  after  their  royalty.  The 
Micmac  Indians  named  it  "Memkatc,"  meaning  "the  small  field." 

CAPE  JOHN  (P.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  cape  was 
"Wenjooteamwakade"  meaning  "the  cow  pasture,  or  cattle  land." 

CAPE  LA  HAVE  (L.)— Named  "Cape  de  la  Have"  in  1604 
by  Champlain.  He  evidently  saw  some  resemblance  to  Cap  de  la 
Have  in  France  and  gave  the  name  to  the  Cape.  This  was  three 
years  in  advance  of  the  first  English  settlement  in  Jamestown, 
Virginia. 

CAPE  LA  RONDE  (R.)— This  place  was  named  by  the  earU 


30  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


French  "La  Cap  a  la  Ronde"  after  a  man  named  "La  Ronde" 
who  settled  on  the  extreme  cape.  Marquis  De  La  Ronde  was  Sir 
Nicholas  Denys'  grandson,  and  some  believe  the  Cape  may  have 
been  named  after  him. 

CAPELIN  COVE  (R.)— Or  sometimes  "Caplin,"  so  named 
owing  to  the  large  number  of  these  small  fish  of  the  smelt  family 
that  sometimes  appear  in  this  cove. 

CAPE  NEGRO  (S.)— Called  by  the  Micmac  Indians  "Kes- 
pooguit."     (See  N.) 

CAPE  NORTH  (V.)— By  some  historical  students  Cape  North 
is  believed  to  be  the  "prima  tiera  vista"  or  the  actual  landfall  first 
seen  by  John  Cabot.  On  some  old  maps  it  is  shown  as  "prima  vista." 
The  Indians  called  Cape  North  "Uktutunook"  meaning  "the  land's 
end."  It  is  probable  that  this  Cape  was  named  "Cape  Lorraine" 
or  "Laurent"  by  Jacques  Cartier  in  1535,  when  he  named  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  the  name  was  afterwards  wrongfully  applied  to 
Lorraine,   near   Louisburg. 

It  is  said  that  the  first  settlers  at  Cape  North  were  named 
Stanley  and  Matatal  and  John  Gwynn,  an  American  refugee,  in 
1812.  Gwynn- was  the  first  preacher  in  the  northern  wilds  of  Cape 
Breton.  His  name  appears  on  some  records  as  John  Gunn ;  he  was  a 
Methodist. 

Cape  North  has  been  aptly  called  the  "Watch  Tower  of  the 
Gulf." 

CAPE  SABLE  (S.)— Named  from  the  French  word  "sablon" 
meaning  Sand  Island.  (See.)  The  Micmac  Indian  name  for  the  Cape 
was  "Kespoogwitk"  meaning  "the  last  place"  or  the  "end  of  land." 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Charles  de  la  Tour  was  known  as 
"Lord  of  Cape  Sable,"  and  Lieut,  of  the  King  in  Acadia."  The 
name  of  the  Cape  appears  on  old  plans  as  "Cape  Sandy." 

CAPE  SABLE  ISLAND  (S.)— The  name  "Sable"  is  said  to 
have  come  from  the  French  word  "Sablon"  meaning  "sand." 

CAPE  SMOKY  (V.)— The  old  French  name  of  this  place  was 
"Cape  Enfume,"  and  it  was  so  named  on  account  of  the  cloud  of 
mist  which  so  often  envelops  this  storm-swept  landmark  of  the  Gulf. 
The  Indian  name  for  this  cape  was  "Sakpeedich,"  meaning  "a 
smooth  bathing  place."  There  are  two  white  hills  or  cliffs  to  the 
south-west  of  the  cape.  Pichon  says  these  two  hills  were  known 
(1760)  as  the  "Veils  of  Cape  Enfume." 

CAPE  SPLIT  (Y.)— Called  by  Champlain  "Cap  Fendu" 
later  called  "Cloven  Cape,"  was  called  "Cap  de  Poutrincourt," 


PLACE-NAMES    OF    NOVA    SCOTIA  31 


owing  to  it  being  stated  that  Poutrincourt  in  his  voyage  (1604- 
1607)  fell  from  this  cape  and  nearly  lost  his  life.  (See  Champlain's 
Journal.)  The  present  name  is  of  course  the  English  name  sug- 
gested by  the  early  French  name  "Cloven  Cape."  The  Indians 
called  this  place  'Tlekteok,"  meaning  "huge  handspikes  for  break- 
ing open  a  beaver  dam."  They  also  called  it  "Plegum,"  which 
means  "an  opening  in  a  beaver  dam";  and  the  high  rocks  were 
known  as  "Plekteok." 

CARIBOU  HARBOR  (P.)— This  name  is  said  to  have  arisen 
from  some  of  the  first  explorers  having  seen  a  herd  of  caribou  on, 
the  east  point  of  what  is  now  known  as  the  Big  Island,  but  which 
was  then  a  headland  connected  with  the  shore,  and  which  was 
called  "Caribou  Point."  The  old  Indian  name  was  "Komagunuk,'s 
meaning  "a  decoy  place  where  they  set  duck  decoys".  Dr.  Rand" 
Dictionary  gives  the  spelling  of  the  Indian  name  as  "Komagunuk.' 

CARIBOU  MARSH  (P.)— The  Indian  name  of  this  place  was 
"Kalebooakade,"  meaning  Caribou  Place. 

CARIBOU  MINES  (H.)— Named  Caribou  because  deer 
were  common  and  Mines  because  of  its  being  a  gold  mining  dis- 
trict. 

CARLETON  (Y.)— The  first  settler  was  Daniel  Raymond. 
At  one  time  it  was  known  as  "Nine  Partners'  Falls"  owing  to  nine 
settlers  having  formed  a  partnership  to  run  a  mill  there.  It  was 
also  formerly  known  as  "Temperance,"  owing  to  the  settlers  having 
formed  a  Temperance  compact  to  eschew  all  intoxicating  liquors. 
Its  present  name  is  in  honor  of  the  first  Baron  of  Dorchester, 
Sir  Guy  Carleton,  who  was  Commander-in-Chief  in  America  in 
1782,  afterwards  Governor  of  Quebec,  up  to  1796. 

CARRINGTON  (C.)— Named  so  by  a  meeting  of  its  residents 
called  for  that  purpose  in  the  year  1910.  It  was  formerly  known 
as  Eel  Creek.  The  first  settlers  were  families  named  Bigney  and 
Angus. 

CARROLL'S  CORNERS  (H.)— Named  in  1843  after  a  man 
named  John  Carroll,  who  owned  a  house  and  small  store  at  this 
place. 

CARRYING  PLACE  (H.)— This  is  the  name  given  to  the 
land  between  the  Ponhook  Lake  in  Halifax  County  and  the  Dau- 
pheneys  Lake  in  Lunenburg  County,  meaning  the  portage  or  place 
where  canoes  can  be  carried  from  lake  to  lake. 

CASTLE  BAY(C.  B.)— Was  given  this  name  in  the  year  1896. 


32  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

It  was  formerly  called  Amaguadus  Pond,  a  Micmac  Indian  word 
meaning  "plenty."  Settled  in  the  year  1805.  An  Act  confirming 
the  present  name  was  passed  by  Parliament  in  1906. 

CASTLEREAGH  (Col.)— Named  in  honor  of  the  Marquis 
of  Londonderry  (Robert  Stewart),  who  was  also  Viscount  Castle- 
reagh. 

CATALONE  (C.  B.)— "Catalogne"  said  to  have  been  named 
after  a  French  version  of  the  Spanish  "Catalona,"  the  ancient 
Province  of  Catalonia  in  Spain.  There  was  a  French  Engineer  in 
Louisburg  in  1728-1735  named  M.  de  Catalogne,  and  in  all  proba- 
bility his  name  was  given  to  Catalone.  There  is  evience  that  he 
owned  an  extensive  tract  of  land  in  the  vicinity  of  thi  place,  which 
was  then  known  as  the  "Barachois  de  Mire." 

CAVEAU  POINT  (I.)— This  is  a  French  word  meaning 
"a  small  hole,  opening  or  cave,"  likely  so  named  becasre  of  a  small 
opening  in  the  nearby  rocks. 

CENTREVILLE  (D.)— Formerly  known  as  Tro  Cove. 

CHAMBERS  POINT  (Col.  So  named  after  an  early 
settler  Robert  Chambers,  who  in  1806  received  a  grant  of  the 
Point  from  Col.  DesBarres. 

CHARLO  (G.) — Was  settled  about  the  year  1760  and  named 
after  its  first  settler  Charles  Richard;  sometimes  called  Charlos 
Cove. 

CHAPEL  ISLAND  (R.)— See  "Indian  Island." 

CHASWOOD  (H.)— The  places  formerlyk  nown  as  Gay's 
River  Road  and  Taylorville  were  changed  to  Chaswood  by  an  Act 
of  Parliament  passed  in  the  year  1901.  The  name  is  in  honor  of  a 
Mr.  Charles  Wood  of  Halifax,  who  fell  in  the  South  African  war 
in  the  year  1897. 

^  CHEBEC  (Y.)— An  Indian  word,  meaning  "The  Narrows" 
which  was  the  Indian  name  for  Tusket  Wedge.  No  doubt  origin- 
ally "Kebec"  (Quebec)  or  "Narrows." 

CHEBOGUE  (Y.)— Sometimes  found  as  "Jeboque."  Indian 
words  "che"  (great)  and  "paug"  (still  water).  Another  authority 
says  the  name  is  from  the  Indian  word  "Utkubok"  or  spring 
water,  or  "Teceboque"  meaning  cold  water.  It  was  permanently 
settled  in  1761,  but  an  unsuccessful  attempt  at  settlement  was  made 
by  some  French  in  the  year  1739. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA  33 

CHEBOGUE  POINT  (Y.)— See  Chebogue.  This  place  was 
first  settled  by  and  granted  to  John  McKinnon.  He  was  a  brother 
of  Captain  Ronald  McKinnon,  the  first  settler,  and  it  was  he  who 
gave  Argyle  its  name.     (See  Argyle.) 

CHEBUCTO  HEAD  (H.)— This  was  the  old  Indian  name  for 
Halifax,  now  only  applied  to  this  head.  It  is  from  the  Micmac 
Indian  word  "Chebookt,"  meaning  "chief  harbor." 

CHEDABUCTO  (G.)— This  name  is  a  corruption  of  the  Mic- 
mac Indian  name  ''Sedabiooktook",  meaning  "running  far  back." 
It  forms  part  of  the  separating  waters  between  Cape  Breton  and 
Nova  Scotia. 

CHEDABUCTO  BAY  (G.)— The  Indian  spelling  was  "Seda- 
booktook,"  meaning  "running  far  back"  or  "a  deep  extending 
harbor." 

CHEGOGGIN  (Y.)— There  is  a  point  and  village  of  this 
name.  Indian  "che"  (great)  and  "goggin"  (encampment),  i.  e., 
"great  encampment"  (1630.  The  real  Indian  name  was  "Noo- 
jeogun"  from  which  we  have  the  present  name.  The  meaning 
given  above  is  likely  correct.) 

CHESLEY  CORNER  (L.)— The  first  settler  at  this  place  was 
one  Condore,  followed  by  a  German  named  Cross.  John  Chesley 
later  came  here  from  Annapolis,  and  the  place  was  named  after 
him. 

CHESTER  (L.)— Settled  in  1761.  £50  was  paid  in  that  year 
for  briri^ing  settlers  from  New  England  to  Chester,  at  one  time 
named  "Shorham,"  after  the  seaport  town  Shoreham  in  Sussex, 
England. 

The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Meneskwaak,"  meaning 
"the  marshy  place." 

Chester  is  one  of  the  two  township  division  of  Lunenburg 
County,  and  was  formed  into  a  separate  district  in  1863.  East 
Chester  was  formerly  known  as  Scotch  Cove. 

CHETICAMP  (D.)— See  "Cheticamp,  Inverness  County." 

^  CHETICAMP  (I.)— Harbor,  Island,  Point,  Village  and  River. 
This  name  is  French,  derived  from  the  two  words  "chetit"  and 
"camp"  and  meaning  a  poor  camping  ground  or  a  poor  encamp- 
ment, a  miserable  or  unhealthy  camp. 

In  the  year  1775  or  1776,  fourteen  Acadian  families  crossed 
over  from  Prince  Edward  Island,  and  settled  at  "Cheticamp." 


34  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


CHEVERIE  POINT  (Hts.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place 
was  "Naooktaboogwadik"  meaning,  "It  stands  alone."  (See 
Chiverie.) 

CHEVERIE  SPLIT  (Hts.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Naea- 
dich"  meaning  ''heaving  in  sight." 

CHEZZETCOOK  (H.)— The  old  spelling  of  this  word  was 
"Chillincook".  It  was  once  part  of  and  included  in  Musquodoboit. 
The  name  is  from  thp  Micmac  Indian  "Sesetkook"  or  "Tceset- 
kook"  meaning  "flowing  rapidly  in  many  channels." 

CHIGNECTO  (C.)— From  the  Micmac  Indian  word  "Sig- 
niukt"  meaning  "a  foot  of  cloth."  This  name  appears  in  the 
English  records  in  the  year  1691  as  "Siganectoe." 

The  Bay  was  at  one  time  called  by  the  French  "Bay  de 
Gennes,"  i.  e.,  "Bay  of  Twins."  A  fanciful  derivative  for  this 
name  is  "Chignon  Du  Col,"  meaning  "nape  of  the  neck."  Chig- 
necto  sometimes  appears  as  "Chignitou,"  was  also  known  as 
"Beaubasin."  This  was  after  a  family  of  Beaubasins  descendants 
of  the  Sier  de  la  Potherie  who  served  in  Acadia;  although  it  is 
claimed  by  others  to  have  been  so  named  as  descriptive  meaning, 
"beaut^'ful  basin."     (See  Cumberland.) 

CHIGNECTO  CAPE  (C)— In  1607  Champlain  came  in  sight 
of  Cape  Chignecto,  which  he  named  the  Cape  of  Two  Bays,  be- 
cause it  was  the  western  extremity  of  the  land  which  divided 
Chignecto  Bay  from  the  Basin  of  Minas.     (See  Chignecto.) 

An  Indian  name  for  the  Cape  was  "Elmojooiktook." 

CHIMNEY  CORNER  (I.)— This  place  was  settled  by  people 
from  Scotland  in  the  year  1811.  It  received  its  name  from  a  high 
pinnacle  of  rock,  resembling  a  chimney,  which  is  at  the  entrance  to 
the  cove.  The  name  is  said  to  have  been  given  to  it  by  a  French 
admiral. 

CHIMNEY  CORNER  (L.)— A  small  harbor  on  the  west 
shore  of  St.  Margaret's  Bay,  given  the  name  owing  to  the  position 
of  the  rocks  which  form  the  entrance. 

CHIPMAN  (K.)— Brook  and  Village.  Named  after  some 
member  of  the  old  King's  County  family  of  Chipman. 

CHIVERIE  (Hts.)— See  Cheverie. 

CHRISTMAS  ISLAND  (C.  B.)— Was  settled  in  the  year 
1802,  and  received  its  name  from  a  leading  Micmac  Indian  said  to 
be  a  Chief  named  "Noel"  which  is  the  French  for  "Christmas," 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  35 


who  died  there  and  was  buried  on  the  island  opposite  the  present 
railway  station.  The  old  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  **Abad- 
akwitcetc"  meaning,  "the  small  reserved  portion." 

CHURCH  HILL  (H.)— Near  Dartmouth.  Here  the  first 
church  was  built  on  the  eastern  side  of  Halifax  Harbor.  It  was 
built  by  the  Government  for  the  use  of  the  Maroons  or  Negroes  who 
were  brought  from  Jamaica  and  settled  in  that  vicinity  in  the  year 
1796. 

CHURCHILL  LANDING  (Y.)— Named  after  an  early 
settler  Lemuel  Churchill  who  came  from  Plymouth  and  settled  here 
about  the  year   1762. 

CHURCH  POINT  (D.)— Received  its  first  colonists  in  1771. 
The  college  of  St.  Anne's  here  was  founded  in  1890  by  the  Eudist 
Fathers.     The  point  was  at  one  time  known  as  "Point  de  I'Eglise." 

This  is  the  neighborhood  that  was  known  to  the  Indians  as 
"Chicaben."     (See  Port  Acadia). 

CHURCHVILLE  (P.)— Was  first  settled  by  John  Robertson, 
a  Scottish  (Highland)  immigrant  to  Pictou  in  1784.  So  named 
from  its  being  the  site  of  a  church. 

CHUTE  (A.) — A  Cove  named  after  a  family  of  early  settlers. 

^  CIBOUX  ISLANDS  (V.)— Generally  called  the  "Bird  Islands" 
owing  to  the  large  number  of  wild  sea  birds  found  near.  The  name 
is  Indian,  meaning  "River  Islands."  The  name  "Cibou"  (Big 
River)  was  at  one  time  been  applied  to  St.  Ann. 

These  islands  are  at  the  southern  entrance  of  St.  Ann  Bay. 

CLAM  HARBOR  (G.)— See  Port  Shoreham. 

CLAM  HARBOR  (H.)— The  clams  were  plentiful  there.  The 
Indian  name  was  "Aasugadich,"  "Asuk"  is  the  Indian  word  for 
clam. 

CLARENCE  (A.)— So  named  in  honor  of  Edward,  Duke  of 
Kent,  who  took  a  great  interest  in  the  settlement  of  the  place,  and 
spent  some  time  there.  The  first  and  earlier  settlers  were  Samuel 
Elliott,  Henry  Barks,  William  Marshall,  and  Francis  Jackson. 

CLARE  TOWNSHIP  (D.)— One  of  the  two  township  divisions 
of  Digby  County.  Formed  as  a  Township  iai  the  year  1768,  wa^ 
named  "Clare"  by  Michael  Franklyn,  who  was  i^t  the  time  Lieuten- 
ant-Governor of  Nova  Scotia,  no  doubt  after  the  subdivision  of 
Munster,   Ireland,  of  this  name.     Clare  was  known  formerly  as 


36  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 


French  Town,  as  it  was  laid  out  and  settled  by  some  of  the  French 
Acadians  who  had  returned  from  exile. 

CLARK  (C.  B.) — A  point  in  Gabarus  Bay,  one  time  known  as 
Low  Point,  named  after  residents  there. 

CLARKVILLE  (CoL)— See  Hilden. 

CLAVERHOUSE  (L)— So  named  by  the  early  Scotch  set- 
tlers, who  were  evidently  admirers  of  John  Graham,  the  Viscount 
Dundee. 

CLAY  ISLAND  (L.)— The  excellent  clay  for  use  in  brick- 
making  found  there  gave  this  island  its  name. 

CLEAVELAND  (H.)— See  Cleveland. 

CLELAND  CORNER  (Y.)— Named  after  the  Cleland  family, 
who  were  the  first  settlers  there. 

CLEMENT  ISLAND  (Y.)— An  island  in  Chebogue  Harbor 
named  after  an  early  settler,  John  Clements,  who  came  from  Marble 
Head  and  settled  there  in  the  year  1769. 

CLEMENTS  TOWNSHIP  (A.)— One  of  the  four  Township 
divisions  of  Annapolis  County,  was  formed  and  named  in  the  year 
1784  and  was  at  this  time  settled  by  Hessians  and  Loyalists. 

CLEMENTSPORT  (A.)— Named  after  the  Township  of 
"Clements."  Was  first  settled  by  United  Empire  Loyalists  in 
1784.  Was  at  one  time  called  Moose  River.  Moses  Shaw,  M.  P.  P., 
by  a  petition  from  the  residents,  had  the  name  changed  to  Clements- 
port  in  1856. 

CLEMENTSVALE  (A.)— See  Clements. 

CLEVELAND  (R.)— Named  after  a  President  of  the  United 
States.  It  was  formerly  known  as  River  Inhabitants  Bridge.  It 
was  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year 
1891. 

CLEVELAND  POINT  (H.)— Sometimes  wrongfully  called 
"Cleaveland."  The  name  appears  on  maps  of  Halifax  in  1864. 
It  received  the  name  after  a  family  that  lived  at  the  Point. 

CLIFTON  (CoL)— Formerly  called  "Old  Barns"  as  the  bams 
of  the  French  Acadians  were  still  standing  when  the  English  settlers 
came  to  the  place. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA  37 


CLYBURN  BROOK  (V.)— So  named  after  an  old  settler 
named  Clybum  who  settled  near  the  brook  about  the  year  1840. 

CLYDESDALE  (Ant.)— So  named  by  an  Act  of  Parliament 
in  the  year  1876. 

COACHMAN  (L.) — A  head  in  Mahone  Bay.^  One  time  known 
as  Covey  Head,  given  its  present  name  by  Captain  P.  F.  Shortland, 
R.  N.,  in  1864. 

COBEQUID  (CoL)— From  the  Micmac  Indian  word  "Wak- 
obetgitk"  said  to  mean  ''the  end  of  flowing  water" — the  bore. 
In  a  geographic  description  of  the  Province  written  in  1771,  the 
Cobequid  Mountains  are  called  the  'Xady  Mountains."  The  Abbe 
De  Loutre  refers  to  Cobequid  as  "Gobetick"  in  1738.  This  name  is 
found  as  V'Cocobequy"  and  lands  here  were  granted  to  Mathieu 
Martin  in  tjhe  year  1689. 

COCHRAN'S  LAKE  (C.  B.)— This  lake  is  said  to  have  been 
named  by  the  late  Lt. -Governor  David  McKeen,  who  was  at  one 
time  a  land  surveyor.  One  of  his  chainmen  named  Cochrane  fell 
into  the  lake  and  he  gave  it  the  chainman's  name. 

COGMAGUN  (Hts.) — Said  by  some  authorities  to  be  an 
Indian  word  meaning  * 'crooked  river."  Dr.  Rand  says  perhaps 
it  is  derived  from  an  Indian  word  "Cootumeegun"  meaning  "your 
hatchet."     (See    Hilford). 

COINNEACH  BROOK  (I.)— This  place  is  named  after  one 
of  its  early  settlers.    The  word  Coinneach  is  the  Gaelic  for  Kenneth. 

COLBART  LAKE  (H.)— This  lake  is  near  Purcell's  Cove, 
Halifax,  and  bears  a  family  name. 

COLCHESTER— Formerly  called  "Cobequid"  (see).  Changed 
to  "Colchester"  in  1780,  then  called  the  "District  of  Colchester." 
Named  after  the  town  in  Essex,  England,  of  that  name:  Anglo- 
Saxon,  "Colneceaster,"  from  its  being  situated  on  the  Colone  River. 

Raised  to  the  dignity  of  a  County  in  1836.  Is  divided  into 
four  Townships  viz:  Truro,  Onslow,  Londonderry  and  Stirling. 
Colchester  County  contains  1308  square  miles. 

COLE  BROOK  (P.)— This  brook  received  its  name  from  an 
early  settler,  one  of  the  82nd  regiment  grantees,  named  Colin 
McDonald,  but  was  known  as  Cole  McDonald. 

COLE  HARBOR  (H.)— At  one  time  known  as  "Inner  Harbor 
of  Musquodoboit."  The  Indian  name  was  "Wonpeak,"  meaning 
■"white  water." 


38  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 


COLIN'S  POINT  (H.)— This  point  in  Dartmouth  was  one 
time  known  as  Warren's  Point. 

COMEAU  HILL  (Y.>— Named  after  a  family  of  Acadians 
who  resettled  at  this  place  after  their  expulsion. 

COMEAUVILLE  (D.)— Once  called  "Clare."  Received  its 
present  name  owing  to  a  family  named  Comeau  residing  there. 

CONDON  SETTLEMENT  (K.)— This  place  received  its  name 
from  a  family  named  Congdon,  who  came  from  Rhode  Island  and 
settled  in  Kings  County.  James  Congdon's  name  appears  as 
one  of  the  original  grantees  of  Cornwallis  in  1764. 

CONN  MILLS  (C.)— This  Village  was  named  after  an  early 
settler  who  was  a  miller. 

CONVICT  POINT  (C.  B.)— Near  Mainstdieu.  A  vessel 
loaded  with  convicts  was  lost  on  this  point ;  hence  the  name. 

CONWAY  TOWNSHIP  (D.)— This  was  the  former  name  for 
Digby  County;  was  given  the  name  in  honor  of  the  Rt.  Hon.  Henry 
Seymour  Conway  who  was  Secretary  of  State  (English)  in  1765. 
(See  Digby.) 

COOK  COVE,  (G.)— Named  after  a  family  of  Loyalists  who 
settled  at  this  cove  in  the  year  1772.  The  Cooks  like  all  other 
Loyalists  would  not  take  up  arms  against  England  and  came  to 
Nova  Scotia  to  settle. 

COOK  HARBOR  (Y.)— Named  after  a  Captain  Ephraim 
Cook,  said  to  be  the  first  English  settler  of  Yarmouth.  He  had  a 
fishing  post  at  this  Harbor. 

COOKUMIJENAWANAK  (H.)~This  is  the  name  given  by 
the  Micmac  Indians  to  a  rock  in  the  outlet  of  the  Grand  Lake  into 
the  Shubenacadie  River.  The  name  means  the  "Grandmother's 
Place."  It  was  believed  by  the  Indians  that  this  rock  was  placed 
there  for  them  to  fish  from. 

COOLIN  COVE  (H.)— A  Cove  in  Shag  Bay,  named  after  a 
family  named  Coolin. 

CORNING  HEAD  (Y.)— Named  after  Jonathan  and  Ebenezer 
Corning,  to  whom  it  was  granted  in  1765. 

CORKUM  LAKE  (L) — So  named  after  an  early  settler  named 
James  Corkum. 

CORNWALLIS  (K.>— Named  after  Colonel  the  Honorable 


PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  39 

Edward  Cornwallis,  who  was  gazetted  Governor  of  Nova  Scotia, 
the  9th  of  May  1749.  He  arrived  in  Halifax  with  2576  immi- 
grants in  July  1749. 

The  Indian  name  for  Cornwallis  River  was  "Ijiktook"  mean- 
ing "uncertainty."  The  French  called  it  "Grand  Habitant  River." 
Cornwallis  is  one  of  the  four  Townships  of  Kings  County  and  was 
formed  into  a  Township  in  1759. 

COSSMAN  CREEK  (D.)— Named  after  Captain  John  Coss- 
man  a  resident  of  the  place. 

COTEAU  INLET  (R.)— A  general  descriptive  name  of  sur- 
rounding lands.  From  the  French,  meaning  "hillock"  or  "rising 
ground." 

COUNTRY  HARBOR  (G.)— At  one  time  this  place  was  called 
"Mocoudom,"  or  "Moukodome."  The  Indian  name  for  it  was 
"Moolaboogwek"  meaning  "gullied  and  deep." 

First  settled  in  the  year  1783,  by  men  of  the  Royal  North 
and  South  Carolina  Regiments,  and  Carolina  Rangers.  It  was  for  a 
long  time  known  as  "Green  Harbor."  Changed  to  its  present  name 
in  1914,  to  avoid  duplication  of  the  name  "Green." 

COW  BAY  (C.  B.)— See  Morien. 

COW  BAY  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Noo- 
loktookch". 

COYLE  COVE  (H.)— So  named  by  Capt.  P.  F.  Shortland 
(R.  N.)  in  1864.     Sometimes  called  "Kieley." 

CRAMMOND  ISLAND  (I.)— Evidently  so  named  after  a 
family  of  Crammonds,  whose  name  appears  in  the  early  records 
of  Inverness  County.  This  island  is  sometimes  erroneously  called 
Smith  Island. 

CRANBERRY  HEAD  (C.  B.)— There  is  a  bog  near  this  place 
and  in  the  early  days  cranberries  grew  in  abundance  here;  hence 
the  present  name,  which  is  a  regrettable  change  from  the  old  name 
"Richard  Point,"  by  which  it  is  known  on  the  maps  of   1829. 

CRANBERRY  HEAD  (Y.)— So  named  owing  to  the  plenti- 
tude  of  cranberries  found  there;  this  is  another  regrettable  change 
from  the  old  Micmac  Indian  name  "Soonecaty,"  which  means 
"place    of   cranberries." 

CRAWLEY  CREEK  (C.  B.)— Named  after  Captain  Crawley 


40  PLAGE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 

of  the  Royal  Navy,  who  came  to  Sydney  in  its  early  days  and  settled 
at  Point  Amelia,  near  the  Creek,  which  since  bears  his  name. 

CRAWLEY  ISLAND  (Y.)— Named  after  John  Crawley, 
known  as  Squire  Crawley,  who  settled  in  Yarmouth  about  1761, 
and  was  one  of  a  committee  in  authority  in  1762.  He  came  from 
England  to  Marble  Head  and  later  to  Yarmouth. 

CREEK  AUX  NAVIREfS  (R.)— Named  by  the  French, 
meaning  "the  creek  for  ships." 

CREESER  COVE  (L.)— Named  after  an  early  settler,  George 
Creeser. 

CREIGHTON  COVE  (H.)— This  Cove  in  Dartmouth  is  named 
after  an  Englishman  named  James  Creighton,  or  one  of  his  family, 
who  owned  considerable  land  nearby  about  the  year  1845. 

CREIGNISH  (I.) — After  a  place  of  the  same  name  in  Scot- 
land. Said  to  mean  "Creig-Rock"  and  "Nish-here,  or  Gaelic  for 
"here  is  rock,"  or  "a  rocky  place." 

CRESCENT  BEACH  (L.)— So  named  owing  to  its  shape.  This 
Beach  was  formerly  known  as  "Romkeys." 

CRICHTON  (R.)— This  beach,  head,  island  and  shoal  is  named 
after  David  Crichton,  an  immigrant  to  Pictou  from  Dundee, 
Scotland  in  1812,  who  bought  land  on  the  island  and  established 
a  fishing  station  there  in   1824. 

CROCKER  POINT  (Y.)— This  place  received  its  name  from 
an  early  settler  Daniel  Crocker,  who  settled  there  about  the  year 
1765. 

CROSSBURN  (A.)— Named  after  J.  W.  Cross,  who  was  the 
Woods  Superintendent  of  the  Davidson  Lumber  Company,  which 
makes,  or  did  make  Crossbum  its  headquarters. 

CROUSE  TOWN  (L.)— Named  after  early  settlers,  John 
and   Philip   Grouse. 

CULLODEN  (D.) — This  place  is  named  after  a  British  ship 
called  the  "Culloden"  which  was  wrecked  there  in  the  year  1859. 
It  was  formerly  known  as  "Broad  Gove." 

CUMBERLAND— The  old  Indian  name  was  "Kwesomalegek" 
meaning  "hardwood  ridge"  or  "point."  Cumberland  Basin  was  at 
one  time  called  by  the  French  "Beaubasin,"  and  is  now  known  as 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  41 

Chignecto,  one  time  spelled  as  "Chinictou."  The  name  Fort 
Beausejour  was  changed  to  'Tort  Cumberland"  in  1755,  by  Robert 
Monckton,  who  was  at  that  time  Lieutenant-Governor  at  Annapollis 
The  name  was  afterwards  given  to  the  Bay,  Township  and  County. 
The  County  was  formed  in  1759.  In  1784  New  Brunswick 
was  made  a  separate  Province,  and  Cumberland  was  included  in 
Nova  Scotia. 

It  is  said  that  it  was  named  in  honor  of  the  Duke  of  Cumber- 
land, the  son  of  George  II,  who  commanded  the  British  armies  in 
Flanders    and    Hanover.     (See    Chignecto). 

Cumberland  County  is  divided  into  three  Townships,  Amherst, 
Parrsborough  and  Wallace,  and  contains  1612  square  miles. 

CUMBERLAND  BASIN— So  named  by  the  English  in  1755, 
replacing  the  name  "Beaubasin"  used  by  the  French.  (See  Cum- 
berland) . 


42  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 


D 


DALHOUSIE  (K.) — Named  in  honor  of  George  Ramsay,  the 
ninth  Lord  Dalhousie,  who  was  Lieut. -Governor  of  Nova  Scotia 
in  1816  and  afterwards  Governor  of  Canada  from  1820-28. 

DALHOUSIE  (A.)— (See  Dalhousie,  K.). 

DALHOUSIE  COLLEGE^(See  Halifax.) 

DALHOUSIE  MOUNTAINS  (P.)— First  settled  by  Peter 
Arthur,  a  native  of  the  Orkneys;  later  in  1815  by  a  number  of 
families  from  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland.  (See  Dalhousie.)  The 
first  settlers  here  had  some  difficulty  about  their  titles,  some  spec- 
ulators laying  claim  to  them.  The  Earl  Dalhousie  interfered  and 
made  satisfactory  arrangements  for  the  settlers,  who  in  their 
gratitude  named  the  place  after  him. 

DALHOUSIE  ROAD  (L.)— (See  Dalhousie). 

DANE  CORNER  ( Y.) — Named  after  a  resident  and  very  early 
settler,  Thomas  Dane. 

DARES  POINT— (L.)— A  point  on  the  east  side  of  Mahone 
Bay  called  after  a  family  of  Dares,  which  is  a  very  common  fam- 
ily name  in   Lunenburg  County. 

DAREY  LAKE  (L.) — Named  after  an  early  settler  James 
Darey,  whose  name  appears  among  the  original  grantees  of  Lunen- 
burg Township. 

DARTMOUTH  (H.) — One  of  the  Townships  of  Halifax  Coun- 
ty. Was  first  settled  in  the  year  1751.  Named  after  the  Earl  of 
Dartmouth,  an  English  Secretary  of  State,  and  great  confidant  of 
Queen  Anne.  His  name  was  William  Legge;  born  1731,  died  1801. 
The  first  immigrants  arrived  in  1750  or  1751  in  the  ship  "Alderney." 
In  1784  thirty  Nantucket  families  settled  in  Dartmouth. 

Dartmouth  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1873. 

DAUPHIN  (V.)— (See  Cape  Dauphin). 

DAUPHINIE  LAKE  (L.)— Named  after  an  old  family  of 
early  settlers ;  the  name  'John  Dauphinie  appears  among  the  orig- 
inal grantees  of  Lunenburg. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA    SCOTIA  43 

DAYSPRING  LAKE  (P.)— The  children  of  the  Presbyterian 
churches  in  the  Lower  Provinces  in  the  year  1863-64  built  a  vessel 
in  New  Glasgow  to  be  used  as  a  mission  ship  in  the  South  Seas. 
They  named  it  the  "Dayspring."  The  spars  for  the  vessel  were 
brought  from  the  neighborhood  of  this  lake,  which  was  for  this 
reason  named  after  the  vessel. 

DEADMAN  COVE  (C.  B.)— Near  Bridgeport,  on  the  southern 
side  of  Lingan  Bay.  So  named  because  a  number  of  bodies  that 
had  been  washed  ashore  were  found  and  buried  there. 

DEBERT  (CoL) — The  grant  for  this  place  was  previous  to 
the  grant  of  the  Township  of  Londonderry  (1775)  and  was  given 
to  the  first  settler,  Anthony  Caverley. 

DEBERT  POINT  (Col.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  point  was 
"Pelegaloolkek,"  meaning  "smooth  flowing  water." 

The  Indian  name  of  this  locality  was  "Wasokagek,"  meaning, 
"it  is  bright,  or  seen  in  the  distance  as  a  signal." 

DEEP  COVE  (L.) — An  arm  of  the  sea  which  runs  up  to  the  base 
of  Aspotogan.  The  water  at  the  head  is  of  sufficient  depth  to  permit 
of  the  largest  ship  to  lie  close  to  the  shore,  hence  the  name. 

DELAP  COVE  (A.)— First  settled  about  the  year  1800  by 
Isaac  Haley  and  John  McCaul.  Haley  likely  Irish ;  McCaul  was  a 
Scotchman.  The  place  was  named  after  Lawrence  Delap,  who  did 
not  reside  there,  but  built  vessels  at  the  place  about  the  year  1850. 
The  Indian  name  for  this  cove  was  "Medabankeajetc,"  meaning 
"the  little  red  bank." 

DELHAVEN  (K.)— Formerly  known  as  Middle  Pereaux, 
changed  to  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year 
1880. 

D'ENTREMONT  (Y.)— Named  after  the  Frenchman,  D'En- 
tremont,  who  brought  the  French  immigrants  that  settled  there  in 
1650.  It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  this  man  Philip  D'Entremont 
was  made  Baron  Pobomcon  (see  Pubnico)  byiCharles  de  la  Tour, 
who  was  himself  known  as  Lord  of  Cape  Sable  and  Lt.  of  the  King 
(French)  in  Acadia. 

DENYS  (L)— (See  River  Denys). 

DESCOUSSE  (R.)— This  name  was  known  as  early  as  1752. 
The  whole  of  Isle  Madame  was  at  one  time  called  "Decoux"  by  the 
writer  Pichon   (1760). 


44  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 

DEVIL'S  GOOSE  PASTURE  (K.)— The  legend  has  it  that 
the  country  near  Aylesford  where  there  is  a  barren  sand  plain  was 
once  owned  by  the  Lord,  the  King,  and  the  Devil.  The  glebe  lands 
to  the  first,  the  ungranted  lands  to  the  second,  and  the  barren  sand 
plain  to  the  last,  hence  the  name. 

DHU  POINT  (C.  B.)— This  place  bears  a  Gaelic  name,  the 
word  Dhu  meaning  black. 

DIGBY — Called  at  one  time  **Conway."  Received  its  present 
name  in  honor  of  Admiral  Robert  Digby,  who  commanded  the 
British  convoy  "Atalanta,"  and  who  brought  1500  refugees  from 
New  England  in  1785.  He  was  made  commander-in-chief  in  North 
America  in  1781.  Formed  into  a  County  about  1841.  Has  two 
Township  divisions  namely,  Digby  and  Clare.  Digby  Town  was 
incorporated  in  1890.     The  County  contains  1021  square  miles. 

DIGBY  GUT  (D.)— At  one  time  known  as  St.  George's  Chan- 
nell.  The  Indians  called  it  "Tee  Wee  Den,"  said  to  signify  "Little 
Hole."  In  1710  it  was  known  as  the  "Gutt"  and  later  as  "Jennys 
Streights." 

DIGBY  NECK  (D.)— Settled  by  Loyalists  in  1783.  The 
Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Oositookun"  meaning  "an  ear"; 
again  it  is  found  called  by  the  Indians  "Wagweik,"  meaning  "the 
end." 

DILIGENT  RIVER  (€.)— First  settled  by  Lieut.  Taylor  and 
Captain  Wilson  about  the  year  1777  The  place  was  visited  by  the 
Provincial  Goverjnor  Parr,  and,  finding  Lieut.  Taylor  so  industrious 
ancj  diligent  in  his  effort  to  make  a  home,  he  named  the  place 
"Diligent  River." 

DINGWALL  (V.)— This  place  was  first  called  "Young's 
Cove."  In  the  seventies,  a  man  named  Robert  Dingwall,  who  kept 
a  small  store  at  Young's  Cove,  made  application  for  a  post  office, 
and  suggested  to  the  Government  the  name  of  "Dingwall."  Parlia- 
ment confirmed  the  name  "Dingwall"  in  April  1883. 
•» 

DOCTOR  HEAD  (C.  B.)— Between  Sydney  Harbor  and 
Little  Bras  d'Or.  Named  after  Doctor  Jean,  who  owned  the  place 
and  lived  there  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century.  It  is 
called  Oxford  Point  on  some  of  the  old  maps. 

DOG  ISLAND  (R.)— One  time  called  Seal  Island.  Received 
both  its  old  and  present  names  from  the  fact  that  dog  seals  were 
plentiful  there. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  45 

DOGGETT  POINT  (Q.)— Named  after  John  Doggett,  an 
estimable  first  settler  of  Queens  County.  He  came  from  New  Eng- 
land in  1759,  and  built  a  house  at  this  place. 

DOMINION  (C.  B.)— This  place  was  formerly  part  of  Bridge- 
port ;  when  the  Dominion  Coal  Company  sank  a  coal  mine  there  it 
was  called  "Dominion  No.  1."  By  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the 
year  1906  the  place  was  named  "Dominion." 

DONKIN  (C.  B.) — Known  as  Dominion  No.  6,  one  of  the  coal 
mining  communities  of  the  Dominion  Coal  Co.,  named  after  Hiram 
Donkin,  a  civil  engineer,  at  one  time  the  Company's  Manager,  and 
later  Deputy  Minister  of  Public  Works  and  Mines  for  the  Nova 
Scotia  Government. 

It  was  previous  to  this  included  in  the  district  known  as 
"Schooner  Pond." 

DONNYBROOK  (P.)— Quite  an  unusual  name  to  find  in 
Pictou  County.  Named  after  the  village  in  County  Dublin,  Ire- 
land, noted  for  its  fairs. 

D'OR  CAPE  (C.)— So  called  by  the  French  explorers  who  mis- 
took native  copper  for  gold. 

DORCHESTER  (Ant.)— A  Township  of  Antigonish  County. 
This  subdivision  of  the  County  was  at  one  time  known  as  "Anti- 
gonish Interval."  Named  in  honor  of  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  whose 
title  was  First  Baron  Dorchester.     (See  Guysborough.) 

DORY  RIPS  (C.) — At  Cape  d'Or  a  submarine  cape  extends 
southerly  into  the  sea,  and  produces  whirlpools,  which  is  the  ex- 
planation of  the  name. 

DOUCETTE  POINT  (D.)— Named  so  after  an  early  settler 
Pierre    Doucette. 

DOUGLAS  (Hts.)— One  of  the  six  Township  Divisions  of 
Hants  County. 

DOUGLASS  ROAD  (A.)— Called  after  one  of  its  early  settlers 
named    Douglas . 

DOVER  SOI  (H.) — Pronounced  Dover  Swa;  the  meaning  is 
obscure  but  is  said  to  mean  Dover  Run.  The  name  Soi  appears  in  a 
number  of  places  in  Nova  Scotia,  and  is  always  applied  to  small 
running    streams. 

DRAGOON  ISLAND  (C.  B.)— An  island  on  the  Mira  River. 


46  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 


Legend  has  it  that  in  early  days  when  Sydney  was  a  garrisoned 
town,  two  dragoons  deserted  with  their  horses.  Coming  to  the 
Mira,  they  swam  their  horses  from  the  point  above  Cupid's  Cove 
to  the  Island. 

DUBLIN,  NEW  DUBLIN,  DUBLIN  SHORE  (L.)— Settled 
by  Alexander  McNutt's  colonists,  brought  from  Ireland  in  the  year 
1762.  They  did  not  remain  at  Dublin,  but  scattered  throughout 
the  Province,  most  of  them  going  to  New  England.  There  were 
200  in  all. 

DUFFERIN  (H.)  DUFFERIN  MINES  (G.)— So  named  in 
honor  of  Frederick  Temple  Hamilton  Blackwood,  the  Marqui  s  of 
Duffer^,  who  was  Governor-General  of  Canada  from  1872-1878. 

DUNDEE  (R.)— Named  after  the  Scottish  City  "Dundee"  the 
"Hill  on  the  Tay."  Dun  being  a  Celtic  root  word  meaning  "Hill." 
The  name  as  a  whole  comes  from  the  Latin  "Taodunum"  meaning 
"Hill  on  the  Tay." 

DUNMAGLASS  (Ant.) — Received  its  name  after  a  town 
named  Dunmaglass,  Inverness,  Scotland,  from  which  the  first 
settlers  came  in  1791.  There  were  three  brothers:  Andrew,  Alex- 
and  Angus  McGillvray,  and  John  McEachem.  It  was  so  named  in 
the  year  1879,  and  the  name  was  suggested  by  the  Rev.  Andrew 
McGillvray,  Parish  Priest,  a  native  and  descendant  of  the  original 
settlers,  and  an  Act  of  Parliament  was  passed  in  that  year  confirm- 
ing the  naming  of  the  place. 

DUNVEGAN  (I.) — This  place,  which  was  hitherto  known  as 
Broad  Cove  Marsh,  is  named  after  the  cold,  bleak,  rock-built  castle 
of  the  "McLeods  of  Skye."  It  received  its  present  name  by  an 
Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1885.  In  the  Gaelic  language  the 
word  "dun"  means  a  hill. 

DURHAM  (P.) — This  place  was  named  after  John  George 
Lambton,  the  Earl  of  Durham,  who  came  to  Canada  in  1838  to 
bring  order  out  of  the  chaos  caused  by  the  Rebellion.  The  name 
was  suggested  by  William  Graham,  merchant,  and  was  confirmed 
at  a  public  meeting  held  for  that  purpose.  The  place  was  previously 
known  as  West  River. 

DURKEE  ISLAND  (Y.)— On  the  Eastern  side  of  Chebogue 
River.     It  was  named  after  an  early  settler,  Amasa  Durkee. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  47 


E 


EARLTOWN  (Col.)— Was  first  surveyed  in  the  year  1817  by 
Alex.  Miller,  who  gave  it  its  name  in  honor  of  the  Earl  of  Dalhousie 
who  was  at  that  time  Governor  of  the  Province. 

Miller  surveyed  boundary  lines  for  different  Townships  and 
gave  some  of  them  their  names. 

Earltown  was  first  settled  by  Donald  Mcintosh  and  Angus 
Sutherland  in  1813.     They  came  from  Sutherlandshire,  Scotland. 

EAST  BAY  (C.  B.) — The  modem  and  inappropriate  name  now 
generally  applied  to  St.  Andrew's  Channel.  The  Micmac  Indians 
called  this  place  ''Aglaseawakade,"  "the  English  settlement,"  or 
"place  of  the  English." 

EAST  BERLIN  (Q.)— Formerly  known  as  Pudding  Pan, 
given  the  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1886. 

EAST  CHESTER  (L.)— Sometimes  called  "Scotch  Cove." 
First  settled  by  John  Hutcheson,  John  Duncan  and  Thomas 
Thompson,  from  Scotland. 

EAST  DOVER  (H.)— See  Ocean  Glen. 

EASTON  (D.) — Sometimes  known  as  New  Jerusalem,  first 
settled  by  Enoch  McMullin  in  the  year  1856. 

EAST  RIVER  (P.)— Was  called  by  the  Indians  "Duckland," 
which  is  in  their  language  "Apcheekumook-waakade." 

Sometimes  called  by  the  early  Highland  settlers  "Great  River," 
owing  to  its  being  the  largest  of  the  three  rivers,  East,  West  and 
Middle  River,  which  flow  into  Pictou  Harbor. 

ECONOMY  (Col.) — Village  and  River.  Micmac  Indian 
name  was  "Kenomee,"  which  means  "Sandy  Point"  or  a  long  point 
jutting  out  into  the  sea.  This  name  is  found  in  old  church  records 
and  tokens  spelled  "Oeconomy."  Later  it  was  found  spelled 
"Conomy"  and  at  present  "Economy,"  which  suggests  a  meaning 
altogether  different  and  less  appropriate  than  the  original  "Keno- 
mee." 

ECUM  SECUM  (H.) — This  sounds  like  an  Indian  name,  but 
the  Indians  knew  the  place  as,  and  called  it  "Megwasagunk," 
meaning  "a  red  house." 


48  PLACE-NAMES   OF    NOVA   SCOTIA 

EDEN  (P.)— See  Garden  of  Eden. 
EDWARDSVILLE  (C.  B.)— See  Point  Edward. 

EEL  BROOK  ( Y.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Wiplcomegakum,'* 
meaning  "place  of  eels,  but  they  were  poor  and  lean." 

Was  settled  in  1767  by  seven  Acadians  who  escaped  deporta- 
tion. 

EEL  CREEK  (Y.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Wipkomagakum," 
meaning  "place  of  plum  stones." 

EGERTON  (P.)~A  Township  of  Pictou  County.  The 
County  was  subdivided  in  the  year  1807  into  three  Townships, 
namely:  Pictou,  Egerton  and  Maxwelton.  Probably  named  after 
Francis  Egerton  the  third  and  last  Duke  of  Bridgewater.  He  was  a 
great  projector  of  canals  and  was  known  as  "The  Father  of  British 
Inland  Navigation." 

EGMONT  LAKE  (H.)— Named  after  the  Right  Honorable 
Earl  of  Egmont,  who  obtained  a  grant  of  100,000  acres  on  the  Shu- 
benacadie  River  in  the  year  1769. 

The  Indian  name  for  Egmont  Bay  was  "Wegwaak." 
There  is  a  cape  of  this  name  in  Victoria  County,  Cape  Breton 
— doubtless  named  after  the  same  gentleman.     It    was  formerly 
known  as  Aspe,  and  it  is  the  southern  promontory  of  the  Bay  of 
that  name.     (See  Aspy  Bay.) 

EIGHT  MILE  BROOK  (P.)— Given  this  name  because  of  it 
being  eight  miles  from  the  starting  point  of  the  old  Cobequid  Road 
to  the  point  where  it  crosses  the  road. 

EISNER  COVE  (H.)— Named  after  a  family. 

ELDERBANK  (H.)— Formeriy  called  Little  Musquodoboit, 
named  after  St.  Andrew's  Church  of  Elderbank,  which  in  its  turn 
was  named  after  the  farm  on  which  it  was  built. 

ELDER  HEAD  (Y.)— Named  after  a  resident,  Mr.  Ebenezer 
Moulton,  who  was  a  church  elder.  He  came  from  Massachusetts 
in  1761  and  is  said  to  be  the  first  preacher  in  Yarmouth. 

ELGIN  (P.) — So  named  in  honor  of  James  Bruce  the  eighth 
Earl  of  Elgin  (1811-1863),  a  Governor-General  of  Canada  during 
the  troublesome  years   1846-1854. 

ELLERSHOUSE  (Hts.)— Named  after^  Francis  V.  Ellers- 
hausen,  a  native  of  Germany,    who  settled  in  Hants  County  in 


PLACE-NAMES   OP    NOVA  SCOTIA  49 

1864.  He  acqtdred  a  grant  of  60,000  acres  of  land,  including  the 
Lakes  Panuke  and  Stillwater.  He  built  a  large  steam  mill  at 
Stillwater,  and  another  at  what  is  now  known  as  Hartville. 

ELLISON  RIVER  (D.)— Formerly  known  as  Craig's  Brook. 

ELM SD ALE  (H.) — Received  its  name  from  the  number  of 
elm  trees  growing  in  the  Intervale.  First  settled  by  a  man  named 
Tremoine;  later  by  Frasers  and  McDonalds  from  Pictou  County. 

EMULOUS  REEF  (S.)— On  Ram  Island,  Lockeport  Harbor, 
called  after  H.  M.  Sloop  "Emulous"  of  18  guns,  which  was  wrecked 
here  August  2nd,  1812. 

ENFIELD  (Hts.) — So  named  at  a  public  meeting  called  at 
Malcolm's  Pottery  1862;  suggested  by  Mr.  Thomas  B.  Donaldson 
after  his  home  town,  Enfield,  in  the  Connecticut  River  Valley. 
Was  previously  called  "The  Crossing." 

First  settler  was  William  Hall  (about  1830). 

ENFUME  (V.)— See  Cape  Smoky. 

ENON  (C.  B.) — Originally  a  part  of  Loch  Lomond,  changed  in 
1905  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  to  the  present  name. 

ERINVILLE  (G.)— So  named  by  lovers  of  Ireland  who  settled 
in  this  district. 

ERNST  ISLAND  (L.)— Named  after  an  early  settler  Mr. 
Mathias  Ernst. 

ESKASONI  (C.  B.)— "Eskasoni"  is  said  to  be  an  Indian  word 
meaning  "still  water."  But  Dr.  Rand  gives  the  spelling  as  "Es- 
kusoognik"  and  the  meaning  as  "green  boughs."  This  place  is 
still  settled  by  Micmac  Indians  and  reserved  for  their  use. 

ESTMERE  (V.)— So  named  by  an  Act  of  ParUament  in  the 
year  1887 — "mere"  a  rare  word  meaning  "a  pond,  pool  or  lakelet" 
— also  old  Scottish  word  for  the  sea. 

ETNA  (K.) — A  point  on  the  Blue  Mountains  named  after  the 
fanous  Sicilian  volcano. 

EUREKA  (P.) — A  milling  company  was  established  here 
known  as  the  Eureka  Milling  Company;  hence  the  village  name. 


50  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 


FAIRMONT  (Ant.) — This  place  was  formerly  known  as  part 
of  Hallowell  Grant.  By  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1892  it 
was  given  its  present  name. 

FAIRY  LAKE  (Q.)— This  Lake  and  the  Falls  are  so  named 
because  the  Indian  name  appeared  to  mean  the  English  word 
"Fairy"  or  "Witch." 

FAIRY  HOLE  (V.)— This  place  between  Great  Bras  d'Or 
Entrance  and  St.  Ann's  Bay  is  so  called  owing  to  the  caverns  that 
start  in  from  the  shore  extending  into  the  cliffs  for  a  considerable 
distance.  These  caves  are  of  great  interest  to  geologists  and  others 
visiting  the  place.  A  somewhat  similar  cave  is  found  in  Pictou 
County  called  Peter  Eraser's  Cave. 

FALES  BROOK^  (K.)— A  small  stream  in  Aylesford  flowing 
into  the  Annapolis  River,  named  after  an  early  settler  Benjamin 
Fales,  who  was  employed  by  Brigadier  General  Ruggles  in  clearing 
the  southern  slope  of  the  North  Mountain. 

FALKLAND  (H.) — Received  its  name  in  honor  of  Lady  Falk- 
land, who  laid  the  corner-stone  of  the  first  church  built  there  in  the 
year  1845.  Lady  Falkland  was  the  wife  of  Lucius  Bentinck  Falk- 
land, Viscount,  then  Governor  of  Nova  Scotia.  She  was  the  young- 
est daughter  of  William  IV.  Its  name  previous  to  this  was 
Fergusson's  Cove. 

FALKLAND  (L.)— See  Falkland  (H.). 

FALKLAND  RIDGE  (A.)— Named  in  honor  of  Lucius 
Bentinck  Falkland,  who  was  for  a  time  Governor  of  Nova  Scotia. 

FALMOUTH  (Hts.) — Named  after  the  seaport  and  watering 
place  of  that  name  in  Cornwall,  England.  It  is  one  of  the  six  town- 
ship divisions  of  Hants  County,  and  was  formed  into  a  Township 
in  1759.     It  was  previous  to  this,  part  of  King's  County. 

FALSE  BAY  BEACH  (C.  B.)— A  low  strip  of  sand  which  pre- 
vents the  communication  between  Cow  Bay  and  Mira  Bay,  and,  by 
the  appearance  of  an  entrance,  deceives  the  mariners  when  approach- 
ing from  the  sea,  hence  the  name. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA    SCOTIA  51 


FARIBAULT  BROOK  (I.)— On  the  Cheticamp  River 
named  after  a  Dominion  geologist. 

FERRONA  (P.)— From  'Terra"  (iron).  Named  by  officers 
of  the  Nova  Scotia  Steel  &  Coal  Co.,  when  the  Company  were 
manufacturing  pig  iron  there. 

FIFTH  LAKE  (Q.)— (See  Liverpool). 

FINLAY  POINT  (I.)— Near  Mabou  named  after  a  settler 
Finlay  Beaton. 

FIRST  LAKE  (0.)~See  Liverpool. 

(0.)~  "    Port  Medway. 
(H.)—  "    Tangier. 

FISHERMEN'S  CARD  TABLE  (L.)— The  name  given  to  a 
large  square  rock  in  a  very  elevated  position  with  a  fiat  even  surface* 

FISHER'S  GRANT  (P.)--The  old  Micmac  Indian  name  for 
this  place  was  "Soogunugade"  or  "rotting  place." 

FIVE  HOUSES  (L.) — So  named  because  for  a  long  time  in 
the  early  days  there  were  but  five  houses  at  this  place. 

FIVE  ISLANDS  (C.)— The  Indians  called  these  Islands  "Nan- 
kulmenegool"  meaning  "Five  Islands." 

FLAT  POINT  (C.  B.)— Generally  called  Low  Point,  is  the 
Eastern  Point  of  of  Sydney  Harbor.     The  name  is  descriptive. 

FLEMING  ISLAND  (H.)— An  island  near  Port  Dover, 
named  after  a  family  of  the  district. 

FLINT  ISLAND  (C.  B.)--This  place  received  its  name  from 
the  name  given  to  it  by  the  French.  "He  a  pierre  a  fusil"  referring 
to  the  hardness  of  its  rock. 

FLORENCE  (C.  B.)— Formerly  known  as  "Cox*s."  About 
the  year  1905  the  Nova  Scotia  Steel  &  Coal  Co.  started  a  coal  mine 
there  and  the  village  was  named  after  the  wife  of  the  Counties 
Dominion  Parliamentary  Representative,  Mr.  D.  D.  McKenzie. 

FOLLY  VILLAGE  (CoL)— See  new  name  Glenholm. 

FOLLY  LAKE  AND  MOUNTAIN  (CoL)— This  word  applied 
to  the  name  of  a  place  is  often  found,  and  in  this  case  expresses 
the  opinion  of  neighbors  on  an  unfortunate  location  by  one  of  their 


52  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 


number  named  Flemming.  At  first  it  was  knownh  as  Flemming 
Folly,  later  "The  Folly";  it  then  became  "Fawleig."  and  is  now 
on  the  railway  time  tables  as  "Folleigh." 

FOOTE  CORNER  (Y.)— Named  after  a  family  of  Footes' 
who  were  very  early  settlers. 

FORBES  BROOK  (P.)— So  named  after  an  early  Scotch 
settler.  Was  one  time  called  "The  Half  Mile  Brook."  A  number 
of  brooks  on  the  West  River  were  known  as  Four,  Six,  and  Eight 
Mile  brooks  being  the  distance  on  the  Cobequid  Road  from  the 
point  of  departure. 

FORBES  POINT  (Q.)— This  place  is  sometimes  called 
"Wreck  Point."  The  present  name  is  after  a  Scotchman  named 
Forbes,  who  was  the  first  settler  in  this  neighborhood. 

FORT  CLARENCE  (H.)— Was  first  erected  in  the  year  1754. 
The  name  is  probably  in  honor  of  Edward,  Duke  of  Kent. 

FORT  EDWARD,  (K.)— Now  a  mere  ruin,  was  named 
after  the  Duke  of  Kent. 

FORT  ELLIS  (CoL)— An  old  fort  on  the  Shubenacadie  River. 
It  apparently  received  the  name  Ellis  owing  to  a  man  of  this  name 
having  a  farm  nearby. 

FORT  LATOUR  (S)— Named  in  honor  of  the  brave 
Charles  La  Tour,  who  built  a  fort  here  in  the  year  1627. 

FORT  LAWRENCE  (C.)— At  one  time  known  as  "Beau- 
basin."  Settled  in  1672.  The  Indian  name  was  "Kwesomalegek," 
meaning  "a  hardwood  point."  This  place  was  also  known  as 
Missiquash,  a  name  now  only  applied  to  the  river  dividing  Nova 
Scotia  from  New  Brunswick.  The  fort  was  built  by  a  Major  Law- 
rence who  was  sent  there  to  reduce  the  French  and  Indians  to  obed- 
ience and  who  built  the  fort  in  1750.  The  district  now  bears  the 
name  he  gave  the  fort. 

FORT  MASSEY  (H.)— Named  after  General  Massey,  Com- 
mander-in-chief in  Nova  Scotia  in  1776.  The  name  "Fort  Massey" 
was  given  to  the  military  cemetery  in  Halifax,  later  to  the  surround- 
ing residential  area ;  now,  chiefly  to  designate  the  cemetery  and  the 
famous  church  of  that  name. 

FOSTER  SETTLEMENT  (L.)— This  place  is  named  after 
two  brothers,  Ezekiel  and  Henry  Foster,  who  were  the  first  settlers. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  53 

FOURCHE  (R.)— This  is  the  French  for  "forked"  or  "cloven." 

FOUR  MILE  BROOK  (P.) — So  named  because  of  its  being 
four  miles  from  the  beginning  of  the  old  Cobequid  Road  where  it 
crosses  the  road. 

FOURTH  LAKE  (Q.)— See  Liverpool 

(0.)—  "    Port  Medway. 
(H.)—  "    Tangier. 

^  FOX  ISLAND  (G.)— An  Island  in  the  Gut  of  Canso.  The 
Indian  name  was  "Sebelogwokum,"  meaning  "where  skins  are 
stretched"  or  "the  drying  place. 

FRAMBROISE  (R.)— This  is  the  French  for  "raspberry." 
The  place  was  long  known  as  Framboise  Cove.  The  Micmac 
Indian  name  of  this  place  was  "Tawanok"  or  "Tawitk"  meaning 
the  outlet  or  flowing  out. 

FRANCKLIN  MANOR  (C.)— First  applied  to  a  home,  and 
now  to  the  place.  Named  and  owned  by  the  Honorable  Michael 
Francklin,  who  was  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  in  1766 
and  Governor  in  1772. 

ERASER  POINT  (P.)— Named  after  the  first  settler,  Captain 
Eraser  of  the  82nd  Hamilton  Highlanders  1783. 

FREDERICK  LAKE  (H.)— This  Lake  bears  the  surname  of  a 
keen  Halifax  angler  of  about  1860.  Sometimes  called  Pine  Wood 
Lake. 

FREEPORT  (D.)— Originally  known  as  Long  Island,  changed 
to  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1865. 

FRENCH  CROSS  (K.)— See  Morden. 

^  FRENCH  LANDING  (H.)— This  place  is  in  Bedford  Basin. 
It  is  believed  to  be  the  landing  place  and  the  encampment  ground 
for  the  men  who  were  with  the  ill-fated,  disease-stricken,  Due 
D'Anville*s  fleet  that  arrived  at  Halifax  in  the  year  1746. 

FRENCH  RIVER  (P.)— The  French  had  a  settlement  at  the 
mouth  of  this  river  in  the  early  days,  hence  its  name. 

FRENCH  RIVER  (Col.)— This  place  was  settled  by  the 
French  as  early,  if  not  earlier  than  1737  and  has  ever  since  borne 
their  name. 

FRENCH  SETTLEMENT  (D.)— For  a  long  time  known  as 


54  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


Doucette  Settlement,  after  David  Doucette,  who  settled  there  in 
1830. 

FRENCH  VALE^  (C.^  B.)— Nearly  all  the  present  settlers  of 
French  Vale  trace  their  origin  from  four  brothers  who  were  French 
Acadians,  and  came  from  Prince  Edward  Island  early  in  the  nine- 
teenth century. 

FRENCH  VILLAGE  BROOK  (CoL)— When  Winslow's 
soldiers  were  hunting  the  French  Acadians  in  these  parts  in  1775 
some  of  them  fled  up  Salmon  River  to  a  brook,  which  has  ever 
since  been  called  French  Village  Brook. 

FROSTFISH  COVE  (H.)— This  place  received  its  name  owing 
to  the  tom-cod  being  plentiful  in  its  waters.  It  is  interesting  to 
note  that  tom-cod  is  a  corruption  of  *a  Canadian  French  word 
**tacaud"  meaning  plenty  fish,  and  is  of  Indian  origin. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  55 


GABARUS  (C.  Bw) — Bay,  Cape,  Lake  and  Village  said  to  be 
named  after  a  French  officer  of  Bayonne  named  **Gabarus."  This 
is  generally  accepted  as  the  right  derivation.  On  maps  of  1853 
we  find  it  called  "Bay  de  Gabory,"  and  on  an  old  map  of  1752,  "Gab- 
arus."  Again  it  is  said  to  come  from  the  French  name  Cap  Rouge, 
Red  Cape.  The  village  is  named  from  the  cape.  The  peninsulas 
north-west  of  the  cape  are  called  by  Pichon  "Desgoutins"  and  the 
"Governors."  Pichon  also  refers  to  a  mountain  near  Gabarus 
which  he  calls  the  "Devil's  Mountain."  Cape  Gabarus  appears 
on  some  early  maps  as  Cape  Portland. 

GAETZ  COVE  (L.) — This  is  a  common  family  name  in  Lun- 
enburg County,  and  the  cove  is  likely  named  after  an  early  settler. 

GAIRLOCH  (P.)— In  the  year  1805,  a  vessel  arrived  with 
passengers  from  Gairloch  a  small  arm  of  the  sea  on  the  western 
coast  of  Ross-shire,  Scotland.  Three  of  them  took  up  their  lands 
at  a  brook,  which  they  named  after  their  native  parish  in  Scotland 

GAIRLOCH  MOUNTAINS  (C.  B.)— Named  by  the  Scottish 
settlers  after  the  arm  of  the  sea  of  that  name  on  the  western  coast  of 
Ross-shi!re,    Scotland. 

GALLOWS  HILL  (K.) — So  named  owing  to  the  unfortunate, 
necessity  at  one  time  of  erecting  a  scaffold  on  the  hill. 

GALLOWS  HILL  (L.)— This  hill  was  known  in  early  days  as 
**Star  Fort"  owing  to  the  shape  of  the  fence  which  enclosed  the 
Garrison  Fort  in  1753. 

GARDNER  MINES  (C.  B.)— Said  to  be  named  after  Mr. 
Michael  Gardner,  an  early  Irish  settler. 

GARDEN  OF  EDEN  (P.)— Evidently  so  named  by  William 
McDonald,  who  came  from  Caithness,  Scotland,  and  settled  there 
in  1830.  He  was  called  the  "Adam  of  the  Garden"  because  he  was 
the  first  man  there.  See  Mount  Adam  and  Eden  Lake  in  the  same 
vicinity,  doubtless  named  so  for  the  same  reason. 

GASPEREAUX  (K.)— The  original  French  spelling  is  "Gas- 
parot"  (an  ale-wife).  The  "ale-wife"  is  a  fish  resembling  a  herring 
and  is  found  in  great  numbers  in  certain  parts  of  Nova  Scotia. 


56  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


The  Indians  called  Gaspereau  River  "Magapskejetc,"  meaning 
"rushing  or  tumbling  over  large  rocks." 

The  Indian  name  for  Gaspereau  Lake  was  "Pasedoock," 
meaning  *'it  has  big  whiskers,"  referring  to  its  many  small  islands 
covered  with  shrubbery. 

The  French  Acadians  called  part  of  what  is  now  Gaspereau 
"Melanson." 

GASPEREAU  LAKE  (A.)— See  Gaspereau  (K.). 

GATES  FERRY  (A.) — A  crossing  place  near  Middleton 
named  after  a  nearby  early  settler,  Oldham  Gates. 

GAY'S  RIVER  (G.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Wisunawon,"  meaning  Beaver  Castor. 

GELLFELLAN  ISLAND  (Y.)— Named  after  its  early  settler 
James  Gellfellan,  who  came  from  Londonderry,  Ireland,  and  settled 
there  about  the  year  1766. 

GENERAL'S  BRIDGE  (A.)— The  Indians  called  this  place 
"Eskunuskek,"  meaning  "the  ground  is  hard  and  grassy,"  also 
"Eisuneskwek,"  meaning  "Eison's  place."  Here  a  bridge  crosses 
the  Annapolis  River. 

GEORGEFIELD  (Hts.)— Settled  in  1826,  or  thereabouts 
by  George  Miller,  and  named  after  him,  "Georgefield." 

GEORGE  (Ant.)— yBay  and  Cape  named  after  King  George 
II,  Known  as  St.  Louis  on  old  maps.  Was  first  named  George 
and  St.  George  by  DesBarres  in  1781,  the  saint  being  a  survival  of 
the  old  French  name. 

GEORGE  ISLAND  (H.)— Named  by  Governor  Comwallis  in 
honor  of  King  George  II.    Was  first  fortified  in  the  year  1750. 

GERRARD  ISLAND  (H.)— Named  after  its  first  settler 
William  Gerrard.  He  was  an  Englishman,  and  died  on  the  Island 
in  the  year  1789. 

GETSON  COVE  (L.)~Named  after  an  early  settler  Mr. 
John  Getson. 

GHOUL'S  COVE  (C.  B.)— This  cove  is  also  locally  known  as 
"Three  Echo  Cove,"  from  the  fact  that  it  has  acoustic  proper- 
ties producing  on  still  nights  a  triple  echo.  This  explains  the  origin 
of  the  name. 

GIBBONS'  BRIDGE  (Near  Sydney,  C,  B.)— Named  after 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA    SCOTIA  57 

Chief  Justice  Richard  Gibbons,  who  was  one  of  the  first  of  the  Civil 
Establishment  in  the  Town  of  Sydney,  in  the  year  1784.  He  was 
taken  prisoner  by  the  French  when  on  a  voyage  from  Falmouth  to 
Halifax.     He  died  of  fever  in  a  Nantz  prison. 

GIBRALTAR— The  Indians  named  this  place  *'Wesek," 
meaning  a  "sapling"  or  Weesik"  meaning  "the  beaver's  home. 
The  original  town  and  fortress  in  Spain  received  its  name  from 
the  Saracen  Leader  Tarik  "Gebel-al-Tarik"  the  hill  of  Tarik. 

GIBSON'S  WOODS  (K.)— This  is  a  negro  settlement,  and 
was  named  after  the  chief  negro  family  among  them. 

GILBERT  COVE  (D.)— Named  after  Lt.  Thomas  Gilbert,  a 
celebrated  Loyalist  Pioneer  about  1783. 

GILFILLAN  ISLAND  ( Y.)— This  island  was  granted  to  John 
Perry  in  1765,  and  to  James  Gilfillan  in  1767,  and  from  the  last 
named  received   its   name. 

GILLIS  LAKE  (C.  B.)— Called  after  a  family  named  Gillis; 
the  Indian  name  was  "Elbegatkik." 

GILLISVALE  (I.)— So  named  in  1881. 

GISBORNE  LAKE  (V.)— Named  after  Frederick  Newton 
Gisbome,  an  Englishman,  who  was  about  the  year  1879  superin- 
tendent of  the  Dominion  Telegraph  and  Signal  Service.  Gisbome 
laid  the  first  submarine  cable  in  America,  and  it  was  he  who  laid 
the  first  cable  from  Newfoundland. 

GLACE  BAY,  (C.  B.) — It  was  at  one  time  known  as  Windham 
River — after  a  General  Windham.  It  evidently  received  its  present 
name  from  the  French,  who  must  have  found  it  frozen  over,  and 
named  it  "Glace"  (ice).  Incorporated  as  a  town  in  1901.  The 
Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Wosekusegwon,"  meaning  "bright 
house"  or  the  "home  of  glory."  The  head  of  Big  Glace  Bay  is 
known  as  "Dyson  Pond." 

GLADSTONE  (I.)— A  happy  change  from  the  ^  old  name 
"Victoria  Line"  in  honor  of  the  great  statesman  William  Ewart 
Gladstone.     The  name  was  approved  by  Parliament  in  1901. 

GLASSBURN  (Ant.)— This  place  was  a  portion  of  Black 
River  settlement  and  was  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Par- 
liament in  the  year  1891. 

.  GLENCOE  (I.)— Named  after  the  ill-fated  glen  of  the  same 
name  in  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  where  Chief  Maclan  and  his  Mac- 
donald  followers  were  massacred  in  1692. 


68  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 

GLENCOVE  (I.)— Formerly  known  as  Turk  settlement, 
changed  to  the  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1872. 

GLENDALE  (C.  B.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Amasastokek"  meaning  "the  river  with  inhabitants-" 

GLEN  DHU  (L)— "Dhu"  is  a  Gaelic  word  meaning  black  or 
possibly  here  Dark  Glen. 

GLEN  DHU  (P.)— See  Glen  Dhu,  Inverness  County. 

GLENDYER  (L)— In  1848,  Donald  McLean  McDonald  came 
here  from  New  Glasgow,  N.  S.  and  erected  a  mill  for  the  dyeing 
and  dressing  of  hand-made  cloth.  As  this  was  the  first  establish- 
ment of  the  kind  in  Cape  Breton,  Mc  Donald  became  known  as 
"The  Dyer"  and  his  home  was  called  "The  Dyer's  Glen"  which 
he  himself  transposed  to  "Glendyer." 

GLEN-ELG  (G.)— No  doubt  in  honor  of  Lord  Glenelg,  who 
was  the  Colonial  Secretary  in  1837 ;"  but  there  is  a  place  of  this  name 
in  Scotland,  after  which  it  may  have  been  namicd.  This  place  was 
first  settled  in  1801  and  was  then  named  St.  Mary's. 

GLENGARRY  (P.)— Named  by  the  early  Scotch  settlers 
after  the  famous  Glen  in  Inverness-shire,  Scotland.  Aft^r  Culloden 
in  1746,  many  Scottish  Highlanders  immigrated  to  Canada. 

GLENHOLM  (Col.)— This  is  the  name  given  the  old  Folly 
Village  settlement  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1909. 

GLEN  MARGARET  (H.)— Named  after  Mrs.  James  Fraser 
about  the  year  1876.     Previously  named  "Lower  Ward." 

GLENORA  (D— So  named  in  1881. 

GLENTOSH  (V.)— Formerly  known  as  Big  Hill,  given  its 
present  name  in  honor  of  the  Rev.  Abraham  Mcintosh,  who  was  a 
Presbyterian  minister  in  this  district  in  the  earlier  days. 

GLENVILLE  (L)— So  named  in  1876. 

GLEN-UIG  (Ant.)— Settled  and  named  in  the  early  part  of 
the  nineteenth  century  by  Scotchmen  from  the  place  of  that  name 
in  Scotland. 

GLENWOOD  (Ant.) — Formerly  known  as  Lower  Keppoch, 
given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1892. 

GLENWOOD  (R.)— The  district  known  as  Hay  Cove,     was 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA  59 


changed  to  this  name  in  1914,  and  an  Act  of  Parliament  was  passed 
in  this  year  confirming  the  change. 

GOAT  ISLAND  (C.  B.)— This  is  a  very  old  name  for  this 
island,  and  appears  on  very  early  maps  of  Cape  Breton.  It  is  near 
Louisburg,  and  the  French  had  a  battery  on  it  to  defend  the  en- 
trance. 

GOAT  ISLAND  (A.)— This  island  was  first  called  "Biencourt- 
ville"  in  honor  of  Biencourt.  Then  it  became  known  as  "Arm- 
strong's Island",  after  a  possessor  named  Armstrong.  At  one  time 
also  it  was  called  Vane's  Island,  after  Charles  Vane,  to  whom  it 
was  granted.  The  French  named  it  *'Isle  aux  Chevres"  that  is 
"Isle  of  the  Goat."  The  English  called  it  "Goat  Island,"  by  which 
name  it  is  known  today. 

GOFF'S  (H.) — Named  after  one  of  its  early  settlers,  Mr. 
William  Goff. 

GOLDBORO  (G.)— By  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1898 
changed  from  its  old  name  East  Side  Isaac's  Harbour. 

GOLD  RIVER  (L.)— There  is  a  tradition  that  gold  was  orig- 
inally found  at  this  river  by  the  early  French  settlers,  and  hence  the 
name;  but  another  authority  asserts  that  the  name  was  "Gould 
River"  after  an  early  settler,  and  it  became  changed  to  its  present 
name.  The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Amagapskeget" 
meaning  "rushing  over  stones." 

GOOSE  HARBOR  (G.)— See  St.  Francis. 

GORE  MOUNTAINS  (Hts.)— No  doubt  named  in  honor  of 
Sir  Charles  S.  Gore,  General-in-chief  in  North  America,  with  his 
residence  in  Halifax  (1837).  (Gore  District  in  Upper  Canada 
was  not  named  after  this  officer,  but  after  Sir  Francis  Gore,  who  was 
Lieutenant-Governor  of  Upper  Canada,  1806-1877). 

GOSCHEN  (G.)— Named  after  the  pastoral  city  of  Biblical 
fame,  which  was  situated  in  Egypt.  This  name  also  appears,  or 
did  appear,  as  the  name  for  settlements  in  Antigonish,  Hants  and 
Colchester  Counties. 

GOTTINGEN  (H).— On  April  6th,  1764,  the  suberbs  of  Hali- 
fax were  called  "Gottingen"  at  the  request  of  a  number  of  people 
of  the  neighborhood.  It  is  named  after  the  Prussian  city  in  Han- 
over. 

GOUGH  LAKE  (H.)— See  Anderson  Lake. 


60  PLACE-NAMES   OF  NOVA   SCOTIA 


GOUZAR  (Col.) — Basin  of  water  at  the  head  of  Tatamagouche 
Bay,  so  named  after  a  man  named  Gouzar  or  Geeser.  Its  name 
one  time  appeared  as  Port  Gauzar.  It  has  been  supposed  that  the 
Indians  gave  it  its  name  because  of  the  abundance  of  geese  which 
gather  there,  but  this  is  said  to  be  erroneous. 

GOVERNOR'S  ISLAND  (L.)— A  tenting  place  of  the  Earl 
of  Mulgrave,  when  he  was  governor,  hence  the  name. 

GOVERNOR  LAKE  (H.)— See  Parr  Lake. 

GOWEN  POINT  (Y.)— This  point  is  named  after  Patrick 
Gowen,  who  settled  there  about  the  year  1762. 

GOWRIE  MINES  (C.  B.)— So  named  after  the  beautiful 
home  of  Thos.  D.  Archibald  at  Sydney  Mines,  who  was  one  of  the 
principal  owners.     The  mines  were  at  Port  Morien. 

GRAFTON  (K.)— Settled  in  1821.  Probably  named  after 
the  Duke  of  Grafton,  or  perhaps  after  the  American  town  in  Massa- 
chusetts of  this  name  (The  name  "Grafton"  in  New  Brunswick  is 
said  to  be  a  word  coined  from  "graft"  as  applied  to  fruit-grafting 
and  nursing,  practised  at  that  place  in  1876.) 

GRAFTON  LAKE  (Q.)— See  Grafton. 

GRAND  ANSE  (R.) — A  descriptive  French  name  meaning 
Big  Cove. 

GRAHAM  SIDING  (Col.)— See  Brentwood, 

GRAND  ETANG  (I.)— A  French  name,  meaning  "Large 
Pond." 

GRANDIQUE  (R.)— First  settled  by  a  family  named  Kav- 
anagh,  about  1790.  The  name  is  French,  meaning  **Big  Ditch." 
The  Indian  name  was  "Gebemkek." 

GRAND  LAKE  (H.)— The  Indians  called  this  place  "Tulu- 
gadik"  meaning  "the  settlement." 

GRAND  NARROWS  (C.  B.)— "Grand"  to  distinguish  it  from 
the  "Little  Narrows,"  on  the  same  "Bras  b'Or  Lakes,"  where  they 
lie  in  Victoria  County.  The  Grand  Narrows  was,  and  we  think  is 
still,  so  far  as  the  Strait  is  concerned  called  "Barra  Strait."  This 
of  course,  after  the  Sound  of  Barra  on  the  Isle  of  Barra  in  the 
Scottish  Hebrides,  where  the  most  of  the  settlers  in  this  neighbor- 
hood came  from  about  the  year  1802.     They  came  directly  from 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  61 

Pictou  County.     The  Indian  name  was  "Tawitk"  meaning  "the 
outlet." 

GRAND  PASSAGE  (D.)—  and 

GRAND  PASSAGE  (R.)— Known  to  the  Indians  as  "Taoo- 
itk"  or  the  "opening." 

GRAND  PRE  (K.>— French  meaning  "the  great  prairie,"  a 
village  on  the  shores  of  the  Basin  of  Minas,  the  scene  of  many  con- 
jBicts  between  the  French  and  English,  also  the  scene  of  the  Expul- 
sion of  the  Acadians  (1755). 

GRANVILLE  (A.)— Granville  Centre,  Granville  Ferry,  Lower 
Granville,  in  honor  of  Lord  John  Cartaret,  who  became  Eart 
Granville  in  1744,  and  was  English  Secretary  of  State.  On  what 
was  known  as  the  Grarivijle  Shore,  about  opposite  to  Goat  Island 
is  the  site  of  the  first  European  settlement  in  North  America  (See 
Patterson's  "Sir  William  Alexander")  Granville,  one  of  the  four 
Townships  of  Annapolis  County,  was  formed  and  granted  in  the  year 
1764  with  168  proprietors.  Here  the  senior  De  La  Tour  built  his 
first  fort. 

GRAPNEL  BEACH  (V.)— This  place  is  so  named  because 
the  anchorage  or  holding  ground  in  the  adjoining  waters  is  good 
Grapnel  means  a  small  boat  anchor. 

GREEN  BAY  (L.) — At  one  time  named  Palmerston  Bay. 

GREENDALE  (Ant.)— This  place  was  known  as  Greenfield; 
but  the  name  was  so  common  it  was  changed  to  its  present  descrip- 
tive name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1886. 

GREENFIELD  (CoL)— Surveyed  and  named  by  a  Mr.  Alex- 
ander Miller,  about  the  year  1817.  He  surveyed  the  lines  and 
boundaries  of  Earltown,  Kemptown,  and  Greenfield,  in  this  County 
and  named  them  all. 

GREENFIELD  (0-)— A  farming  village  so  admirably  situated 
it  is  said  that  the  season  is  a  fortnight  earlier  than  in  other  parts 
of  the  County.  Early  green  suggested  the  name.  It  is  near  the 
"Ponhook,"  or  "first  lake"  on  the  Medway  River.  In  this  County 
the  affix  "field"  in  naming  their  places  appeared  to  be  popular, 
as  we  find  places  named  "Middlefield,"  "Brookfield,"  "Westfield," 
"Northfield,"  and  "Buckfield,"  all  within  a  very  short  distance  of 
each  other,  the  place  name  being  formed  by  prefixing  the  word 
"field"  by  a  descriptive  or  decorative  word. 

GREEN  HILL  (P.)— The  old  Micmac  Indian  name  was  "Es- 
pakumegek"  meaning  "high  land." 


62  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

GREENVALE  (P.)— This  place  was  formerly  known  as 
"Mcintosh  Mills."  It  was  changed  to  its  present  name  by  an  Act 
of  Parliament  in  the  year  1891. 

GREENWICH  (K.)— After  the  town  on  the  Thames  in  Kent, 
England,  noted  as  the  great  Observatory  Town. 

GRENADIER'S  LEAP  (C.  B.)— Near  Louisburg.  Named 
after  a  Captain  Grenadier,  who  led  a  party  of  English  at  the  first 
siege  of  Louisburg,  and  who  was  supposed  to  have  made  a  long, 
dangerous  leap  from  his  boat  to  the  shore.  History  tells  us  it  was 
a  Captain  Brooks  who  led  the  landing. 

GREVILLE  BAY  (C.)— Named  in  honor  of  a  former  English 
Parliamentary  General,  Robert  Greville,  the  second  Lord  Brooke 
1794-1866. 

GRINTON  SETTLEMENT  (A.)— Named  after  a  first  settler, 
James  Grinton,  who  settled  there  in  1819.  He  was  from  Corstor- 
phine,  Scotland.     (See  Springfield). 

GROSVENOR  (G.)— Said  to  have  been  named  by  a.  Mr.  J.  B 
Hadley  of  Mulgrave.     Was  first  settled  by  families  named  Kennys 
and  Tait  (before  1800).     Probably  named  after  the  Lord  of  that 
name  or  after  Grosvenor  Square. 

GULLIVER'S  HOLE  (D.)— So  named  from  a  legend  that  a 
pirate  named  Gulliver  once  visited  the  place.  Sometimes  called 
Gulliver's  Cove.     First  settled  in  1780  by  a  WilHam  McDormand. 

GUYSBOROUGH— First  named  "Chedabucto,"  when  Sir 
Nicholas  Deny  located  a  fishing  station  there  about  1635.  Named 
in  honor  of  Sir  Guy  Carleton  (See  Guysborough  Township,  Queens 
County).  Sir  Guy  was  first  Baron  Dorchester;  at  one  time  Govern- 
or of  Canada ;  was  a  Loyalist  leader  and  a  great  promoter  of  Loyalist 
settlements  in  Nova  Scotia. 

This  County  was  named  Sydney  when  St.  Mary's  Township 
was  formed  in  1818.  The  Townships  are  Guysborough,  St 
Mary's  and  Manchester.  The  County  contains  1656  square  miles 
and  was  formed  in  1836. 

GUYSBOROUGH    TOWNSHIP    (0)— One    of    the    two 

Township  divisions  of  Queens  County  granted  to  Donald  McPher- 
son  and  one  hundred  and  two  others  in  the  year  1784.  They  were 
disbanded  soldiers  who  had  served  under  Sir  Guy  Carleton  during 
the  Revolutionary  War.  They  named  the  place  "Guy's  Borough 
in  his  honor.  The  second  year  after  their  settlement,  the  whole 
village  was  destroyed  by  fire.  They  then  removed  to  Cape  Canso. 
(See  Guysborough). 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  63 


H 


HACKETT  (H.)— Cove  and  Village,  formerly  Hagget's  Cove 
named  after  one  of  the  first  settlers,  whose  real  name  wasHaggart., 

HALIBURTON  (P.)— Named  in  honor  of  Thomas  Chandler 
Haliburton  a  native  of  Nova  Scotia,  who  wrote  extensively 
and  well  of  Nova  Scotia,  was  a  member  of  the  Nova  Scotia  Legis- 
lature and  a  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

HALIBUT  HEAD  (QO^So  named  after  the  Halibut,  a  large 
species  of  flat  fish  which  abound  on  the  Nova  Scotia  coast. 

HALIFAX — The  Indian  name  was  "Chebookt"  meaning 
"Chief  Harbor,"  or  "Great  Long  Harbor."  Halifax  was  known  as 
Chebucto  up  to  the  year  1749.  On  the  18th  day  of  July  of  that 
year  it  was  called  "Halifax"  in  honor  of  the  Earl  of  Halifax,  then 
President  of  the  English  Board  of  Trade,  whose  title  was  from  the 
English  city  of  that  name.  His  name  was  George  Dunk  Montague 
He  died  in  1772.  It  is  said  that  Lord  Halifax,  having  no  family 
and  wishing  to  immortalize  his  name,  sent  Edward  Comwallis  as 
Governor  of  Nova  Scotia.  Cornwallis  arrived  with  2576  immi- 
grants in  July  1749,  and  it  was  he  who  changed  the  name  "Che- 
bucto" to  Halifax  in  honor  of  his  patron. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  probable  derivation  of  the  word 
"Halifax."  The  word  means  "Holy  Hair"  the  name  being  account- 
ed for  by  the  fact  that  the  head  of  a  virgin  who  had  been  murdered 
was  suspended  from  a  tree  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  English  city 
"Halifax." 

Lord  Halifax  was  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland  in  1761. 

Halifax  was  declared  a  free  port  in  1817  and  was  incorporated 
in  the  year  1841.  It  became  the  capital  of  Nova  Scotia  in  the  year 
1749,  when  the  Provincial  Headquarters  were  removed  from 
Annapolis,  which  was  capital  or  Provincial  Headquarters  from  1710 
to  1749. 

Halifax  County  is  divided  into  four  townships,  namely:  Hali- 
fax, Dartmouth,  Lawrencetown  and  Preston. 

The  north  end  of  Halifax  City  in  the  early  days  was  known  as 
"Dutchtown"  and  the  south  and  suburbs  as  "Irishtown." 

In  Halifax  is  Dalhousie  College,  named  in  honor  of  George 
Ramsay  the  ninth  Viscount  Dalhousie,  who  was  Lt. -Governor 
of  Nova  Scotia  1816  and  Governor  of  Canada  1820-28.  The  Earl 
was  the  founder  of  the  college  in  the  year  1818.  Its  Act  of  Incor- 
poration was  passed  in  1821.     University  powers  were  created  in 


64  PLACE-NAMES  OF    NOVA   SCOTIA 


1841.     Closed  for  some  years,  but  was  re-opened  and  re-organized 
in  1863. 

HALL  HARBOR  (K.)— This  place  was  named  after  Captain 
Samuel  Hall,  who  in  1779  piloted  a  privateering  band  of  seventeen 
men  from  the  revolting  colonies  in  America  to  the  place,  and  from 
here  they  conmitted  a  number  of  thieving  raids  on  the  settlers  of 
the  surrounding  country. 

HAMILTON  CORNER  (K.)— This  place  was  at  one  time 
called  "The  Whalebone,"  and  later  ''Jawbone  Comer,"  owing  to 
there  being  a  gateway,  with  posts  made  from  a  whale's  jawbone, 
near  the  place  where  the  four  roads  meet.  Later  changed  to 
"Hamilton's  Comer,"  no  doubt  after  a  settler  of  that  name. 

HAMMONDS  PLAIN  (H.)— Named  in  honor  of  Sir  Andrew 
Snape  Hammonds,  who  was  Lieutenant-Governor  from  1781  to 
1783. 

HANDLE  Y  MOUNTAIN  (K.)— Named  after  an  early  settler. 
This  place  was  settled  mostly  by  disbanded  soldiers. 

HANTS  COUNTY— In  1781,  Windsor,  Falmouth  and  New- 
port, with  lands  contiguous  thereto,  were  detached  from  the  county 
of  Kings  and  made  a  separate  county  to  be  called  the  Coltoty  of 
Hants.  The  name  "Hants"  which  was,  and  is  used,  is  in  abbrevia- 
tion of  Hampshire.  (The  old  English  for  Hampshire  was  Hantes- 
shire — hence  the  abbreviation).  The  name  was  probably  suggested 
by  the  Loyalists  from  New  Hampshire. 

A  new  township  was  added  in  1824,  and  named  "Kempt"  in 
honor  of  Sir  James  Kempt,  the  then  Lieutenant-Governor  of  the 
Province. 

Hants  is  divided  into  six  Townships,  viz:  Windsor,  Newport, 
Kempt,  Falmouth,  Douglas  and  Rawdon.  This  county  contains 
1179  square  miles. 

HANTSPORT  (Hts.)-~On  the  banks  of  the  Avon  River.  The 
Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Kakagwek,"  meaning  "the  place 
of  dried  meat."  Elsewhere  we  find  "Kakagwek"  given  as  meaning 
"the  place  of  dried  fish."     (See  Hants). 

HARBOR  BOUCHE  (Ant.)— See  Bouche. 

HARBOR  LAKE  (H.)— At  one  time  called  Black  Duck  Run, 
given  its  present  name  by  Captain  P.  F.  Shortland  R.  N.,  in  1864. 

^        HARMONY  (0.)— Settled  in  1821. 

HARTLING  (H.)— So  named  in  1912  after  James  Hartling 
the  Postmaster. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  65 

HAULOVER  ISTHMUS  (R.)— Near  St.  Peter's.  So  named 
because  of  its  being  the  narrow  strip  of  land  over  which  they  hauled 
their  boats  from  or  to  the  waters  of  St.  Peter's  Bay  and  the  Bras 
d'Or  Lakes. 

HAUTE  ISLAND  (C.)— See  Isle  Haut. 

HASKILL  BROOK  (Y.)— Named  after  an  early  settler  Wm. 
Haskill,  who  came  to  Yarmouth  from  Beverley,  Mass.,  in  the  year 
1763  and  settled  near  this  brook. 

HASTINGS  (C.)~-Formerly  known  as  Porter  Town,  changed 
to  Hastings  in  the  year  1864  by  an  Act  of  Parliament.  The  name 
in  honor  of  Warren  Hastings,  the  celebrated  English  Statesman. 

HATCH  CREEK  (D.)— So  named  after  a  first  settler  John 
Hatch. 

HAVELOCK  (D.)— Named  in  honor  of  Sir  Henry  Havelock, 
who  distinguished  himself  in  the  Indian  Mutiny  and  particularly 
at  Lucknow  in  1857. 

HAWKESBURY  (R.)— One  of  the  four  Townships  of  Rich- 
mond County,  named  in  honor  of  Admiral  Edward  Hawke,  an 
English  Baron.     (See  Port  Hawkesbury). 

HAY  COVE  (R.)— See  new  name  "Glenwood."  The  Indian 
name  for  this  place  was  "Galnotek." 

HEATHERTON  (Ant.)— So  named  by  an  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment  in  the  year  1879. 

HEBB  MILLS,  HEBB  CROSS,  HEBBVILLE  (L.)— These 
places  are  all  named  after  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Lunenburg 
County,  Mr.  Adam  Hebb,  and  his  descendants. 

^  HEBERT  RIVER  (C.)— Named  after  the  French  Courier  du 
Bois  Hebert  (1749),  who  as  a  Lieutenant  had  charge  of  the  fort  at 
Hebert. 

HEBRON  (Y.) — The  name  Hebron  Comer  was  given  this 
settlement  by  Captain  Landers,  an  estimable  early  Yarmouth 
settler.  As  the  settlement  extended  beyond  the  Comer,  the  latter 
part  of  the  name  was  left  out. 

The  name  is  after  a  place  in  Palestine,  the  chosen  land  of 
Abraham.  The  word  is  Hebrew,  meaning  "friendship,"  or  "asso- 
ciation." 

HECKMAN  ISLAND  (L.)— Named  after  a  German  family  of 


66  PLACE-NAMES  OF  [NOVA   SCOTIA 

first  settlers,  named  Heckman.     John  Heckman  of  Lunenburg  was  a 
parliamentary  representative  from  1819  to  1847. 

HECTOR  POINT  (V.)— A  point  near  Grand  Narrows  prob- 
ably  so  named  after  Mr.  Hector  F.  McDougall,  who  lived  nearby 
and  was  for  years  a  parliamentary  representative  for  Cape  Breton 
County. 

HELL  BAY  (L.) — Named,  it  is  supposed,  by  a  seaman  who 
had  an  experience  in  its  waters,  which  were  turbulent  enough  to 
suggest  the  name  of  a  thickly  settled  place  without  the  confines  of 
Nova  Scotia. 

HENNIGAR  (Hts.)— Formerly  named  "Northfield."  Changed 
a  few  years  ago  to  *'Hennigar"  in  honor  of  its  first  settler  John 
Hennigar.  The  other  first  settlers  were  Laffins  and  Millers.  The 
Brook  was  once  known  as  Weir  Brook. 

HENRY  ISLAND  (I.)— The  name  given  to  outer  Port  Hood 
Island.     It  is  sometimes  wrongly  called  W.  D.  Smith's  Island. 

HERMAN  ISLAND  (L.)— The  name  Philip  Herman  appears 
as  one  of  the  original  grantees  of  Lunenburg  Township  in  1761. 
This  island  is  probably  named  after  him  or  some  of  his  descendants. 

HERRING  COVE  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Moolepchugech"  meaning  **a  deep  chasm,  valley  or  gorge." 

HERRING  COVE  (Q.)— Now  called  "Brooklyn."  An  im- 
portant fishing  station,  probably  as  early  as  1635,  as  it  is  believed 
that  Denys  and  Razilly  had  their  establishment  at  this  place 
about  that  time. 

There  is  also  a  lake  in  Queens  County  of  this  name. 

HERSEY  RIVER  (Y.)— Named  so  after  a  family  of  early 
settlers. 

HIBERNIA  (0.)— Settled  in  the  year  1820  by  two  Irishmen, 
and  so  named  in  honor  of  their  home  land. 

HIGHFIELD   (Hts.)— See  Belmont. 

HIGHLAND  (D.) — The  former  name  of  this  place  was  Mink 
Cov€.  Changed  to  the  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament 
passed  in  1907. 

HIGHLANDS  (I.) — This  place  was  formerly  known  as  Cape 
Mabou.  It  received  its  present  name,  which  was  suggested  by  the 
hilly  nature  of  the  district,  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1888. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  67 

HILDEN  (CoL)— The  settlement  formerly  known  as  **Slab 
Town,"  ** Clark ville,"  and  "Johnston's  Crossing,"  were  united  and 
given  the  name  of  Hilden  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  1895. 

HILLFORD  (Hts.)— So  named  by  an  Act  of  Parliament 
passed  in  1895,  changing  it  from  **Cogmagum."     (See.) 

HILLGROVE  (D.) — The  former  names  of  this  place  were 
"Digby,"   "Joggins"  and  also  "Hainesville." 

HILLSBOROUGH  (L)— Named  after  the  Right  Honorable 
Earl  of  Hillsborough,  Secretary  of  State,  1769. 

HILLSDALE  (I.) — So  named  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in 
1880. 

HILTON  POINT  (Y.)— This  place  was  named  after  its  early 
settler  Amos  Hilton,  who  came  from  Massachusetts  and  settled 
there,  about  the  year  1765. 

HIRTLE  HILL  (L.)— Named  after  an  early  settler.  One  of 
the  original  grantees  of  Lunenburg  was  Jacob  Hirtle,  senior. 

HOG  ISLAND  (A.)— About  1660  deeded  from  M.  d'Aulnay 
to  Jacob  Bourgois,  acquired  by  Governor  M.  de  Brouillan  in  1702. 
Called  by  the  French  "L'Isle  aux  Cochons"  that  is  "Island  of 
pigs." 

HOPEWELL  (P.) — Received  its  name  after  the  name  of  the 
vessel  which  brought  Alexander  McNutt  and  his  Ulster  colonists 
to  Colchester  County  in  1761. 

HORSE  SHOE  COVE  (L.)— This  place  is  supposed  to  be 
between  Bridgewater  and  Summerside,  it  is  a  miniatiire  semi- 
circular shaped  harbor.  It  is  the  "Hufeisen  Bucht"  of  Judge  Hali- 
burton  in  "The  Old  Judge." 

HORTON  BLUFF  (K.)— The  Indian  name  of  this  place  was 
"Maktomkus"  meaning  the  "black  reef"  or  "black  rocks." 

HORTON  (Lower)  (K.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Umtaban" 
meaning  "an  overflowing  flood."  The  name  was  suggested  by  the 
fact  that  before  the  dyke  was  built  all  communication  with  Long 
Island  was  cut  off  by  the  high  tides. 

HORTON  TOWNSHIP  (K.)— The  Township  of  Hortonwas 
granted  and  formed  in  the  year  1759.  It  is  one  of  the  four  Town- 
ship divisions  of  Kings  County. 


68  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

HORTONVILLE  (K.)— Was  called  Horton  Landing.  Changed 
to  its  present  name  by  An  Act  of  Parliament  in  1897. 

HOSIER  RIVER  (H.)— Sometimes  known  as  "Osier  River." 
Probably  named  after  an  early  settler  named  Hosier 

HOWARD  ISLAND  (Y.)— Named  after  one  Howard,  to 
whom  it  was  granted  in  1762. 

HUBBARDS  (H.)— The  original  Hubbard,  for  whom  the  place 
was  named,  lived  on  Green  Island,  about  1800.  One  time  known 
as  Hubbards  Cove.  In  1905  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  the  word 
Cove  was  dropped. 

HUBLEY  (H.)— Cove  in  St.  Margaret's  Bay,  also  a  lake  and 
a  Railway  Station,  named  after  a  family  of  early  residents.  (See 
Seabright.) 

HUNTER'S  MOUNTAIN  (V.)— This  mountain  is  named  after 
an  early  settler,  John  Hunter. 

HUNT  ISLAND  AND  POINT  (Q.)— Settled  in  1813  by 
Deacon  Samuel  Hunt,  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  Liverpool. 
The  lands  were  granted  to  Hunt  in  1788. 

HUNTINGTON  POINT  (K.)— Named  after  some  member  of 
this  Old  Kings  County  family.  Caleb  Huntington  came  to  this 
County  from  Connecticut  and  was  one  of  its  early  settlers. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


I 


IMPEROYAL  (H.) — The  name  given  the  place  situated 
about  two  miles  south  from  Dartmouth  on  the  eastern  side  of 
Halifax  Harbor.  The  name  is  made  up  from  part  of  the  Company's 
name  that  has  built  an  Oil  Refining  and  Storage  System  there,  the 
Imperial  Oil  Company. 

INDIAN  BROOK  (V.)— So  named  after  a  Micmac  Indian 
named  "Joe,"  a  cooper  by  trade  who  lived  in  this  vicinity. 

INDIAN  COVE  (C.  B.)— See  "Prince  of  Wales  Landing." 

INDIAN  CROSS  POINT  (P.)— So  called  owing  to  the  dis- 
CO  very  of  a  large  Iron  Cross  about  ten  feet  high. 

The  Indians  called  it  "Soogunagade,"  or  "rotting  place." 
Now  known  as  Fisher's  Grant. 

INDIAN  POINT  (L.)— A  Micmac  Indian  headquarters  in 
the  early  days,  hence  the  name.  The  first  white  settlers  were  of 
German  descent,  among  them  were  Lohnes,  Ernst,  Wentzel, 
Hyson,  Eisenhauer  and  Zwicker. 

INDIAN  GARDENS  (Q.)— This  place  on  the  Rossignol  (now 
Liverpool  River),  was  a  great  Indian  resort,  and  was  at  one  time 
called  "Liverpool  Ponhook."  "Ponhook,"  an  Indian  word  meaning 
"first  lake." 

^  INDIAN  ISLAND  (R.)— Also  known  as  "Chapel  Island." 
This  is  the  place  where  the  Micmac  Indians  of  the  surrounding 
districts  assemble  each  year  to  the  "Feast  of  St.  Anne."  The 
famous  French  Missionary,  Father  Maillard,  gave  the  island  its 
early  name  of  "He  Ste  Famille,"  (The  Island  of  the  Holy  Family). 

It  was  given  to  the  Indians  in  1792  by  Lieutenant-Governor 
McCormick,  and  permission  was  granted  them  to  build  a  church 
upon  it.  In  the  "permission"  the  name  is  spelled  "St.  Villemai," 
which  was  evidently  intended  for  "Ste.  Famille." 

INDIAN  ROAD  BROOK  (Hts.)— See  Pebak. 

INGONISH  (V.)— This  place  was  once  known  as  "Port  of 
Orleans."  The  old  spelling  was  "Inganis"  and  "Inganiche"  and  on 
old  plans  "Ninganiche."  Some  believed  it  to  be  a  Portuguese 
name,  spelled  "Ninganis."  However,  the  meaning  of  the  name 
is  lost. 


70  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

It  is  said  that  the  Portuguese  had  an  important  settlement 
here  as  early  as  1521.  The  Indians  called  this  place  "Kegannag- 
wetck." 

In  1726  this  was,  with  the  exception  of  Louisburg,  the  most 
important  place  in  Cape  Breton. 

INGRAMPORT  (H.)— So  named  in  1905.  Was  previously 
known  as  *' Ingram  River."  First  settled  by  a  family  named 
Webbers. 

INHABITANTS  (R.)— See  River  Inhabitant— This  is  the 
name  adopted  by  the  Geographic  Board  of  Canada,  not  Habitants 
nor  River  Inhabitants. 

INVERNESS — Obviously  named  by  the  Scotch  settlers  in 
honor  of  their  home  land.  It  was  at  one  time  named  "Justin  au 
corps."  Was  set  off  from  Cape  Breton  County  in  1836,  and  formed 
into  an  independent  County.  As  early  as  1791,  a  large  number  of 
Scotch  Roman  Catholic  settlers  came  to  Inverness  from  the  Heb- 
rides.   This  County  contains  1385  square  miles. 

IRISH  COVE  (C.  B.)— This  place  was  the  home  of  a  number 
of  Irish  settlers  notably  Cash's,  Cashens  and  O'Callaghans  and 
owing  to  this  received  its  name.  The  Micmac  Indian  name  was 
"Golbankik." 

IRONBOUND  ISLAND  (L.)— There  is  an  island  of  this  name 
in  Chester  Bay  and  LaHave.  One  is  called  the  "Chester  Bay 
Iron  Bound  Island,"  and  the  other  "LaHave  Iron  Bound  Island. 
The  latter  was  granted  in  the  year  1778  to  Leonard  Christopher 
Wolfe. 

IRISH  MOUNTAIN  (P.)— Named  so  owing  to  an  Irishman 
named  Patrick  Finner  being  one  of  the  first  settlers  there. 

lONA  (V.) — On  the  western  side  of  the  Grand  Narrows  or 
Barra  Strait  ajnd  once  part  of  what  was  known  as  Grand  Narrows 
Settlement.  First  settled  by  Scotch  from  the  Hebrides  via  Pictou 
County  in  the  year  1802. 

Was  first  named  "Saundrie,"  but  was  changed  and  called  after 
the  historic  and  sacred  Isle  in  Scotland,  in  the  year  1873,  at  the 
suggestion  of  Bishop  McKinnon,  who  had  visited  the  Scottish 
"lona"  and  said  that  "Saundrie"  resembled  it.  The  name  "lona" 
was  confirmed  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1891.  This  place  had  a 
district  or  township  name  at  one  time  of  "Brooklesby." 

"lona"  is  Hebrew,  after  "Jonas,"  the  prophet.  Its  equivalent 
in  Latin  is  "Columba,"  and  in  English  "Dove." 


PLACE-NAMES    OF    NOVA   SCOTIA  71 

lONA  WEST  (V.)— See  lona.  Was  formerly  Grand  Narrows 
rear,  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1891  was  given  its  present  name. 

ISAAC  HARBOR  (G.)— This  place  was  named  after  an  early 
negro  settler  named  Isaac  Webb.    (See  Goldboro.) 

ISLAND  POINT  (C.  B.)— An  island  point  on  Boularderie 
Island  called  by  the  Indians  "Menakweskawei." 

ISLE  HAUT  (C.)— Champlain  in  1607,  rounding  Cape  Chig- 
necto,  called  here  and  named  the  Island  "Isle  Haut"  in  consequence 
of  its  elevation. 

The  Micmac  Indians  called  this  Island  "Maskusetkik"  from 
the  word  "Maskuset"  meaning  wild  potatoes.  "Maskusetkik" 
meaning  "the  place  of  wild  potatoes." 

ISLE  MADAME  (R.)— "My  Lady's  Isle."  Once  called 
"Nericka."    Rand  gives  the  Indian  name  as  "Neilksaak." 

This  place  was  at  one  time  named  "Maurepas"  by  the  French, 
in  honor  of  a  well-known  French  statesman  of  that  name. 

Nicholas  Denys  at  one  time  referred  to  the  Island  as  "The 
Island  of  St.  Marie." 

In  the  year  1768  a  nimiber  of  Acadians,  who  in  1765  had  emi- 
grated to  St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon,  came  to  Cape  Breton,  took  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  Great  Britain,  and  settled  on  Isle  Madame. 

ISKUNISH  (Col.) — A  stream  near  Onslow.  The  name  is 
derived  from  an  Indian  word  "Nesakunechkik"  meaning  "Place 
of  Eel  Weirs." 


72  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


JACKSON  POINT  (V.)— Named  after  a  Jackson  family 
who  were  early  settlers  in  this  neighborhood. 

JAMES  RIVER  (Ant.)— Named  after  Rev.  James  Munro,  the 
first  Presbyterian  Minister  in  Antigonish  County,  who  was  lost  in 
the  woods  and  followed  the  river  to  the  coast. 

JAMESVILLE  (V.) — This  district  was  given  this  name  by  an 
Act  of  Parliament  in  1883. 

JANVRIN  ISLAND  (R.)— Said  to  be  named  after  a  native  of 
Jersey  named  Janvrin,  who  owned  land  on  the  Island  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  19th  century.  This  island  appears  on  some  old  maps 
as  "Conway  Island,"  also  as  "Janurius  Island."  The  Indian  name 
was  "Liksakechech"  (see  Arichat),  meaning  "Little  Liksak"  or 
"Little  Arichat." 

JEDDORE  (H.)— Mentioned  as  "Jadore"  as  far  back  as  1727. 
In  some  places  mentioned  as  "Isadora."  The  Indian  name  wa 
"Wineboogwechk,"  meaning  "the  swearing  place." 

The  Indian  name  for  Jeddore  rocks  was  "Mundooapsku," 
meaning  "Devil's  Rock." 

The  string  of  small  islands  near  Jeddore  was  named  by  the 
Micmac  Indians  "Mooeantik,"  meaning  "haunt"  or  "place  of  sea 
duck." 

JIMTOWN  (Ant.)— Named  after  an  early  Scotch  settler 
named  Captain  James  McDonald. 

JOGGINS  (C.) — Gesner  says:  "Descriptive  notches  or  jogs  in 
the  rock,"  hence  "jog  in,"  but  it  is  more  likely  of  Micmac  origin. 
It  might  be  connected  with  Chegogin  (see).  Maps  as  far  back  as 
1750  use  the  name  ''Joggin.'' 

JOHNSTOWN  (R.)— The  place  was  named  by  the  people  in 
honor  of  an  old  and  much  respected  Parish  Priest,  the  late  Reverend 
John  McDougall. 

The  Micmac  Indians  named  it  "Nemtegowak,"  meaning  "the 
sitting    place." 

JOHN'S  POINT  (P.)— Named  after  John  Patriquin,  an  early 

settler. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  73 

JORDAN  RIVER  (S.)— A  village  at  the  head  of  the  river. 
The  name  is  biblical.  The  Indians  called  the  place  "Esiktaweak" 
meaning  "oozing  from  dead  water."  On  old  Portuguese  maps  the 
name  appears  as  "Ribera  des  Jardins." 

JORDAN  TOWN  (D.)— Named  after  the  Reverend  Charles 
Jordan,  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  Church,  who  lived  near  by. 

JUDIQUE  (I.) — This  name  is  said  to  mean  a  river  or  stream 
where  the  waters  turn  swiftly  forming  eddies,  and  is  of  French 
origin. 


74  PLACE-NAMES   OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


K 


KADUSKAK  (Q.) — A  narrow  channel  which  discharges  into 
Lake  Rossignol.  The  rapid,  flowing,  roaring  water  suggested 
the  name  "Kaduskak"  which  is  the  Indian  word  for  "screecher." 

KARSDALE  (A.) — Received  its  name  in  honor  of  Sir  William 
Fenwick  Williams,  who  defeated  the  Russians  at  the  Battle  of  IGars, 
October  29th,  1855.  He  was  bom  at  Annapolis,  N.  S.  and  was 
Governor  of  Nova  Scotia,  1865. 

KEJIMKUJIK  OR  KEDGEMAKOOGIC  LAKE  (A.)  (Q.) 
— A  Micmac  Indian  name  "Koojumkoojik"  meaning  "attempting 
to  escape,"  sometimes  spelt  "Kedgemakoogic."  Some  authorities 
say  it  means  *Tairylake."  This  is  the  fourth  lake  on  the  Liverpool 
River.     This  lake  was  known  as  "Segum  Sega." 

KELLEY  COVE  (Y.)— Named  after  a  James  Kelley  who  was 
an  early  settler.  He  came  from  Massachusetts  about  the  year 
1765. 

KELPY  COVE  (R.)— Probably  so  named  owing  to  the  quan- 
tity of  kelp  or  large  sea  weeds  thrown  ashore  there;  although  it 
may  have  been  so  called  "Kelpy"  or  "Kelpie"  an  old  name  for  an 
imaginary  spirit  of  the  waters  generally  appearing  in  the  form  of  a 
horse. 

KEMPT  (OO — One  of  the  six  township  divisions  of  Hants 
County.  Was  settled  in  1821,  and  named  by  and  after  Sir  James 
Kempt,  who  visited  the  settlements  in  Queen  County  in  1822.  He 
was  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Nova  Scotia,  1820-1828;  Governor  of 
Canada  1828-1830. 

KEMPT  LAKE  (K.)— (See  Kempt).  One  of  the  principal 
lakes  of  the  group  known  as  the  Aylesford  Lakes. 

KEMPT  TOWNSHIP  (Hts.)— Formed  and  added  to  Hants 
County  in  the  year  1824.     (See  Kempt.) 

KEMPT  TOWN  (Col.)— Surveyed  and  named  by  Alexander 
Miller,  about  the  year  1817.     (See  Kempt.) 

KEMPTVILLE  (Y.)— Named  in  honor  of  Sir  James  Kempt, 
who  was  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Nova  Scotia.  The  first  settler 
was  Abner  Andrews  who  had  lan4s  laid  out  there  in  the  year  1821. 


PLACE-NAMES  IN  NOVA  SCOTIA  75 


KENNETCOOK  (Hts.)— While  uncertain,  it  is  thought  this 
name  is  from  the  Micmac  Indian  word  "Kunetkook"  meaning 
"a  place  near  or  close  at  hand." 

KENNINGTON  COVE  (C.  B.)— Probably  called  after  a 
British  War  Vessel,  the  **Kennington,"  which  took  part  in  the  taking 
of  Louisburg.  Was  at  one  time  called  "Freshwater  Cove"  and  also 
earlier  known  as  **Anse  de  la  Cormorandiere." 

KENTVILLE  (K.)— Settled  by  the  English  in  1760.  Named 
in  honor  of  Prinoe  Edward,  the  Duke  of  Kent,~the  father  of  Queen 
Victoria.  This  place  was  previously  known  as  "Horton  Corner." 
Incorporated  as  a  town  in  the  year  1887.  The  Indian  name  for 
this  pla,ce  was  "Penooek"  meaning  Pineo's  place.  Kentville  is 
one  of  the  four  Township  divisions  of  Kings  County. 

KENZIEVILLE  (P.)— Settled  by  ajid  named  after  William 
McKenzie,  who  ca^e  to  this  country  in  1803.  He  settled  in 
"Kenzieville"  in  1807.     He  came  from  Sutherlandshire. 

KETCH  HARBOR  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Nemagakunuk,"  meaning  "a  good  fishing  place." 

KIDNEY  LAKE  (OO— A  lake  on  the  Liverpool  River,  called 
owing  to  its  shape,  "Boogulwcftipak,"  Booduleoon  being  the  Mio- 
mac  Indian  word  for  kidney. 

KIDSTON'S  ISLAND  (V)— Opposite  Baddeck.  It  was 
named  after  an  old  settler.  Some  of  the  early  maps  of  Cape  Breton 
name  this  Island  ''Duffus  Island." 

KIGIGIAK  OR  KEGSHOOK  RIVER  (Y.)— A  Micmac 
Indian  word  meaning  "great  establishment."  The  name  is  also 
found  as  "Kegicapigiak. " 

KILL  AM  LAKE  (Y.) — This  lake  received  its  name  after  a 
Yarmouth  County  family. 

KINBURN  (L.)— See  Mahone  Bay. 

KINGS  COLLEGE  (K.)— See  Windsor. 

KINGS  COUNTY.— This  name  no  doubt  was  chosen  along 
with  Queens  as  an  expression  of  loyalty  to  the  monarchy.  The 
County  was  formed  in  175,9,  and  then  included  part  of  Lunenburg, 
the  whole  of  Hants,  one-third  of  Colchester,  and  about  one-half  of 
Cumberland.  Kings  was  first  settled  by  the  French  who  built 
a  village  at  Horton  which  they  called  Mines  or  Minas;  after  their 
expulsion  many  of  their  farms  were  taken  by  emigrants  from  the 


76  PLACE-NAMES   IN   NOVA  SCOTIA 

New  Englaii,d  States.  The  County  is  divided  into  four  Townships, 
namely — Kentville,  Horton,  Comwallis,  and  Aylesford.  Kings 
County  contains  811  square  miles 

KINGSBURG  (L.)--This  place  was  first  settled  by  families 
named  Mossman,  Kaezer,  Knock  and  Hautman.  It  used  to  be 
called  "The  Lunenburg  Bank,"  owing  to  the  monetary  assistance 
the  young  men  from  Lunenburg  received  from  the  thrifty  people 
of  Kijngsburg. 

KINGSTON  (KO—Changed  from  Kingston  Station  by  an  Act 
of  Parliament  in  1916  to  its  present  name.  Named  after  the  County 
whjich  in  turn  was  named  after  royalty. 

KINLOCH  (I.)— The  word  is  from  the  Gaelic  Caennloch 
meaning  "the  head  of  the  lake." 

KINNEY  TOWN  (D.)— So  named  after  Herman  and  John 
Kinney,   who   were   early   settlers. 

KINSMAN  (K.) — Named  after  Benjamin  Kinsman,  one  of 
the  Comwallis  grantees,  who  kept  a  store  at  a  comer,  one  time 
known  as  Kinsman's  Comer. 

KNOYDART  (Ant.)— Settled  by  Martin  McDonald,  who 
arrived  from  the  Highlands  of  Scotland  in  1787,  and  settled  at 
"Knoydart"  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  his  native  place. 

KITIWITI  (H.)— Sometimes  known  as  Kittee  Wittee  Shoals, 
possibly  of  the  same  derivation  as  Quidvidi  fishing  settlement  near 
St.  John's,  Newfoundland. 

KITPOO— AKYADY  (Hts.)— A  place  near  Shubenacadie, 
Micmac  Indian  name  meaning  "the  place  of  eagles." 

KOCH'S  POINT  (L.)— John  Koch,  an  early  German  settler, 
used  this  place  as  a  shipping  poibt,  and  built  a  house  here  in  1820. 
The  place  was  called  after  him. 

KWEEDUBADE  (O-)— A  place  in  Brookfield  named  by  the 
Indians,  the  word  meaning  "a  soaky  place"  or  "a  soaking  place." 


PLACE-NAMES   OF  NOVA   SCOTIA  77 


LAHAVE  (LO— Founded  by  De  Razilly  in  1636. 

French"La  Have,"  i  e.,  "The  Harbor."  "Fond  du port  de  la 
Have,"  i.  e.,  "Head  of  the  Harbor."  Again,  the  word  "Heve"  seems 
to  have  a  local  meaning,  as  the  following  would  go  to  show.  Littre 
says:  "Heve,"  a  name  in  lower  Normandy  for  cliffs  hollowed  out 
below  where  fishermen  search  for  crabs. 

The  Indian  name  for  LaHave  River  was  "Pijenoorskak," 
meaning  "having  long  joints." 

This  river  is  known  as  the  "Rhine  of  Nova  Scotia."  The  name 
being  suggested  by  its  beauty  and  the  fact  of  its  settlement  by  people 
of  German  descent. 

LAHAVE  ISLAND  (L)— Granted  in  the  year  1785,  and  settled 
by  Joseph  Pernette,  Henry  Volger,  Matthew  Park,  Joseph  Whit- 
ford  and  Baker. 

LAHAVE  LAKE  (L.)— A  lake  on  the  LaHave  River  (see). 
The  Indians  knew  it  as  "Sooleawagitk,"  meaning  "Silver  lies  in  the 
water." 

LAKE  AINSLIE  (I.) — Named  in  honor  of  Lieutenant-Gov- 
ernor Ainsley,  (1816-1820).  He  was  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Cape 
Breton  Island. 

Ainsley  Township,  one  of  the  four  subdivisions  of  the  north- 
western part  of  Cape  Breton  Island,  was  formed  in  1828. 

Previous  to  1816  the  lake  was  known  as  Marguerite,  which 
gives  the  name  to  the  beautiful  river  which  flows  from  it. 

LAKEDALE  (G,) — Formerly  known  as  Grant's  Lake,  changed 
by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1894  to  its  present  name. 

LAKE  EGMONT  (H.)~No  doubt  named  in  honor  of  the  Earl 
of  Egmont,  who  received  a  very  large  grant  of  land  at  Shubenacadie 
in  1769.     (See  Egmont.) 

LAKELAND— The  district  between  Windsor  and  Halifax 
which  was  known  to  the  Indians  as  "Enskoomadedetic,"  meaning 
a  place  where  conversation  can  be  carried  on  at  a  long  range,  both 
being  hidden. 

LAKE  LAWSON  (L.)-~The  lake  was  named  "Lawson," 
in  honor  of  Thomas  Lawson  by  Captain  Ross,  in  gratitude  for 
what  Lawson  had  done  to  assist  Ross  and  some  others  of  the  first 


78  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

settlers  who  were  shipwrecked  in  the  "Archduke  Charles"  about 
the  year  1816. 

LAKES  O'LAW  (L)— After  a  lake  in  Scotland.  This  place 
is  found  named  "Mario"  on  an  old  map.  Whether  this  name  was 
applied  to  the  lakes  or  the  district  is  not  clear. 

The  lakes  are  now  called  "Harvard  Lakes."  There  is  a  settle- 
ment near  called  "Emerald,"  so  that  the  Irish  must  have  had  some 
representative  among  the  early  settlers. 

LAKE  ROSSIGNOL  (Q.)— Was  called  after  an  eariy  French 
adventurer  and  trader  named  Rossignol  whose  property  and  ship 
were  confiscated  near  Liverpool  by  De  Monts  and  his  party,  who 
founded    Port    Royal.     (See    Liverpool). 

Rossignol,  who  was  the  first  white  man  to  visit  the  place, 
wandered  off  into  the  wilderness,  and  is  said  to  have  died  on  a  small 
island  near  the  north  end  of  the  lake  which  bears  his  name. 

LAKE  TUPPER  (Q.)— This  place  was  likely  named  after  a 
fine  old  family  of  Queens  County.  Nathan  Tupper  was  an  early 
Parliamentary  representative  of  the  county. 

LAKE  WALLACE  (Sabk  Island)— This  small  lake  on  Stble 
Island  was  named  in  honor  of  Michael  Wallace  who  was  an  acting 
Lieutenant-Governor  of  the  Province  about  the  year  1818. 

LAKE  WENTWORTH  (D.)— This  place  was  first  settled  by 
Frederick  A  Robichaud  in  1836.  It  is  sometimes  called  "Robi- 
c^auds  Lake."  Named  in  honor  of  Governor  (1793-1807)  Sir  John 
Wentworth.      (See  Wentworth). 

LANARK  (A.) — Named  after  the  inland  county  of  Scotland 
of  this  name. 

LANSDOWNE  (P.)— Named  in  1884  in  honor  of  Henry 
Charles  Keith  Petty-Fit zmaurice,  the  fifth  Marquis  of  Landsdowne 
who  was  Governor  General  of  Canada  (1883-1888). 

LANTZ  SIDING  (Hts.)— Received  its  name  about  1898 
from  a  gentleman  named  Lantz,  who  operated  a  brick  and  tile 
manufacturing  plant  at  this  place. 

L'ARCHEVEQUE  (R.)— Village  and  Cove,  a  French  word 
meaning  Archbishop. 

L'ARDOISE  (R.)— So  named  by  the  French,  meaning  "The 
Ba;y  of  Slate,"  because  of  the  slate  cliffs  along  the  shore.  The 
Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Moglakachk",  meaning  "the  place 
of  brant  or  geese." 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  79 


LARRYS  COVE  (H.)— See  Ocean  Glen. 

LARRYS  RIVER  (G.)— Settled  about  1767  and  named  after 
an  early  Irish  settler,  Larry  Keating. 

LAWRENCETOWN  (A.)— In  1754,  20,000  acres  of  land  was 
granted  to  twenty  gentlemen  who  named  their  new  domain  in  honor 
of  Governor  Lawrence,  who  was  Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  at  the 
time. 

LAWRENCETOWN  (H.)— One  of  the  four  Townships  of 
Halifax  County,  once  covered  by  the  name  "Musquodoboit.* 
Named  after  Colonel  Lawrence  who  was  Lieutenant-Governor  of 
Nova  Scotia  in  1754  and  Governor  in  1756. 

Old  Indian  names  of  this  district  were  "Wampack,"  "Chezzet- 
cook,"  and  "Taboolsimkek,"  the  last  meaning  **two  small  branches 
flowing  through  sand." 

The  first  grant  to  twenty  families  is  dated  10th  of  June,  1754. 

Just  below  Lawrencetown  there  is  a  place  named  by  the  Indians 
"Nesogwakade"  meaning  **the  place  of  eel  traps." 

LAWLOR'S  ISLAND  (H.)— This  island  was  formerly  called 
*'Bloss  Island"  after  Captain  Bloss  who  was  a  settler  about  the  year 
1750;  he  was  a  half-pay  captain  of  a  man-of-war. 

LAZYTOWN  (C.  B.)— The  old  town  of  Sydney  Mines  was 
given  this  name  by  the  visiting  farmers.  The  coal  miners  in  former 
days  went  to  the  pits  at  a  very  early  hour;  their  wives,  after  pre- 
paring the  early  meal  for  their  husbands  went  back  to  their  beds 
and  when  the  farmers  came  to  town  to  market  their  produce  they 
found  the  window  blinds  drawn  and  the  families  sleeping.  This  is 
how  the  name  originated. 

LEAMINGTON  (C.)— First  known  as  "Maccan  Mountain.'* 
In  1886  a  meeting  of  the  residents  named  it  Leamington,  no  doubt 
after  the  Warwickshire  town  of  that  name. 

It  was  first  settled  about  1825  by  William  Bostock,  Peter 
Nelson,  David  Gilroy  and  another  named  Cooke — no  doubt  Loy- 
alists. 

LE  BLANC  (D.) — -Named  after  settlers  of  that  name.  Form- 
erly and  now  sometimes  called  Major's  Point. 

LEITCHE'S  CREEK  (C.  B.)— Named  after  a  family  of  early 
settlers  who  were  named  "Leech."  It  will  be  noticed  that  the 
spelling  of  the  word  has  recently  been  changed  to  the  present  form. 
The  old  maps  show  it,  as  "Leech's  Creek." 

LENNOX  (Ant.) — There  is  a  town  of  this  name  in  Berkshire 


80  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


County,  Massachusetts.  It  may  have  received  its  name  from  this 
town,  but  it  is  more  likely  to  have  been  named  in  honor  of  Charles 
Lennox,  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and  Lennox,  who  was  at  one  time 
English  Secretary  of  State. 

LENNOX  (R.) — One  of  the  four  townships  of  Richmond, 
named  no  doubt,  in  honor  of  some  personage.  The  County  was 
called  after  Charles  Lennox  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and  Lennox 
He  was  one  time  English  Secretary  of  State  (Bom  1735 — Died 
1806). 

LENNOX  PASSAGE  (R.)— See  Lennox. 

LEQUILLE  RIVER  (A.)— The  river  bearing  this  name  today 
is  not  the  one  to  which  the  name  was  applied  by  Champlain  in 
1604  (L'Esquille,  French  for  a  small  fish  of  that  name  with  which 
the  water  abounded).  It  is  a  misnomer.  The  river  was  formerly 
known  as  "Mill  Brook"  because  on  it  was  erected  the  first  mill  in 
America.  It  was  once  called  "Allain's  River,"  after  a  man  named 
Louis  Allain,  who  owned  land  at  its  head.  At  another  time  it 
bore  the  name  of  "Jenny  River." 

LEVY  SETTLEMENT  (L.)— This  place  was  first  settled 
by  a  man  named  Captain  John  Evans,  who  was  accompanied  by 
Lieutenants  Enwright,  Harris  and  Beatty.  The  place  was  formerly 
known  as  "Sherwood."  The  change  to  its  present  name  is  regret- 
table. 

LIBERTY  ROW  SETTLEMENT  (D.)— Named  so  after  an 
early  settler,  Logree  Liberty,  who  was  a  Guinea  Negro. 

LILY  LAKE  (Q.) — There  are  a  great  many  small  lakes  in 
the  Province  bearing  this  name.  This  particular  one  is  said  to 
have  been  named  by  John  McPherson,  the  local  poet,  who  was 
known  as  the  "Harp  of  Acadia."  Large  white  lilies  grow  on  the 
lake. 

LINDEN  (G.)— Formerly  called  Goose  River. 

LING  AN  (C.  B.) — A  curious  English  corruption  of  the  French 
name  L*Indienne  Bay  (Indian  Bay). 

In  the  year  1745  the  French  had  a  mine  here,  and  called  the 
place  "Cape  Coal."  They  also  erected  a  fort.  The  mine  and  fort 
were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1752.     Th'e  Indian  name  was"Milesek.'* 

LINWOOD  (Ant.)— So  named  by  an  Act  of  Pariiament 
passed  in  the  year  1884. 

LITTLE  CANSO  (G.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Kamsogooch,'* 
meaning  "little  place  opposite  cliffs." 


PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  81 


LISCOMB  HARBOR  (G.)— So  named  as  far  back  as  1717. 

The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  *'Megadawik"  meaning 
"splendid  eeling  place." 

The  Malisceet  Indians  called  it  "Magaguadavic." 

The  harbor  and  village  are  said  to  be  named  after  Liscomb 
House,  Tudor  Mansion,  Buckinghamshire. 

LITTLE  ARICHAT  (R.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Neliksaaku^ 
geech,"  which  means  "a  small  fissure." 

LITTLE  CARIBOU  ISLAND  (P.)— See  Caribou  Harbor. 
This  place  was  called  by  the  Micmac  Indians  "Tedootkesik," 
meaning  "the  place  of  running  to  the  bushes,"  owing  to  the  Micmac 
Indians  having  taken  refuge  in  the  woods  from  an  attack  by  their 
enemy  the  Mohawks,  who  were  said  to  have  all  been  drowned  at 
this   place. 

LITTLE  HARBOR  (P.)— The  old  Indian  Micmac  name  was 
"Mumbegweek,"  meaning  "Little  Harbor." 

LITTLE  HARBOR  (H.)— The  Indians  named  this  place 
"Segunakigunuk"  meani^ng  "torn  in  shreds"  or  "scraps  of  sails." 

LITTLE  HOPE  (Q.)— The  great  number  of  disastrous  wrecks 
on  this  little  islet  suggested  its  name. 

LITTLE  NARROWS  (V.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place 
was  "Tawilketc,"  meaning  "the  little  opening"  or  "outlet." 

LITTLE  RIVER  (Ant.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  river  was 
'  *  Aksegaguntcetc . ' ' 

LITTLE  RIVER  (H.)— A  branch  of  Sheet  Harbor.  The 
Indian  name  was  "Kesooskowostoogwek,"  meaning  "flowing 
through  hemlock  boughs."  The  other  branch  of  Sheet  Harbor 
was  named  "Ukchipkoodapakook"  meaning  "the  largest  pool." 

LIVERPOOL  (0.) — One  of  the  two  township  divisions  of 
Queens  County.  A  Mr.  John  Dogget  was  paid  40  pounds  in  the 
year  1761  for  his  outlay  in  settling  Liverpool.  It  was  at  one  time 
named  Rossignol.  It  is  obviously  named  after  the  English  Liver- 
pool. Liverpool  the  original  is  named  after  a  legendary  bird 
something  like  the  crane,  called  the  "Liver," — and  the  word 
"pool." 

The  name  "Rossignol"  was  given  to  the  place  by  De  Monts 
after  the  master  of  a  ship  he  had  seized  there.  A  number  of  Ply- 
mouth Rock  families  settled  there  in  1759. 


82  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


Liverpool's  Indian  name  was  "Ogumkwigeok,"  meaning  "the 
place  of  departure."  It  was  also  once  known  as  "Port  Senior." 
Near  here  is  a  place  which  was  called  by  the  Indians  "Nesogwade" 
or  "place  of  eel  pots." 

LIVERPOOL  LAKES— The  first  Liverpool  Lake  was  named 
by  the  Indians  "Banook,"  meaning  "the  first  lake  met  as  you  ascend 
a  river.     (See  Ponhook). 

The  second  lake  of  the  Liverpool  chain  of  lakes  was  named  by 
the  Indians  "Kedooskek,"  meaning  "surrounded  by  tall  grass." 

The  third  Liverpool  lake  was  named  by  the  Indians  "Poosuk," 
the  Indian  name  for  the  Juniper  tree,  or  "a  fragment." 

The  fourth  lake  of  the  Liverpool  chain  of  lakes  was  named  by 
the  Indians  "Koojumkoojik,"  which  means  "attempting  to  escape." 

The  fifth  lake  of  the  Liverpool  chain  of  lakes  was  named  by  the 
Indians  "Imooekek,"  meaning  "leading  straight  on." 

The  sixth  lake  of  the  Liverpool  chain  of  lakes  was  named  by  the 
Indians  "Tobeadookook,"  meaning  "lined  with  alders." 

LIVERPOOL  RIVER  (Q.)— (See  Liverpool),  At  one  time 
this  river  was  named  Mersey  after  the  English  river  of  that  name. 

LIVINGSTONE  COVE  (Ant.)— This  place  received  its  name 
after  its  first  settler,  a  Malcolm  Livingstone,  who  settled  there 
about  the  year  1800. 

LLOYD  COVE  (C.  B.)— Named  after  the  famous  Marine 
Insurance    Clearing    House    "Lloyds." 

It  was  at  this  cove  on  the  4th  of  September,  1711  Admiral 
Walker's  fleet  of  forty-two  sail  anchored.  He  had  a  large  cross 
erected  on  the  shore,  claiming  the  whole  of  Cape  Breton  for  the 
English.  A  carpenter  and  two  of  his  crew  landed,  and  were  killed 
and  scalped  by  the  Indians. 

This  cove  is  the  landing  place  of  an  Atlantic  cable  from  Ireland 
via  Heart's  Content,  Newfoundland. 

LOBSTER  BAY  (Y.)— In  1633,  Jean  de  Laite  calls  this  Bay 
"La  Baie  Courante." 

LOCHABER  (Ant.)— Named  after  the  place  of  that  name 
in  Invernesshire,  Scotland.     It  was  at  one  time  called  College  Lake. 

LOCH  BAN  (I.)— In  English  "White  Lake''  Scottish  "Loch" 
meaning  "lake"  and  Gaelic  "Ban"  meaning  "white." 

LOCH  BROOM  (P.) — So  named  because  of  its  resemblance 
from  its  harbor  approaches,  to  Loch  Broom  in  Inverness-shire 
Scotland.     First  settled  by  Alexander  Cameron  in  or  about    1773. 


PLACE-NAMES    OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  83 

Cameron  was  a  relative  of  "Camercn  of  Lochiel,"  of  Culloden 
fame.  It  is  said  that  at  this  place  the  first  church  was  erected  in 
Pictou  County. 

LOCH  KATRINE  (Ant.)— Named  after  the  Lake,  or  Loch 
of  that  name,  which  is  twenty-five  miles  from  Glasgow  and  was  made 
famous  by  Sir  Walter  Scott. 

LOCH  LEVEN  (I.)— See  Broad  Cove  Mines. 

LOCH  LOMOND  (C.  B.)— Named  in  remembrance  of  the 
place  of  the  same  name  in  Scotland,  by  the  Scottish  settlers,  who 
settled  here  in  1827. 

LOCKARD  POINT  (CoL)— This  point  is  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Shubenacadie  River  and  was  named  after  a  Captain  Lockard. 
Some  of  the  early  settlers  moved  by  vessel  from  Cumberland  to 
Colchester  County  in  1772.  They  landed  at  this  point,  and  it  was 
called  after  the  master  of  the  vessel. 

Among  the  settlers  were  the  "Ashmores,"  now  known  as 
"Creelmans." 

LOCKE  ISLAND  (S.)— Named  after  Jonathan  Locke,  a 
pioneer  settler  (See  Lockport).  At  one  time  called  Ragged  or 
Rugged  Island. 

LOCKPORT  (S.)— Was  first  settled  by  three  families  from 
New  England:  Joseph  Hardy,  Josiah  Churchill  and  Jonathan 
Locke,  and  was  named  after  Locke. 

The  Indian  name  was  "Sebunisk." 

LOCKHARTVILLE  (K.)— Named  after  Nathan  Lockhart, 
an  estimable  first  settler  of  this  district,  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  The  Lockhart  family  were  of  Scotch-Irish 
origin. 

LOGAN'S  TANNERY  (P.)— See  new  name  Lyon  Brook. 

LONDONDERRY  (Col.)— Settled  by  Alexander  McNutt's 
Ulster  Colonists  who  arrived  and  settled  in  the  year  1761.  They 
arrived  in  a  vessel  named  the  "Hopewell"  on  the  9th  of  October 
1761  at  Cornwallis  Island.  They  later  came  to  Cobequid  Town- 
ship, and  the  place  was  appropriately  named  Londonderry,  after 
the  Irish  County  from  which  they  came. 

The  grant  of  Londonderry  Township,  one  of  the  four  Town- 
ships of  Colchester  County,  was  for  75,000  acres,  and  was  for  sixty- 
nine  settlers.  It  was  dated  March  1775  and  signed  by  Governor 
Legge.     (See  Truro). 


84  PLACE-NAMES   OF    NOVA  SCOTIA 

LONG  ISLAND  (C.  B.)— An  island  in  the  Little  Bras  d'Or 
Lake  first  granted  to  the  Rev.  Hibbert  Binney.  It  was  at  that 
time  (1820)  called  "Parturient  Island,"  likely  intended  to  mean 
"fruitful"  or  perhaps  to  convey  the  idea  of  a  child,  or  offspring  of  the 
larger  island. 

LONG  ISLAND  (K.)— Near  Horton.  The  Indians  named 
this  place  "Mesadek,"  meaning  "separated." 

LONG  LAKE  (CoL)— Near  Truro.  The  Indian  name  for 
this  lake  is  "Pilbok,"  meaning  "long  and  narrow." 

LOON  LAKE  (C.  B.)— Said  to  be  so  named  by  the  late  Lt.- 
Govemor  David  McKeen,  who  was  a  land  surveyor,  and  when 
camped  near  the  lake  his  sleep  was  distiurbed  by  the  lonesome  call 
of  the  loons. 

LOREMBEC  (C.  B.)— The  original  name  of  this  place  was 
"Laurenbec."  The  name  "Lorembec"  appears  on  the  maps  of 
1751,  1764  and  1790. 

LORNEVILLE  (C),  LORNE  (CoL)— Named  in  honor  of  the 
Marquis  of  Lome  (Duke  of  Argyll),  who  was  Governor-General  of 
Canada  in  the  years  1878-1883. 

LORRAINE  (C.^  B.)— Near  Louisburg,  settled  by  Germans 
from  Alsace-Lorraine  in  1753. 

The  name  is  found  in  the  earlier  days  with  various  spellings, 
viz:  Loram,  Loran,  Lorambec,  Laurent  and  Laurent  le  bee. 

LOUISBURG  (C.  B.)— Until  1713  this  place  was  known  as 
English  Harbor  (Havre  a  TAnglois).  It  was  founded  in  1713, 
named  in  honor  of  King  Louis  XIV  of  France.  Was  named  by 
St.  Ovide,  Port  St.  Louis  tentatively  and  a  little  later  Louisburg. 
Capttired  by  the  British  in  1745  and  ceded  back  to  France  in  1748 ; 
and  again  captured  by  the  British  in  1758.  The  Dunkirk  of  Amer- 
ica was  what  Louisburg  was  considered  and  called  in  the  early 
days. 

The  Indians  named  it  "Eloibolg"  a  corruption  of  the  French 
name. 

As  early  as  1720  the  foundations  of  a  town,  two  and  one-half 
miles  in  circiunf erence  were  laid  down  on  a  neck  of  land  on  the  south 
side  of  the  harbor. 

LOUISDALE  (R.) — The  earliest  name  of  this  place  was  Seal 
Cove;  it  was  afterwards  named  "Barrasois  St.  Louis."  In  1905  at 
the  suggestion  of  Mr.  J.  Nelson  Scott,  the  Postmaster,  it  was 
changed  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  to  its  present  name,  which  retains 
part  of  the  old  name  with  a  local  descriptive  addition. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  85 

LOUSE  HARBOR  AND  ISLAND  (G.)— The  changing  from 
an  old  to  a  new  name  is  not  always  for  the  best,  but  here  is  a  case 
where  any  change  would  be  an  improvement. 

LOVETT  GROVE  (Y.)— So  named  after  an  early  settler 
Mr.  Israel  Lovett. 

LOVET  ROAD  (A.)— This  place  near  Round  Hill  was    called 
**Lablalot"  by  the  Indians. 

LOWER  DUBLIN  (L.)— Settled  in  1762  by  some  Irish  families 
and  named  in  honor  of  one  of  the  principal  towns  of  their  native 
land. 

LOWER  HORTON  (A.)— See  Horton. 

LOW  POINT  (C.  B.)— An  important  lighting  and  signalling 
station  on  the  south-eastern  extremity  of  Sydney  Harbor.  The 
ground  is  flat  and  low,  there  being  no  high  cliffs  at  the  point,  but 
extremely  high  cliffs  south  and  west  of  it.  This  accounts  for  the 
name.  All  early  and  some  modem  maps  and  charts  call  it  "Flat 
Point,"  which  was  its  earlier  name. 

The  Indians  named  this  place  "Mooinakuntcetc,"  meaning 
"the  little  Black  Berry  Picking  Place." 

LOYAL  HILL  (Hts.) — So  named  by  an  early  American  Loyal- 
ist settler,  Mr.  John  Grant,  in  honor  of  its  first  settlers'  loyalty 
to  the  English  King. 

LUCASVILLE  (H.) — Settled  by  Americans  named  James 
Lucas,  Oliver  and  Dishna.  It  was  first  known  as  Lucas  Settle- 
ment. A  church  was  built  in  1819,  and  since  that  date  the  place 
has  been  known  as  Lucas ville. 

LUNENBURG — This  place  was  at  one  time  named  "Mala- 
gash"  and  also  "Mirliguesche."  "Meligech"  is  no  doubt  the 
Indian  word  for  "milk,"  and  it  is  generally  conceded  that  this  is 
the  origin  of  the  name  "Malagash."  The  name  is  first  mentioned 
in  1630. 

"Mirliguesche"  is  said  to  mean  "milky  surf"  or  "milky  bay," 
referring  to  its  white  appearance  in  a  storm.  The  Indians  also 
called  this  place  "Asceedik,"  meaning  "clam  land,"  or  "place  of 
clams." 

Desbrisay  quoted  Rand  as  saying  that  the  Indian  spelling  was 
^'Malligglak,"  meaning  "mal-bad"  and  the  termination  meaning 
■"inherent"  and  "inanimate."  and  that  the  name  was  applied  to  the 
whole  coast  along  by  Lunenburg. 

In  1630  Sir  WiUiam  Alexander  granted  to  Sir  Claude  de  St. 
Etienne,  Lord  of  La  Tour,  and  his  son  Charles,  a  large  stretch  of 
lands  along  the  coast  which  included  Mirliguesche. 


86  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

It  was  settled  in  1751-1753  by  a  party  of  Germans  from  Prus- 
sian Hanover,  whose  King,  George  II,  was  also  King  of  England. 
It  was  named  in  May  1753,  after  "Luneberg"  in  Hanover. 

The  Township,  one  of  the  two  township  divisiions  of  the  County 
was  formed  i]n  1753.  The  Town  was  incorporated  in  1888.  The 
County  contains  1116  square  mijes. 

LYNDALE  (C.) — A  settlement  east  of  WilHamsdale,  was; 
named  as  above  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1879. 

LYNN  (Col.)— Named  after  a  city  in  Massachusetts,  which 
was  called  after  the  English  seaport  town,  Lynn  Regis,  or  "King's, 
Lynn." 

LYONS  BROOK  (P.)— Named  after  the  Rev.  James  Lyons, 
one  of  the  Philadelphia  emigrants,  who  arrived  in  the  Brig  **Hope" 
in  1767. 

By  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  1903  it  was  enacted  that. 
Logans  Tannery,  Scotch  Hill  and  Lyons  Brook  be  thereafter  knowa 
as  Lyons  Brook. 

LYON  COVE  (K.) — Named  after  an  estimable  and  early 
settler  of  Kings  County,  or  some  of  his  descendants. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA   SCOTIA  87 


M 


MABOU  (I.)— Nicholas  Denys  called  the  place  "Le  Chadye." 
The  name  is  a  corruption  of  the  Indian  word  "Malabo."  The 
Indians  named  the  place  "Malabokak" — the  meaning  is  obscure. 

MACCAN  RIVER  (C.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Maakan/^ 
or  "Maagan,"  meaning  "the  fishing  place."  The  English  changed 
the  spelling  to  its  present  form. 

MACNAB  CREEK  (R.)— Named  after  a  family  of  MacNabs 
early  Scotch  settlers  of  Richmond  County. 

MADER  COVE  (L.)— Named  for  Bernard  Mader,  a  native 
of  Germany,  from  which  country  he  came  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  was 
one  of  the  original  colonists  locating  at  a  point  in  Lunenburg 
County,  which  took  the  family  name,  and  has  since  been  known  as 
"Mader  Cove." 

MAGRAY  ISLAND  ( Y.)— See  Big  Tusket  Island. 

MAHONE  BAY  (L.)— In  1754  Captain  Ephriam  Cook  of 
Halifax  formed  a  settlement  here.  It  was  called  "Mush  a  Mush" 
in  1756.  It  is  said  that  the  name  "Mahone"  was  first  given  to  the 
Bay  because  it  was  a  resort  for  pirates.  As  their  vessels  were  low 
crafts  the  French  word  "Mahonne,"  which  means  "Venetian 
boats,"  was  given  to  the  Bay.  The  name  was  later  applied  to  the 
village. 

The  name  "Kinburn,"  "Kindred  Streams,"  was  used  in  1857, 
but  the  name  fell  into  disuse.  "Mahone  Bay"  was  shortened  to 
"Mahone." 

On  a  map  dated  1672  this  place  appears  as  La  Baye  de  Toutes 
Isles,  or  the  Bay  of  Many  Islands. 

MAINADIEU  (C.  B.)— Some  French  maps  have  it  "Mena- 
dou."  Charlevois  has  it  "Penadou."  It  is  an  old  Indian  word, 
but  drifted  into  the  French  spelling. 

Some  give  this  story:  "Main  a  Dieu,"  said  some  storm-tossed 
sailor,  who  believed  he  saw  the  hand  of  God  (Dieu)  stretched  forth 
to  save. 

Latter  day  Indians  call  it  by  the  name  "Luskuch,"  meaning  a 
hieroglyphical  direction,  drawn  on  bark  and  placed  as  a  direction 
to  others.     Mainadieu  was  at  one  time  known  as  Little  Cape  Breton. 


88  PLACE-NAMES    OF    NOVA    SCOTIA 


MAITLAND  (A.)— See  Maitland,  Hants. 

MAITLAND  (R.)— One  of  the  four  Townships  of  Richmond 
County  named  in  honor  of  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  who  was  Gov- 
ernor of  Nova  Scotia  1823-31. 

MAITLAND  (Hts.) — Named  in  honor  of  Sir  Peregrine  Mait- 
land (1777-1854),  whowas  Governor  of  the  Province  1823-31.  After 
the  French  deportation  the  first  settler  was  John  Raines  or  Rhines. 
The  first  land  grant  was  to  William  Putnam  and  Luke  Upham, 
dated  Janusry  30th,  1771.  The  Indian  name  was  **Menesatung" 
meaning  "healing  waters."  Before  Maitland  received  its  present 
name  it  was  known  as  Beaver  River  (see)  Settlement. 

MAITLAND  (Y.)— See  Maitland,  Hts. 

MALAGA  LAKE  (Q.)— This  is  the  second  lake  on  Port 
Medway  River,  and  the  name  is  from  the  Indian  word  "Maligeak" 
meaning  "fretful  water." 

MALAGASH  (C.) — This  place  was  called  by  the  Indians 
"Malegawate,"  meaning  "the  mocking  place,"  or  the  place  where 
the  Indians  used  to  meet  to  play  games.  Some  Micmac  students  say 
that  the  word  is  from  the  Micmac  word  meaning  "end  of  smooth 
waters." 

The  water  between  Malagash  Point  and  Cape  John  was  at  one 
time  known  as  Frederick  Bay,  so  named  by  Colonel  Joseph  Freder- 
ick Wallet  Desbarres,  after  himself. 

The  Malagash  Point  or  Cape  was  called  by  the  Indians  "Wag- 
woskoogwek"  meaning  "the  end  of  the  still  water." 

MALAGAWATCHT  (I.)— Said  to  be  a  Micmac  Indian  word 
meaning  a  triangular  piece  of  land  formed  by  a  river  on  two  sides 
and  a  lake  or  larger  body  of  water  on  the  third  side. 

In  New  Brunswick  there  appears  the  name  "Malegawaachk" 
given  a  lake  with  many  islands  in  it. 

MALIGEAK  LAKE  (L.) — An  Indian  word  said  to  mean 
"loose"  not  firm.  The  word  is  compounded  of  "Mal-bad-loose" 
with  a  termination  denoting  inherent  and  inanimate.  (See  Lunen- 
burg). 

MALIGNANT  COVE  (P.)— So  called  owing  to  the  wreck 
near-by  of  a  British  man-of-war  vessel  named  the  "Malignant" 
bound  to  Quebec.     (See  new  name  Milbum.) 

M ALONE Y  CREEK  (Near  North  Sydney)  (C.B.)— Named 
after  a  family  of  this  name  who  settled  and  for  a  long  time  ran  a 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  89 


grist   mill,    at   this   place.  Sydney's  first  settler  was  an  Irishman 
named  John  Meloney  or  Maloney  (1784).     (See  Muggah's  Creek.) 

MANASETTE  CAPE  (G.)— Said  to  have  been  named  after 
a  steamship. 

MANCHESTER  (G.)— One  of  three  townships  of^  Guysbor- 
ough  County,  so  named,  in  all  probability,  after  the  English  City  of 
Manchester. 

MAN-OF-WAR  POINT  (V.)— Received  its  name  from  a  ves- 
sel which  was  built  there  and  not  finished  when  the  Island  was 
taken  by  the  British,  and  they  burned  her.  The  marks  of  the  forge 
are  still  to  be  seen  there,  and  a  few  years  ago  the  blocks  on  which 
she  was  built  could  be  seen  sunk  in  the  sand. 

MAPLETON  (C.)— Portion  of  Maccan  (see)  changed  to  the 
above  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  the  year  1879. 

MAPLETON  (Hts.) — This  place  was  once  known  as  the 
Three  Mile  Plains  (see).  The  name  was  changed  to  Mapleton 
by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1901. 

MAPLEWOOD  (L.) — The  place  formerly  known  as  Lower 
Foster  Settlement,  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1907  was  changed 
to  its  present  name. 

MARBLE  MOUNTAIN  (I.)— Received  its  name  owing  to  the 
hill  or  mountain  of  excellent  limestone  found  there. 

MARGAREE  (I.)— Named  by  the  French  "Marguerite" 
River,  and  by  the  Indians  ''Weeukuch"  or  "Weukuto." 

The  Indians  called  the  mouth  of  the  Margaree  "Weeukuch" 
meaning  "red  ochre,"  and  the  river  mouth  they  called  "Oochaa- 
dooch"  which  means  "where  they  get  it."  (the  Red  Ochre). 

Margaree  Township  was  one  of  the  four  subdivisions  of  the 
north-western  part  of  Cape  Breton,  formed  in  the  year  1828. 

MARGARETVILLE  (A.)— Named  after  the  wife  of  Judge 
Haliburton,  who  was  at  the  time  Chief  Justice  of  Nova  Scotia.  It 
was  at  one  time  called  "Reagh's  Cove,"  also  said  to  have  been  at 
one  time  called  Peter's  Point. 

MARJORIE  ISLAND  (R.)— Formerly  known  as  Gooseberry 
Island.  Received  its  present  name  about  1884  after  Miss  Marjorie 
Campbell,  daughter  of  Sir  Alexander  Campbell. 

MARKLAND— See  Nova  Scotia. 


90  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

MARR  BROOK  (D.)— So  named  after  an  early  settler  Thomas 
Marr. 

MARSHY  HOPE  (P.)— A  valley  in  the  Antigonish  Moun- 
tains. 

When  his  neighbors  were  in  the  habit  of  saying  to  James 
Mappel  (about  1810)  "Leave  this  marshy  place;  the  frost  will 
destroy  your  crops,"  he  always  replied  "I  hope  it  will  improve." 
Hence  his  neighbors  made  the  remark  that  his  hope  was  a  marshy 
hope,  which  became  the  name  of  the  valley. 

MARSHALL  COVE  (A.)— See  Port  Lome. 

MARSHALL  TOWN  (D.)— Named  after  a  first  settler 
Anthony    Marshall. 

MARTIN  RIVER^  (L)— Near  Mahone  Bay.  ^The  Indian 
name  was  'Tiktoojook,'*  meaning  "small  explosions." 

MARTIN  POINT  (Col.)— Near  Londonderry.  The  Indian 
name  was  "Wosoksegek"  meaning  "seen  in  the  distance,  as  a  signal; 
bright  land  mark." 

MARY  JOSEPH  (G.)— The  Indian  name  of  this  place  was 
"Megwasagunk,"  meaning  "red  shells." 

^  MASSACRE  ISLAND  (Q.)— An  Island  in  Port  Mouton. 
It  is  said  that  a  French  ship  was  wrecked  upon  this  island,  and  the 
crew  were  all  cruelly  murdered  by  the  Indians.  The  bones  of  many 
human  bein!gs  were  found  from  time  to  time  beneath  the  sands  on 
the  beach  of  the  island — hence  the  gruesome  name. 

MASON  ISLAND  (L.) — So  named  owing  to  the  excellent 
quality  of  sand  and  gravel  to  be  found  on  the  island  which  was  ex- 
tensively usfed  by  local  and  other  masons, 

MASSTOWN  (Col.)— At  one  time  called  "Cobequid  Village." 
This  village  takes  its  present  name  from  the  fact  that  the  French 
Acadians  had  a  place  of  worship  or  mass-house  there,  Winslow 
herded  them  into  this  church  before  taking  them  on  board  his 
vessels  in  the  year  1775. 

MATTIE  (G.) — This  place  is  named  so  because  of  a  number 
of  the  residence  bearing  the  name  Mattie. 

M AUGER  BEACH  (H.)— This  beach  is  near  the  entrance  of 
Halifax  Harbor.    At  one  time  it  was  owned  by  a  man,  Joshua 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  91 

Mauger,  who  in  the  year  1749  was  Provincial  Agent  in  London  for 
Nova  Scotia.  He  came  to  Halifax  from  Louisburg,  and  in  1751  was 
Victualler  to  the  Navy  at  Halifax. 

There  is  a  Township  and  an  Island  in  New  Brunswick  also 
named  after  this  man. 

MAXWELTON  TOWNSHIP  (P.)— A  Township  of  Pictou 
County.  In  the  year  1807  the  County  of  Pictou  was  subdivided 
into  three  townships;  namely,  Pictou,  Egerton  and  Maxwelton. 

MAYFIELD  (Ant.)— First  settled  in  1820  by  James  Mc- 
dougall  from  Keppoch,  Scotland.  He  named  it  "Keppoch."  It 
was  changed  to  Mayfield  about  the  year  1888. 

MAYPOLE  BROOK  (Col.)— A  brook  near  St.^  Andrews 
River,  where  the  Indians  used  to  assemble  and  hold  their  councils 
and  kindle  their  fire  under  a  large  tree,  which  later  suggested  the 
name  "Maypole." 

McCULLY  HILL  (Col.)— Named  after  a  resident  William 
McCully,  a  son  of  William  McCully  an  early  Scotch  settler  of  French 
River. 

McGRATH  COVE  (H.)— Named  after  William  McGrath, 
who  settled  here  in  the  year  1851.  (See  Ocean  Glen;  see  also  Rock- 
haven.) 

McKINNON  HARBOR  (V.)— Named  after  a  family  of  set- 
tlers. The  Indian  name  was  "Amasiboogwek,"  meaning  "a  grand 
river." 

McLENNAN  MOUNTAIN  (P.)— Received  its  name  from 
John  McLennan,  the  first  settler  at  the  mouth  of  the  brook  that 
flows  past  the  iDase  of  the  mountain.  Here  it  is  claimed  was 
organized  the  first  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  Province  of  Nova 
Scotia. 

MACNAB'S  ISLAND  (H.)— In  1750  was  called  Comwallis 
Island.  It  was  named  after  Peter  MacNab  who  bought  the  island 
for  £1000  in  1783.  The  name  appears  on  the  Colonial  Office  map 
of  the  year   1815. 

McNEIL  BAY  (C.  B.)— A  Bay  on  the  Mira  River  named  after 
an  early  settler  Lieutenant  McNeil. 

McNUTT  ISLAND  (S.)— Alexander  McNutt,  an  enthus- 
iastic adventurer  from  the  north  of  Ireland,  who  was  the  means  of 
settling  Truro,  Onslow  and  Londonderry — also  the  County  of  Shel- 


92  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


bume — at  the  close  of  his  life  resided  on  an  island  there  and  in  1765 
was  drowned  crossing  to  the  shore.  The  island  has  since  been 
known  as  McNutt's. 

MEAGHER'S  GRANT  (H.)— So  named  after  a  Captain 
Meagher  to  whom  the  Government  granted  this  tract  of  land  about 
the  year  1784  to  compensate  him  for  the  loss  of  a  schooner  which 
he  had  loaned  to  the  Government. 

MEANDER  (Hts.)— In  Newport.  The  Indian  name  was 
"Miltcigatc." 

MEAT  COVE  (V.) — Received  its  name  owing  to  the  great 
number  of  moose  and  caribou  found  there  in  the  early  days,  which 
furnished  the  natives  and  others  withs  supply  of  meat. 

MEDWAY  RIVER  (Q.)— See  Port  Medway. 

MEISNER  POINT  (L.)— Named  after  the  Postmaster 
Jeffrey  Meisner. 

MELROSE  (G.)— ,  MELROSE  HILL  (I.)— After  Melrose  in 
Roxburgshire,   Scotland. 

MELVERN  SQUARE  (A.)— First  settled  in  1790.  Was 
named  "Mill  Town."  About  fifty  years  ago  at  a  public  meeting 
called  for  the  purpose,  it  was  named  "Melvem  Square"  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  William  Gates.  The  Gates  family  were  among  the  first 
settlers  of  the  place.     Four  roads  meet  at  this  square. 

MELVILLE  ISLAND  (H.)— Was  at  one  time  called  "Couries 
Island"  probably  named  after  Henry  Dundas,  the  first  Viscount 
Melville,  at  one  time  Secretary  of  State,  and  was  Lord  of  the 
Admiralty  1804-1805. 

MERIGOMISH  (P.)— Micmac  "Mallegomichk."  At  one 
time  called  "Malegonish."  The  Micmac  word  means  "Hardwood 
Grove."  First  settled  by  Barnabas  McGee,  a  native  of  the  north  of 
Ireland  who  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania  or  Maryland  and  from 
there  to  Merigomish  in  the  year  1776. 

Dr.  Rand  says  the  name  is  from  the  Indian  word  "Malegomitc" 
meaning  "the  place  of  merry  making." 

Merigomish  River  was  at  one  time  known  as  Port  Luttrell. 

Merigomish  Island  sometimes  known  as  Robertson's  Island, 
after  Colonel  Alex  Robertson,  who  owned  it  at  one  time. 

Dr.  Patterson  finds  the  Micmac  meaning  for  Mallegomichk  as 
diversified  by  coves;  he  quotes  no  authority  but  it  is  beautifully 
appropriate. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  93 

MERLAND  (Ant.) — At  one  time  named  "Usher"  changed  by 
an  Act  of  Parliament  to  its  present  name  in  1868.  It  was  first 
settled  by  the  following  Irish  families:  Dominic  Daley,  Thomas 
Coffey,  Thomas  Power,  Michael  Hogan  and  Patrick  Dunn,  about 
the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century.  It  is  said  this  place  was  named 
in  honor  of  a  former  priest  the  Reverend  James  Merle.  Merle  is, 
the  Scotch  name  for  a  black  bird. 

MERRITT  POINT  (C.  B.)— Near  Little  Bras  d'Or,  named 
after  a  family  who  settled  near  and  owned  the  land  which  forms 
the  point.     They  were  of  Scotch  descent. 

METEGHAN  (D,)— The  Indian  "Mitihikan"  meaning  "wood- 
en fence" — weir.  The  village  was  first  settled  by  Prudent  Robi- 
cheaud  in  the  year  1785.  The  Geographic  Board  of  Canada 
states  that  it  is  a  descriptive  Indian  name  meaning  "blue  stone." 

MEUSE  POINT  (Y.)— Named  after  a  French  Acadian, 
Benjamin  Meuse,  an  early  settler. 

MICA  HILL  (V.)— A  hill  near  Neil's  Harbor,  about  900  feet 
high.  Received  its  name  owing  to  mica  being  present  in  the  near 
neighborhood. 

^  MICHAUD  POINT  (R.)— Appears  sometimes  as  "Micheaux 
Point."  Denys  in  his  descriptive  passage  around  the  Island  refers 
to  the  Isles  Michaur,  the  name  or  a  variation  of  it,  still  given  the 
point.     The  islands  are  known  as  the  Basque  Islands. 

MIDDLEFIELD  (Q.)— See  Greenfield. 

^  MIDDLE  HEAD  (V.)— A  name  given  to  the  point  of  land 
which  divides  the  north  and  south  Ingonish  Bays. 

MIDDLE  RIVER  (H.)— Near  Sheet  Harbor.  The  Indian 
name  was  "Kookwejoogwode,"  meaning  "the  haunted  place"  or 
"the  place  of  spectres."  The  Indian  game  of  Blind  Man's  Buff 
was  played  here. 

MIDDLE  RIVER  (V.)— The  original  Indian  name  was 
"Wagamatcook,"  or  "Wokumutkook,"  meaning  "little  green 
water,"  elsewhere  said  to  mean  "somewhat  cleaner." 

MIDDLETON  (A.)— So  called  because  it  is  nearly  the  mid- 
point between  Annapolis  and  Kentville. 

MIDDLE  RIVER  (P.)— The  Micmac  Indian  name  for  this 
place  was  "Nemcheboogwek,"  meaning  "straight  flowing,"  or 
"flowing  down  hill  in  a  straight  course." 


94  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

MILBURN  (Ant.) — By  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1915 
the  name  Malignant  Cove  (see)  was  changed  to  the  present  name. 

MILFORD  (I.) — So  named  bv  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the 
year  1884. 

MILFORD  HAVEN  (G.)— Settled  by  Benjamin  Hallowel  and 
others  in  the  year  1784.  The  grant  was  given  in  1765.  Hallowel 
q^me  from  Boston.  He  divided  his  20,000  acre  grant  among 
Loyalists,  in  1784.  In  1786  they  planned  and  laid  out  a  town 
named  "Boylston." 

MILL  BROOK  (CoL)— Here  William  Waugh,  son  of  the  first 
settler  Wellwood  Waugh,  built  a  water  mill  at  a  very  early  date, 
hence  the  name. 

MILL  BROOK  (P.) — ^First  settled  by  Thomas  and  John  Fiaser 
in  the  year  1800.  They  built  a  mill  there  in  1808,  hence  the  name. 
It  was  earKer  than  this  known  as  Bear  Brook,  owing  to  their  ha\nng 
trapped  a  large  bear  on  their  first  visit  to  the  Brook. 

MILLIGAN  SWAMP  (D.)— Named  after  an  early  settler 
John  Milligan. 

MILL  CREEK  (C.)— On  the  River  Hebert.  The  Indians 
called  the  place  "Booktowaagun,"  meaning  "fire  works." 

MILLVIEW  (H.) — The  settlement  formerly  known  as  Lower 

Bedford,  The  Dump  and  Doyle's    Dump,  changed   to  its  present 
name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  the  year  1896. 

MILL  VILLAGE  (O-)— At  one  time  called  Mills  Village. 
It  received  its  name  owing  to  the  first  settlers  Smith  and  Moseley, 
having  erected  a  grist  mill  there.  The  place  was  surveyed  and 
granted  about  1760. 

MILTON  (0.)— This  place  was  called  "the  Falls"  until  the 
year  1830.  It  received  its  name  owing  to  the  excellent  milling 
opportunities  in  the  locality. 

Richard  Kempton  and  his  four  sons  were  the  first  settlers. 

MILTON  (Y.)— This  place  was  known  as  "The  Mills"  in 
1820.  In  this  year  a  brig  was  built  here,  and  the  place  of  building 
was  filed  in  the  Registry  as  "Milltown."  The  Customs  Officer 
changed  it  to  Milton,  and  so  the  name  was  evolved.  This  place 
was  first  settled  by  Sealed  Landers  in  the  year  1761;  he  was  one 
of  the  three  first  settlers  in  Yarmouth.    They  came  from  Cape  Cod. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  95 

MINAS  BASIN — Minas,  Manis,  Menis,  as  it  has  been  various- 
ly called.  Was  named  by  the  French  "Les  Mines.*'  It  was  named 
after  the  Cape  which  owes  its  name  to  the  fact  that  veins  of  copper 
had  been  found  at  Cape  d'Or,  called  also  Cap  de  Mines. 

MINAS  CHANNEL— The  Indians  caUed  this  place  "Pleegun," 

meaning  "opening  in  a  beaver  dam." 

MINAS  RIVER,  MINAS  SETTLEMENT,  MINAS  REG- 
ION, MINAS  BASIN— The  home  of  the  Acadians,  all  named  after 
the  Cape  of  that  name.  These  places  are  now  covered  by  the  names: 
Avonport,  Hortonville,  Grand  Pre,  Gaspereau,  Wolfville,  Port 
Wilhams,  New  Minas,  Kentville,  Starr's  Point,  the  two  Canards, 
Comwallis  and  Pereau. 

MINASVILLE  (Hts.)— See  "Minas  Basin."  This  name  was 
given  it  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1890;  it  was  hitherto 
known  as  Moose  Brook  Settlement. 

MINT  COVE  (D.)— Often  called  Mink  Cove,  was  settled  in 
1789. 

MINE  HOLE  (Col.)— Believed  to  be  the  result  of  very  early 

excavating  for  copper  ore,  hence  the  name. 

MINUDIE  (C.)— An  Indian  word  "Menoodek"  meaning  "a 
small  bay."  A  fanciful  derivation  for  the  name  is  "Main  a  Dieu, 
i.  e.,  "God's  Hand."  The  Indian  word  "Mtinoodek"  means  "a 
sack"  or  "a  bag"  and  the  name  may  have  been  derived  from  this 
word. 

MIRA  RIVER  (C.  B.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Soolakade," 
meaning  "the  silver-place."  It  was  named  "Mire^'  in  honor  of  a 
French  officer,  Lieutenant  M.  de  Mire,  in  the  year  1746.  We  find 
it  on  the  maps  about  the  year  1800  as  "Miray"  and  "Myre." 

In  1737  Mons  St.  Ovide  de  Brouillan,  at  that  time  the  French 
King's  Lieutenant  on  the  Island,  received  a  large  grant  of  splendid 
land  on  the  Mira  River.  There  is  a  little  river,  a  branch  of  the 
Mira,  which  the  Indians  named  "Mtoodcok,"  meaning  "a  difficult, 
dangerous  place." 

MISPOUK  LAKE  (Y.)— This  name  is  from  the  Indian  words 

"mis"  (great)  and  "paug"  (still  water). 

^  MISSAQUASH  (C.)— The  little  tidal  river  that  formed  the 
division  line  between  the  French  Fort  B  cause  jour  and  the 
British  Fort  Lawrence.     Doubtless  Micmac  Indian.     We  find  it 


96  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

spelled  "Mezagouesch,"  "Mesagoueche,"  In  1750  records  it 
appears  as  "Musaguash."  In  1755  the  French  called  the  river 
"Ste.  Marguerite." 


MISTAKE    RIVER,    MISTAKE    SETTLEMENT    (D. 

Lumbermen  under  William  Hassett,  who  was  foreman  for  John 
Heavy  side,  an  early  enterprising  lumber  merchant,  at  one  time 
reached  the  shore  and  thought  it  was  the  north-east  branch  of  the 
Sissibou;  finding  they  were  mistaken  they  gave  it  the  name  as  above, 
this  was  about  the  year  1828.   Sometimes  called  Irish  Settlement. 

MOLASSES  HARBOR  (G.)— See  Port  Felix. 

MONASTERY  (Ant.) — This  place  received  its  name  from  the 
fact  that  there  was  a  monastery  there,  which  was  established  by 
a  Father  Vincent  in  the  year  1839. 

MONEY  POINT  (on  Mira  River)  (C.  B.)— The  story  is  told 
that  a  passing  boatman  saw  exposed  on  the  sands  at  this  place  a  cask 
which  he  thought  contained  money.  He  came  back  at  night  to 
get  it,  but  the  swift  change  in  tide  had  covered  it. 

MONEY  POINT  (V.)— This  place  is  so  named  owing  to  the 
fact  that  a  specie  ship  was  lost  there  and  up  to  the  present  time 
gold  coins  are  found  in  the  sands  and  rocks  of  the  place. 

MONTAGUE  (H.) — This  district  received  its  name  in  honor 
of  Gore  Montague,  the  son  of  Col.  George  Montague  a  descendant 
of  the  Duke  of  Manchester,  who  owned  lands  at  Lake  Loon,  near 
Dartmouth. 

MONTROSE  (Col.)— Named  after  the  seaport  town  of  this 
name  in  the  North  Sea  in  Forfarshire,  Scotland. 

MOODY  POINT  (P.)— The  Indian  name  of  this  place  was 
*Toogunipkchk." 

MOOEANUK  (H.) — A  string  of  islands  near  Jeddore.  An 
Indian  nam^e  meaning  "the  haunt  of  the  seia  duck." 

MOOSELAND  (H.)— See  Arlington. 

MOOSE  RIVER  (A.)— Was  at  one  time  called  by  the  French 
**La  Riviere  d'Orignal, ' '  after  some  man  of  that  name.  The  English 
confounded  this  word  ''Orignal"  with  "Oregnol,"  which  in  French 
means  a  "moose."     Hence  the  present  name. 

MOOSE  RIVER  (C.)— The  Indians  named  the  place 
"Kesegwitck,"  meaning  "the  current  flows  swiftly." 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  97 

MOOSE  RIVER  (Q.)— Once  named  "Ruisseau  de  la  Roche"  or 
*'Rock  Brook." 

MORAR  (Ant.) — Formerly  known  as  North  Side  Cape 
George,  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year 
1888.     Named  after  a  county  on  the  western  coast  of  Scotland. 

MORDEN  (K.)— Named  after  a  Kings  County  family  ''Mor- 
den."  It  was  formerly  named  "French  Cross,"  a  name  given  it  for 
the  reason  that  a  large  black  cross  had  been  erected  at  this  place 
by  some  of  the  French  Acadians  who  escaped  at  the  time  of  the 
"Expulsion,"  and  spent  some  time  at  this  place.  A  number  of  them 
died  and  were  buried  there,  and  the  cross  was  erected  by  the  sur- 
vivors to  mark  their  resting  place. 

Some  of  them  escaped  to  friends  on  the  opposite  side  of  Minas 
Channel.     Their  place  of  landing  was  called  "Refugee  Cove." 

MORE-RUM  BROOK  (Y.)— A  watering  place  for  horses, 
about  a  mile  west  from  Tusket  Bridge.  One  historian  says,  it 
derived  its  name  from  the  circumstances  that,  while  the  horses 
were  drinkifig,  travellers  used  the  opportunity  offered  by  the  excel- 
lent spring  water  for  mixing  purposes,  to  take  another  glass  of  grog, 
generally  rum.  Another  Yarmouth  historian  says  it  received  ityS 
name  in  this  strange  way:  "When  the  road  was  being  cut  out  the 
rum  which  was  being  served  to  the  men  gave  out  when  the  work- 
men reached  this  point;  they  refused  to  go  beyond  the  brook 
until  the  rum  was  forthcoming.  The  surveyor  in  charge  told  them 
they  could  drink  from  the  brook  until  more  rum  arrived,  hence 
the  name  "More-Rum  Brook." 

MORGANVILLE  (D.)— Settled  in  1828,  sometimes  called 
Morgan  Settlement,  after  the  first  settler,  Edward  Morgan. 

MORIEN,  C.  Bj— At  one  time  called  "Cow  Bay,"  so  named 
owing  to  the  finding  there  of  a  cow  belonging  to  the  first  settler  of 
Sydney,  John  Maloney,  it  having  strayed  from  his  farm  in  Sydney. 
Previously  called  by  the  French  "Morrienne  Bay."  The  French 
mined  coal  here  as  early  as  1720. 

The  Micmac  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Noolektootc," 
meaning  "place  jammed  with  ice,"  or  "a  bivouacking  place."  The 
present  name,  an  abbreviation  of  the  old  French  name,  was  fixed 
by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1895. 

MORRIS  ISLAND  (Y.)— Named  after  John  Morris,  who  in 
the  year  1773  received  a  grant  of  the  whole  island. 

MORRIS  LAKE  (H,) — Sometimes  known  as  McDonald  Lake. 
It  is  near  Dartmouth.  Probably  named  in  honor  of  Charles 
Morris, who  was  Surveyor-General  of  the  Province  about  the  year 


PLACE-NAMES  GF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


1780;  or  perhaps  in  honor  of  his  son  who  bore  the  same  name  and 
succeeded  him  as  Surveyor-General  in  1781.  The  Geographic 
Board  of  Canada  states  it  is  named  after  an  Indian  family  of 
Morris  living  at  the  lake. 

MORRISON  ISLAND  (P.)— The  Micmac  Indian  name  of 
this  place  was  "Tumakunawaakade/' meaning  "the  pipe  stone  place" 

MORTIMER  POINT  (P.)— Near  Pictou.  Named  after 
Edward  Mortimer,  an  Englishman  who  settled  in  Pictou  and 
became  a  wealthy  merchant. 

He  built  "Norway  House,"  a  historic  and  interesting  place  in 
the  town. 

Was  for  some  time  known  as  Gordon's  Point,  owing  to  a 
Lieutenant  Gordon  having  settled  there. 

MORVAN  (Ant.)— First  settled  by  McDonalds  and  McDou- 
galls.  It  was  named  "Keppoch"  by  James  McDougall,  after  his 
Scottish  home  village.     Later  it  was  named  "Morvan." 

MOSER  ISLAND  (L.)— So  named  after  a  Mr.  Jacob  Moser, 
one  of  the  early  grantees  of  the  Township  of  Lunenburg. 

MOSHER  (H.)— An  Island  and  Point  named  after  an  old  St. 
Margaret's  Bay  family — one  time  known  as  Grampus  Island  and 
Point. 

MOSHERVILLE  (Hts.)— This  place  was  formerly  known  as 
Middle  Kennetcook  and  was  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1870 
changed  to  its  present  name. 

MOUNT  ADAM  (P.)— See  Garden  of  Eden. 

MOUNT  DENSON  OR  DENISON  (Hts.)— This  place  re- 
ceived its  name  in  honor  of  Colonel  Henry  Denny  Denson,  an  Eng- 
lishman who  settled  here  about  1755,  and  took  up  a  large  grant. 
His  home  was  called  "Mt.  Denson." 

Denson's  name  appears  as  a  member  for  Newport  (Kings 
County)  in  1767. 

MOUNT  EGERTON  (P.)— See  Egerton. 

MOUNT  EPHRAIM,  MOUNT  THOM  (P.)— Thomas  Troop 
and  Ephraim  Howard,  coming  from  Pictou  to  Truro  to  meet  and 
assist  the  first  settlers  who  were  arriving  from  Philadelphia  in  the 
Brig  "Hope,"  called  these  mountains  after  themselves. 

The  old  Indian  name  for  Mount  Thorn  was  "Pamdunook" 
(a  mountain  chain.) 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  99 


MOUNT  GRENVILLE  (R.)— See  St.  Peter's. 

MOUNT  HANLEY  (A.)— Called  after  a  man  named  Hanley, 
who  crossed  over  it  in  the  e^rly  days.  It  was  named  Hanley's 
Mountain"  up  to  1896;  then  it  was  changed  to  its  present  name. 

A  very  noted  Loyalist  named  Thomas  Barclay,  afterwards 
Speaker  of  the  Nova  Scotia  Legislature,  settled  himself  and  a  num- 
ber of  Loyalists  here. 

MOUNT  PLEASANT  (D.)— Settled  and  named  by  settlers 
from  Digby  in  the  year  1787. 

MOUNT  THOM  (P.)— See  Mount  Ephraim. 

MOUNT  UNIACKE  (Hts.)— This  place  was  settled  in  1808 
by  an  Irishman  named  Richard  John  Uniacke,  who  came  to  Cum- 
berland County  in  1774,  where  he  received  a  large  grant  of  land. 
He  was  Solicitor-General  of  the  Province  in  1782.  He  died  at 
Mount  Uniacke  in  1830. 

MOUNT  VARNER  (L.)— So  named  after  Elias  Vamer. 
The  Mount  is  on  lands  owned  by  him. 

MOUNT  YOUNG  (I.)— It  is  said  that  this  place  was  named 
after  Sir  William  Young  (1799-1887),  who  was  the  first  representa- 
tive of  this  County.  He  was  Premier  of  Nova  Scotia  1854-1857  and 
again  in  1860  when  he  was  appointed  Chief  Justice  of  Nova  Scotia 
and  was  knighted  in  1868.  The  County  was  in  1836  known  as 
"Juste  au  corps." 

MOUSE  ISLAND  (C.  B.)— Near  Long  Island,  in  the  Bras 
d'Or  Lake.  Granted  in  1820  to  Rev.  Hibbert  Binney,  with  Long 
Island.  A  very  small  island  near  the  comparatively  large  one 
suggested  the  name.  , 

MO  YD  ART  (Ant.)— Evidently  named  after  the  Scottish 
County  "Moidart"  on  the  west  coast,  although  the  spelling  is 
unlike  the  original. 

MUD  BRIDGE,  near  Wolfville  (K.)— The  Indian  name  was 
"Mtaban,"  meaning  "mud-catfish  ground." 

MUGGAH  CREEK,  near  Sydney  (C.  B.)— Named  after 
Mr.  John  Muggah  a  native  of  Banffshire,  Scotland.  He  was 
employed  as  a  military  engineer  at  Sydney.  He  married  a  Miss 
Meloney,  a  daughter  of  Sydney's  first  settler,  John  Meloney,  and 


100  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

settled  at  Muggah's  Creek.  The  plant  of  the  Dominion  Iron  & 
Steel  Company  is  located  on  the  old  Muggah  farm. 

(It  is  strange  that  the  creek  in  the  northern  arm  of  Sydney- 
Harbor  is  named  after  the  family  to  which  this  man's  wife  belonged 
— "Maloney's  Creek.) 

A  very  early  authority  refers  to  this  creek  and  stream  as 
"Dartmouth  River." 

MULLEGASH  (C.)— See  Malagash. 

MULL  RIVER  (I.)— Named  after  the  Island  or  Sound  of 
this  name  in  the  Hebrides,  Scotland,  by  the  settlers  of  Scotch 
origin. 

MUNRO  POINT  (VO-T-A  point  in  St.  Ann's  Harbor,  named 
after  a  resident  family  spelling  their  jiame  thus.  There  is  also  a 
point  of  this  name  on  Boularderie  Island,  named  after  the  owners, 
a  very  respectable  family  of  Scotch  descent  who  lived  there. 

MURCHYVILLE  (H.)— Settled  by  Scotch  about  the  year 
1812.  It  was  for  years  called  "Mill  Village."  The  first  settlers 
were  named  Merson.  The  first  post  office  was  established  in  1876. 
A  number  of  the  inhabitants  are  named  "Murchy" — hence  the 
name  of  the  village. 

^  MURDERERS  ISLAND  (L.)— The  Island  was  so  named 
owing  to  the  many  crimes  committed  on  it  by  the  Indians  in  the 
early  days. 

MURPHY'S  BRIDGE  (Y.)— So  named  after  William,  one  of 
the  six  sons  of  a  very  early  Yarmouth  settler  James  Murphy. 

MURRAY  (V.) — This  place  was  so  named  in  honor  of  the 
Honorable  George  H.  Murray,  Premier  of  Nova  Scotia,  by  the 
manager  of  an  American  Lumber  and  Pulp  Company  doing 
business  there. 

MURRAYFIELD  (P.)— Named  after  an  early  Scotch  settler 
named  Murray. 

MUSHABOOM  (H.>--This  is  an  old  Indian  name  by  which 
the  Post  Office  at  this  place  is  still  known.  It  was  at  one  time  called 
"Winchester  Harbor."     It  is  locally  known  as  "Chelsea  Bay." 

MUSOUODOBOIT  (H.)— Indian  name.  The  original  spel- 
ling was  "Mascoudabouet"  and  also  appears  as  "Muskoodeboowek," 
said  to  mean  "flowing  out  square,"  or  "rolling  out  in  foam  or  sud- 
denly widening  out  after  a  narrow  entrance  at  its  mouth." 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  101 

This  place  was  first  settled  by  Europeans  about  1692.  The 
first  grant  was  to  Sieur  de  Gautiers. 

Lower  Musquodoboit  was  formerly  known  as  "Meagher's 
Grant,"  and  was  settled  in  1799. 

Upper  Musquodoboit  was  at  one  time  called  "Deacontown" 
after  Samuel  Fisher  Archibald,  who  came  from  Truro  and  settled 
here  in  1798 ;  he  was  a  deacon.  There  is  a  point  near  called  "Mount 
William,"  so  named  owing  to  the  fact  that  a  William  Guild,  who 
was  drowned  in  the  river,  was  buried  on  the  Hill. 

Used  to  be  called  "the  Garden  of  Halifax"  and  the  old  settlers 
claimed  that  the  Indians  knew  it  as   ''the  chosen  water." 

The  Indians  named  Middle  Musquodoboit  "Natkamkik" 
meaning  "the  river  extends  up  hill,"  and  Upper  Musquodoboit 
they  called  "Kesokudek,"  meaning  "the  road  runs  over  the  hill." 

MYRA  (H.)— A  Cove  and  Island  in  Blind  Bay,  Halifax 
County,  called  after  a  family  named  Myra. 


102  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


N 


NAPPAN  (C.)— The  Indians  called  the  place  "Menabank," 
meaning  "washed  away."  Old  spelling  was  "Nepan"  and  the 
meaning  was  "a  good  place  to  get  camp  or  wigwam  poles." 

NASS  POINT  (L.)— So  named  after  an  early  settler  Mr. 
Thomas  Nass,  of  German  origin. 

NAUFFTS  POINT— So  named  after  an  early  Musquodoboit 
family  Nauffts. 

NAVY  ISLAND  (H.)— An  island  in  Bedford  Basin,  Halifax. 
Prior  to  1866  the  Admiralty  had  a  lease  on  the  island  for  rifle 
practice,  hence  the  name,  formerly  Stevens  Island. 

NECUM  TEUCH  (H.)— This  is  said  to  be  an  Indian  name 
meaning  "gravelly  river,  or  beach  of  fine  sand."  The  old  spelling  is 
* 'Noogoomkeak. " 

NEGRO  CAPE  AND  PORT  (S.)— This  place  was  so  named  by 
Champlain  in  1604.  He  gave  as  the  reason  for  so  naming  it,  that 
opposite  the  Cape  were  rocks  which  resembled  at  a  distance  a 
negro's  head.  The  Indians  called  the  place  "Kespoogwitk,"  mean- 
ing "land's  end." 

NEIL  HARBOR  (V.)— Named  after  one  Neil  McLennan. 
We  believe  that  this  is  the  place  referred  to  by  Pichon  as  "Quara- 
choque'  between  Niganiche  (Ingonish)  and  Aspre  (Aspy  Bay). 
He  refers  to  it  as  a  creek. 

NERISSA  (G.) — This  place  was  ^  formerly  known  as  Clam 
Harbor,  was  named  Nerissa  in  the  year  1900.  Evidently  so  named 
by  some  admirer  of  "The  Merchant  of  Venice,"  as  it  is  the  name  of 
one  of  Shakespeare's  characters  in  this  play. 

NEW  ABERDEEN  (C.  B.)— See  Aberdeen. 

NEW  ANNAN,  EAST  ANNAN,  CENTRAL  ANNAN  (CoL)— 
The  first  settler  Mr.  John  Bell,  of  Annandale,  Dumfrieshire,  Scot- 
land. He  came  to  Nova  Scotia  in  1806,  and  left  Tatamagouche^ 
settled  and  named  New  Annan  in  honor  of  his  old  home,  in  1815. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  103 

NEW  CAMPBELLTON  (V.)— This  name  was  suggested  to 
the  residents  because  a  Mr.  Charles  Campbell  was  a  very  influential 
resident  here,  and  a  parliamentary  representative  at  one  time. 

The  place  was  known  as  "Kelly  Cove"  or  Kelly's  Cove"; 
received  its  present  name  in  1862. 

NEWCOMB  CORNER  (H.)— The  place  was  named  after  its 
first  Postmaster,  Judson  Newcomb,  in  the  year  1868.  It  was  first 
settled  by  a  John  Higgins,  about  1780,  later  by  a  Joseph  Miller, 

NEW  CORNWALL  (L.)— At  the  head  of  the  Mush-a-Mush 
Lake.  It  was  first  settled  by  Rafuse,  Brum  and  Hallamore  fam- 
ilies, in  the  year  1800.  Some  of  them  were  likely  from  Cornwall, 
and  named  the  place  for  their  homeland  town. 

NEW  DUBLIN  (L.)— On  the  3rd  of  May,  1762,  Alexander 
McNutt  arrived  with  170  North  of  Ireland  settlers,  who  were  to  go 
to  this  Township,  at  that  time  named  "Dublin."  Few  of  them 
actually  settled  here,  but  the  name  was  given  the  place  in  honor  of 
these  Irish  settlers. 

NEWDY  OUODDY  (H.)— Or  Noody  Quoddy,  said  to  be 
from  an  Indian  name  "Noodaagwode,"  meaning  "plenty  of  seals," 
or  "place  of  seals." 

NEW  EDINBURGH  (H.)— See  Weymouth.  Settled  in  1783 
by  Anthony  Stewart  and  others. 

NEW  ELM  (L.) — Named  by  early  German  settlers  after  the 
German  River  Elm. 

NEW  GERMANY  (L.)— Named  after  their  native  place  by 
early  German  settlers,  about  1785.  John  Fiendal  built  the  first 
house  here. 

NEW  GLASGOW  (P.)— Settled  in  1809,  and  named  by  the 
early  Scotch  settlers,  after  the  Scottish  city  "Glasgow."  Mr. 
James  Carmichael  who  built  the  first  house  here,  was  an  estimable 
early  settler,  and  is  said  to  have  the  credit  of  selecting  New  Glasgow 
site  for  a  town,  and  New  Glasgow  for  its  name. 

The  first  grant  of  land  was  for  500  acres  to  John  McKenzie  in 
1809. 

NEW  HARRIS,  NEW  HARRIS  FORKS  (C.  B.)— So  named 
by  early  Scotch  settlers  after  "Harris,"  a  subdivision  of  the  Northern 
Hebrides  in  Scotland. 

NEW  HARRIS  (V.)— See  Slois  A  Brochan. 


104  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


NEW  HAVEN  (V.)— This  place  was  formerly  known  as 
"Hungry  Cove." 

NEW  INLET  (D.)— Sometimes  called  Bartlett's  River  after 
an  early  settler  of  1799  Lemuel  B  art  let  t. 

NEW  MINAS  (K.)— See  "Minas  Basin." 

NEWPORT  (Hts.)— The  Township  of  Newport,  one  of  the 
six  Townships  of  Hants  County,  was  formed  and  thus  named  in  the 
year  176 L  The  old  name  was  "West  Falmouth."  The  present 
name  was  suggested  by  Mr.  Morris,  Surveyor-General  of  the  Prov- 
ince to  the  Honorable  Jonathan  Belcher  (who  was  then  Lieutenant- 
Governor  of  the  Province)  in  honor  of  Lord  Newport,  who  was  a 
particular  friend  of  the  Lt. -Governor's.  It  was  erronously  gener- 
ally supposed  this  name  was  given  because  of  former  association  of 
the  early  inhabitant  with  Newport,  R.  I. 

NEW  ROSS  (L.)— This  place  was  formerly  called  "Sher- 
brooke,"  after  Governor  Sir  John  Coape  Sherbrooke;  but  as  great 
inconvenience  was  daused  by  two  places  in  the  Province  bearing  this 
name,  the  name  was  dianged  to  "New  Ross''  during  the  adminis- 
tration of  Lord  Mulgrave,  in  honor  of  his  lordship,  whose  second 
title  was  derived  from  the  town  of  New  Ross,  in  Ireland. 

NEW  ROSS  CROSS  (L.)~-Named  after  "New  Ross"  and  the 
fact  that  this  is  the  place  where  the  roads  to  Lunenburg,  Kings  and 
Annapolis  intersect  each  other. 

NICKERSON  ISLAND  (Y.)Named  after  Nathan  Nickerson 
who  was  the  original  grantee  (in  1762). 

NICTAUX  FALLS  (A.)-~A  Micmac  Indian  name  "Niktak," 
meaning  "the  forks  of  a  river." 

NINE  MILE  LAKE  (L.) — So  named  owing  to  its  position, 
sometimes  called  "Big  Sherbrooke  Lake." 

NINE  MILE  RIVER  (Col.)— The  Indians  named  this  river 
"Nenadoogweboogwek"  meaning  "he  is  clean"  or  "clean  water." 

NINE  MILE  RIVER  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Wokimieak"  meaning  "the  trail  route." 

NINEVEH  (V.) — Named  after  the  ancient  capital  of  the  Assy- 
rian Empire. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  lOS 

NINMOCAH  (0.)— A  western  branch  of  the  Liverpool 
River.  The  word  is  the  Indian  for  a  lake  with  a  river  running 
through  the  middle  and  whole  length  of  it — or  a  river  widening 
for  a  long  distance. 

NOEL  (Hts.)— Head,  Bay  and  Village.  This  place  was  likely 
named  by  the  French  after  a  man  of  that  name,  or  "Christmastide." 

The  first  white  settler  was  Timothy  O'Brien,  of  Londonderry, 
Ireland,  with  his  Scotch  wife  from  Ayr,  in  the  year  1770. 

NORTHS  (K.)— A  village  named  after  the  North  family,  who 
were  early  residents. 

NORTHERN  HEAD  (C.  B.)— InLingan  Bay.  This  place  was 
known  to  the  French  as  "Cap  Charbon"  i.  e.,  Cape  Coal. 

NORTHFIELD  (L.)— First  settled  and  named  by  families 
named  MacKay,  Ramey,  Fancy,  Wagner  and  Tibert.  MacKay 
was  a  British  soldier  who  was  paid  off  in  Halifax  and  came  to  North- 
field  and  settled  there. 

NORTHFIELD  (Q.)— See  Greenfield. 

NORTH  MOUNTAIN  (K.)— Descriptive  name  given  to  the 
mountain  which  terminates  the  majestic  Bluff  of  Cape  Blomidon* 
dropping  into  the  Basin  of  Minas. 

NORTH  RIVER  (C.  B.)— A  river  running  into  St.  Anne's 
Bay.  It  was  at  one  time  known  as  "Rouvilles  River,*'  after  the 
French  Marquis  de'Rouville. 

NORTH  SYDNEY(C.  B.)— Was  long  known  as  "North  Bar,'' 
owing  to  the  sand  bar  extending  into  Sydney  Harbor  at  this  point. 
There  is  a  similar  bar  on  the  south  side  of  the  harbor,  directly 
opposite  which  gives  "South  Bar"  its  name.  These  bars  make  the 
inner  Sydney  Harbor  such  a  safe  retreat  and  protection  for  shipping. 

The  Indian  name  for  the  place  was  "Gwesomkeak." 

NORTHUMBERLAND  STRAIT— There  was  a  ship  named 
the  "Northumberland"  lost  in  the  Strait  in  the  year  1747,  and  the 
name  may  have  come  in  this  manner.  It  is,  however,  very  uncer- 
tain. The  Strait,  or  at  least  part  of  it,  was  named  "St.  Luniare"  by 
Cartier.     Its  southern  end  was  at  one  time  called  the  "Red  Sea." 

NORTHWEST  ARM  (H.)— Was  called  at  one  time  "Sandwich 
River,"  also  "Hawkes  River."  The  Indian  name  was  "Waygwal- 
teech,"  meaning  "salt  water  all  the  way  up." 


106  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

NOOSABOON  (H.)— An  Indian  word  meaning  "the  hair  of 
my  head."  Here,  says  the  Indian  tradition,  the  fairies  used  to  play 
ball,  running  and  seizing  each  other  by  the  hair,  pulling  out  locks 
and  scattering  them  on  the  ground. 

NOVA  SCOTIA — Said  to  have  been  visited,  or  at  least  sighted, 
by  Erik,  an  Icelander,  in  986,  and  by  him  named  "Markland," 
meaning  "forest-clad  land."  It  was  referred  to  in  1516  as  "Bac- 
caloes,"  said  to  be  the  Basque  word  for  "codfish,"  but  this  name  was 
a  very  general  one  for  all  places  at  or  near  the  entrance  of  the  Gulf 
of  St.  Lawrence.    Afterwards  it  was  known  as  "Acadia."     (See.) 

It  was  at  one  time  also  called  "Arambec."  The  Indians  knew 
Nova  Scotia  as  "Megumaage,"  i.  e.,  "Micmac  Land,"  or  "the  home 
of  the  Micmac  or  true  man" ;  this  name  the  Micmac  Indian  applied 
to  the  Maritime  Provinces  generally. 

It  received  its  present  name  "Nova  Scotia,"  i.  e.,  "New  Scot- 
land," in  the  year  1621,  when  a  deed  or  grant  was  given  by  King 
James  the  First  of  England  and  Sixth  of  Scotland,  granting  the 
Province  under  the  present  name  to  Sir  William  Alexander;  just 
previous  to  this  date  it  was  known  as  "Nova  Francia."  New 
Brunswick  was  included  in  it  until  1784. 

Scotland  was  at  one  time  known  as  "Scotia  Nova"  or  "New 
Scotland"  to  distinguish  it  from  the  whole  or  part  of  Ireland  that 
was  then  called  Scotland,  i.  e.,  "Land  of  the  Scoti"  or  "Scots." 
Some  of  the  Scots  later  left  Ireland  and  settled  in  North  Britain  in 
the  part  now  known  as  Scotland. 

Some  old  maps  bear  the  name  "New  Caledonia"  for  Nova 
Scotia  and  "New  Alexandria"  for  New  Brunswick. 

The  first  representative  Assembly,  consisting  of  twenty-two 
members,  was  held  in  the  year  1758. 

NYANZA  (V.) — Named  after  Victoria  Nyanza,  the  great 
ake  of  Africa,  which  is  supposed  to  be  the  source  of  the  Nile. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  107 


o 


OAK  ISLAND  (L.)^ — This  island  was  made  famous  by  the 
interesting  search  for  hidden  treasure  which  was  made  upon  it  at 
different  times.  It  was  at  one  time  covered  by  heavy  oak  trees, 
hence  the  name. 

The  first  settlers  were  named  McMullin  and  Mclnnis. 

OAKLANDS  (L.) — Descriptive  name  given  owing  to  the 
groves  of  oak  found  there  at  the  time  of  settlement. 

This  place  was  first  settled  in  1780.  One  of  the  earlijest  settlers 
was  a  man  named  Kneiss,  who  buijt  a  mill  there. 

OAK  POINT  (K.)— Called  by  the  Indians  "Upkwaweegan," 
meaning  "a  houee  covered  with  spruce  rinds." 

OCEAN  GLEN  (H.)— The  settlement  known  as  Larrys  Cove, 
Whistlers  Cove,  McGraths  Cove  and  East  Pover  are  all  included 
and  named  "Ocean  Glen"  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  the 
year  1893, 

OBAN  (R.)^Named  after  the  seaport  town  "Oban"  in  Argyll- 
shire, Scotland. 

ODIN  (Col.) — Evidently  named  after  the  Norse  mythological 
god  of  that  name — ^making  a  rather  pretty  placfe-name. 

OGDEN  (G.) — This  place  was  named  after  a  Mr.  Alfred  Ogden 
who  was  at  one  time  the  parliamentary  representative  of  the  County 
of  Guysborough. 

OHIO  ( Y.) — First  settled  by  Nehemiah  and  Benjamin  Church- 
ill who  about  the  year  1826  decided  with  a  number  of  other  Yar- 
mouth families  to  go  to  Ohio,  United  States.  For  some  reason 
these  two  men  changed  their  minds  and  settled  beyond  the  utmost 
settler,  at  what  was  known  as  the  "Ponds."  They  gave  the  name  of 
"Ohio"  to  their  farms,  which  has -thus  become  the  name  of  the 
settlement. 

ONSLOW  (Col.)— So  named  in  1759  by  a  Mr.  Knowlton  and 
fifty-two  others  who  resolved  to  form  a  township  there.  The  town- 
ship grant  was  given  the  21st  of  February,  1769,  and  is  one  of  the 
four  townships  of  Colchester  County.  The  place  was  originally 
settled  by  New  Englanders.  Later,  about  1776,  a  number  of 
Ulsterites  from  Londonderry  and  Truro  came  in.     (See  Truro.) 


108  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

The  original  grantee  of  the  Township  of  Onslow  was  Anthony 
Elliott,  a  discharged  English  soldier.     The  grant  was  dated  1769. 

The  River  Onslow  was  named  by  the  Indians  "Peleguloolkek," 
meaning  "smooth  flowing  water."     (See  Debert  River.) 

OSTREA  LAKE  (H.)— This  place  was  first  settled  about  1780 
by  families  named  Williams  and  Temple.  It  was  formerly  called 
Williams'  Settlement;  was  named  "Ostrea"  about  1881. 

This  lake  is  noted  for  its  oyster  beds,  which  suggested  the  root 
word  for  "oyster"  as  its  name. 

OVENS  POINT  (L.)— -The  Ovens,  about  twelve  miles  from 
Lunenburg,  so  called  owing  to  the  deep  caverns  worn  into  the  sides 
of  the  rocky  cliffs.  These  holes  or  caves  are  formed  by  the  constant 
action  of  the  salt  water  decomposing  the  p3aites  crumbling  the 
softer  slates  and  decaying  quartz  away. 

OWLS  HEAD  (H.)— The  Indian  name  of  this  place  was 
"Pujooopskook"  meaning  "cormorant  rock." 

OXNER  COVE  AND  BEACH,  OXNER  SHOAL  (L.)— So 
named  after  an  early  German  settler  Henry  Oxner  whose  name 
appears  as  one  of  the  early  grantees  of  Lunenburg  Township. 

OYSTER  POND  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  these  ponds  was 
"Pegoodebek"  meaning  "a  second  apartment." 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  109 


PALMER  ROAD  (K.)— Named  after  Louis  Palmer  a  New 
York  Loyalist  who  came  to  Kings  County  from  Shelbume  about 
the  year  1785. 

PARADISE  (H.) — A  place  near  Lawrencetown.  The  Indians 
called  it  "Nesogwaakade,"  meaning  "place  of  eel  weirs." 

PARKDALE  (L.) — The  old  name  of  this  settlement  was 
Upper  Foster.  It  was  changed  to  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of 
Parliament  in  1902. 

PARKER  COVE  (A.)— Called  after  an  early  settler  named 
Parker. 


PARKS  CREEK  (L.)— Named  after  the  first  settler,  James 
Parks,  an  Irishman,  who  came  from  Petite  Riviere  and  settled  here. 

PARKS  FERRY  (L.)— (See  Parks  Creek)  named  after  some 
member  of  the  Parke  family  who  settled  nearby  in  the  early  days 
of  the  district's  settlement. 

PARRSBORO  (C.)— Parish,  River  and  Town  in  Cumberland 
County.  Named  in  honor  of  Vive-Admiral  John  Parr,  who  was 
Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  1782-1791. 

The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Owokun,"  or  **Owwokun," 
"a  crossing  over  place,"  "a  portage  or  short  cut."  Parrsboro 
Township,  one  of  the  three  townships  into  which  Cumberland 
County  is  divided,  was  at  first  included  in  the  County  of  Kings. 

PARR  LAKE  (H.) — Named  in  honor  of  John  Parr,  who  was 
Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  in  1782,  sometimes  called  Governor  Lake. 

PARTRIDGE  ISLAND  (€.)— The  Indian  name  for  this 
island  was  "Pulowecha  Munegoo,"  which  means  Partridge  Island. 

PATTEN  HILL  (Y.)— So  named  after  its  first  settler  Richard 
Patten.  He  was  from  Marble  Head  and  settled  here  about  the 
year  1770. 


110  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

PEARL  ISLAND  (L.)— Named  after  the  Pearl  family, 
Albert  Pearl  being  Light  keeper  1873-1908,  and  M.  B.  Pearl  since 
1908;  named  Pearl  in  1914  to  avoid  duplication  of  "Green"  its 
former  name. 

PEASBROOK  (G.) — This  place  is  supposed  to  have  received 
its  name  because  of  the  plentiful  growth  of  wild  peas  found  near  the 
btook;  was  first  settled  ^bout  the  year  1760. 

PEBAK  (Hts.) — A  small  stream  near  Shubenacadie.  A  Mic" 
mac  Indian  name  meaning  "a  wilderness."  Sometimes  known  as 
Indian  Road  Brook. 

PECKS  HEAD  (C.  B.)— Near  Sydney,  so  named  after  an 
early  Irish  family  who  settled  near  by  (See  Battery  Point). 

PEGGY  COVE  (H.) — Locally  said  to  be  named  after  a  woman 
named  Peggy,  an  early  settler. 

PEGGY  SOI  (H.)— Pronounced  Peggy  Swa.  (See  Dover 
Soi.). 

PENNANT  POND  (H.)— The  Indian  name  of  this  place  was 
**Skabank,"  which  means  "where  they  eat  raw." 

PEREAU  (K.)— Part  of  the  "Land  of  the  Acadians."  The 
Micmac  name  for  this  place  was  "Wojechk,"  meaning  "white 
water,"  or  "white  signal  far  off." 

PERRANG  COVE  (H,)— This  name  was  given  this  place  in 
1864  by  Capt.  P.  F.  Shortland,  R.  N. 

PERRY'S  CREEK  (Y.)— Named  after  one  of  Yarmouth's 
first  three  settlers,  Moses  Perry,  who  came  from  Cape  Cod  and 
settled  in  Yarmouth  in  the  year  1761. 

PETER  ERASER'S  CAVE  (P.)— The  name  of  a  singular 
fissure  in  Pictou  County;  the  roof  is  formed  by  limestone  rocks 
leaning  against  each  other,  the  interior  illumined  by  ntunerous 
stalactites  that  are  suspended  from  the  roof.  A  somewhat  similar 
cave  known  as  the  "Fairy  Hole"  is  found  in  Victoria  County,  Cape 
Breton. 

PETITE  (Hts.) — The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Was- 
okwesoogwode. " 

PETIT  ANSE  (R.)— The  French  for  small  cove. 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  111 

PETIT  DE  GRAT  (R.)— Said  to  be  of  Basque  origin,  grat 
meaning  a  fishing  station,  a  small  fishing  station.  There  is  a  Cape 
Grat  in  Newfoundland  and  several  other  places  in  which  the  word 
appears. 

PETITE  PASSAGE  (D.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place 
"Tawilketc,"  meaning  "the  little  outlet"  or  "opening." 

PETITE  RIVIERE  (L.)— Isaac  de  Razillys,  a  Frenchman, 
settled  here  in  1672.  There  were  only  two  settlers  in  the  year 
1745.     The  first  British  settler  was  Benjamin  Harrington. 

A  descriptive  name.  There  are  two  of  these  rivers,  the  Indians 
called  one  of  them  "Simkook"  and  the  other  "Upsamkook." 

PETITE  RIVER  (Hts.)— The  Indians  called  this  place 
*  *  Wasokwesoogwode . ' ' 

PETITE  RUISSEAU  (D.)— English  "Little  Brook,"  so  named 
by  the  early  French  settlers. 

PETPESWICK  (H.)— Cape,  Harbor ,^  Lake  and  Village.  The 
Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Koolpijooik." 

PETRIE  REEF  (C.  B.)— A  reef  on  the  south  side  of  Sydney 
Harbor  named  after  a  Petrie  family  who  were  seagoing  and  very 
early  settlersi 

PETTIPAS— Changed  to  "Bellenden's  Head"  in  1725,  in 
memento  mori  of  Lieutenant  John  Bellenden,  was  was  descended 
from  a  noble  family,  and  who  was  buried  there. 

PHINNEY  COVE,  PHINNEY  MOUNTAIN  (A.)-~So  called 
after  a  family  named  Phinney,  who  owned  the  land  and  were  set- 
tled there  as  far  back  as  1856. 

PICTOU — Pictou  County  contains  1058  square  miles. 

There  are  a  number  of  theories  relative  to  the  origin  of  this 
name.    A  few  of  them  are  given  below. 

According  to  Dr.  Rand,  it  is  the  Micmac  word  "Pictook." 
The  "k"  at  the  end  of  Micmac  names,  he  says,  marks  what  gram- 
marians call  the  locative  case,  expressing  "at"  or  "in,"  The  word 
"Pict"  means  an  "explosion  of  gas."  Whenever  the  noun  ends  in 
the  sound  of  "kt"  the  regular  form  of  the  case  locative  is  the  addi- 
tion of  "ook."  Thus  "Pict"  becomes  "Pictook,"-  and  the  "k" 
being  dropped,  we  have  the  name  "Pictou." 

The  entrance  to  Pictou  Harbor  the  Indians  called  "Poogune- 
kpachk."     Also  the  Micmac  word  "bucto,"  meaning  "fire"  might 


112  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

be  the  original.  The  Micmac  Indian  word  "Bucto"  or  "Booktook,** 
meaning  "Big  Harbor"  would  appear  to  be  a  plausible  derivation  of 
the  ilame. 

It  is  questionable  whether  there  is  any  place  that  has  had  so 
many  names  as  this  town,  as  it  was  at  different  times  known  as : 
Coleraine,  New  Paisley,  Alexandria,  Donegal,  Tiegnmouth,  South- 
ampton, Walmsley. 

A  place  near  Pictou  Light  House  was  known  by  the  Indians  as 
"Esasok"  meaning  "the  western  encampment. 

Changed  from  Walmsley  to  its  present  name  in  1790. 

The  Indian  name  for  Pictou  Harbor  was  "Poogunekpechk." 

The  first  settlers  of  Pictou  were  about  a  dozen  families  from 
Maryland,  who  came  in  the  brig  "Hope"  in  the  year  1767. 

The  "Hector"  settlers  from  the  North  of  Scotland  came  in  the 
year  1773.  In  1783  at  the  close  of  the  American  Revolution  many 
other  settlers  arrived. 

The  first  frame  house  in  Pictou  was  built  in  1789. 

In  1807  Pictou  was  divided  into  townships,  named  Pictou, 
Egerton  and  Maxwelton.  It  was  set  off  from  Colchester  as  a  sep- 
arate district  m  1792  and  was  raised  to  the  dignity  of  a  county  in 
1836. 

The  name  was  supposed  by  many  to  have  been  a  corruption  of 
Poictou,  the  name  of  an  old  Province  of  France.  It  is  found  so 
spelled  in  many  old  documents  and  plans.  Others  claim  it  was  so 
named  owing  to  the  bottle-shaped  appearance  of  its  harbor. 

PICTOU  ISLAND  (P.)— The  Micmac  Indian  name  was 
"Akoogomich"  also  "Gunsunkook."  In  1762  it  was  referred  to  as 
"Isle  Poitee"  in  a  report  made  by  Lieutenant-Governor  Belcher 
to  the  Home  Government.     (See  "Pictou.") 

370  emigrants  from  the  Isle  of  Barra  in  Scotland  settled  on 
Pictou  Island  in  the  year  1802.  A  number  of  these  later  went  to 
and  settled  in  Cape  Breton. 

PIEDMONT  (P.)— Named  by  the  Reverend  Dugald  McKei- 

chan,  the  first  minister  of  Barney's  River,  so  named  from  its  situa- 
tion at  the  foot  of  a  range  of "^  hills.  "Pied"  from  "Pes"  (Ped) 
Latin  for  foot ;  "mount"  (mountain).  Generally  by  an  extension 
this  word  pertains  to  any  place  situated  at  or  near  the  foot  of 
mountains. 

It  was  first  settled  in  1810-1816  by  Scotsmen  from  Perthshire 
and  Blair  Athole. 

PINKNEY  POINT  (Y.)— Named  after  an  early  settler  John 
Pinkney  who  settled  there  in  the  year  1777. 

PIPERS  GLEN  (I) — This  place  was  so  named  because  Niel 
Jamison  a  bag-pipe  player  of  considerable  local  fame  resided  there. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  lia 

PIPERVILLE  (I.) — This  place  was  known  as  rear  of  East  Lake 
Ainsley;  an  Act  of  Parliament  changed  it  to  its  present  name  in  the 
year  1886.     (See  Pipers  Glen.) 

PIPER  POND  (Hts.)— So  named  after  a  probably  mythical 
piper  of  a  Highland  regiment  who  was  supposed  to  have  lost  his 
watch  in  the  waters,  dived  after  it  and  was  drowned. 

PIRATES  HARBOR  or  COVE  (G.)— On  the  Strait  of  Canso. 
Called  by  the  Indians  "Tesogwode,"  meaning  "the  place  where 
goods  were  sorted"  or  "Place  of  Flakes."  It  is  said  to  have  been  a 
resort  for  pirates  in  the  olden  days.  Nearby  is  a  small  island  and 
between  this  island  and  the  shore  there  was  a  safe  anchorage  and 
an  excellent  hiding  place  for  small  vessels. 

PISSI QUID  (Hts.)— The  old  name  for  Windsor.  The  Mic- 
mac  spelling  was  "Pesegilk,"  meaning  "to  flow  split- wise" — as  the 
tide  passes  up  near  Windsor  and  divides  off  into  the  St.  Croix 

Pissiquid  is  an  old  French  settlement,  and  was  included  in 
the  Minas  territory  that  was  settled  and  farmed  by  the  Acadians. 

PLANT  POINT  (C.  B.)— On  the  south  side  of  the  entrance  to 
Little  Bras  d'Or.  So  named  after  Samuel  Plant,  an  early  settler  at 
this  place. 

PLEASANT  HARBOR  (H.)— This  place  was  formerly  known 
as  "Shoal  Bay"  and  was  changed  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  to  its 
present  name  in  1886. 

PLEASANT  POINT  (L.)— This  name  was  substituted  for  the 
old  name  "Indian  Point"  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  the 
year  1907. 

PLEASANT  RIVER  (Q.)— This  place  was  first  settled  in  the 
year  1802  by  Zenas  Waterman,  an  ex-soldier  from  the  American 
Army,  and  by  a  man  named  Harlow. 

PLEASANT  VIEW  (C.)— Hendersons  Settlement  was  changed 
to  the  above  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  1874. 

POCK  WOCK  LAKE  (H.)— A  lake  near  Hammonds  Plain. 
From  an  Indian  word  "Pogwek,"  meaning  "the  smoky"  or  "dry 
lake." 

POCK  WOCK  LAKE  (Q.)— Said  to  mean  Indian  "Paak- 
waak" — "stop  here;  you  cannot  go  further,"  but  given  by  Dr. 
Rand  as  "Pogwek"  meaning  "dry  lake." 


114  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


POINT  ACONI  (C.  B.)— So  called  from  its  sharp,  needle-like 
promontory.  The  word  must  come  from  the  Greek  "Aeon"  (a 
dart) ;  may  have  been  named  by  the  Spanish  (?). 

POINT  AMELIA,  Sydney  H^rboi  (C.  B.)— Named  by 
Captain  Crawley  (for  whom  Crawley's  Creek  was  named)  in  honor 
of  Princess  Amelia,  daughter  of  King  George  IIL 

One  of  Sydney's  streets  is  named  "Amelia,"  and  Frederick 
Amelia  Lovell  was  the  first  born  and  first  baptised  in  Sydney. 

POINT  BETTY  ISLAND  (P.)— Said  to  have  been  named 
after  Captain  Savage's  vessel,  the  "Betty"  which  was  lost  here. 

The  old  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Mkobeel,"  which 
means  "beaver  place." 

POINT  CARLETON  (S.)— Named  in  honor  of  Sir  Guy 
Carleton  who  was  Commander-in-Chief  in  Canada  in  1796.  The 
place  was  first  settled  by  Isaac  Wilkins,  an  American  Loyalist. 

POINT  EDWARD  AND  EDWARDSVILLE  (C.  B.)— A  point 
and  village  between  the  two  Sydneys  formerly  known  as  "West 
Arm."  The  present  name  is  in  honor  of  King  Edward  VII,  who  as 
Prince  of  Wales  visited  Sydney  Harbor  in  the  year  1860. 

POINT  MICHAUD  (R.)— Named  after  an  early  French 
settler. 

Two  names, — which  have  entirely  disappeared — are  given  on 
old  maps  for  this  point  or  a  point  near  by ;  viz :  Cape  Hinchinbroke 
and  Cape  "Henlopen."  There  is  a  cape  on  the  eastern  coast  of 
Delaware  of  the  latter  name. 

Denys  calls  the  islands  near  here  "Isles  Michour/* 

POINT  PLEASANT  (H.)— At  one  time  known  as  "Sand- 
wich Point."  When  Comwallis  in  1749  first  thought  to  form  the 
City  of  Halifax,  it  was  at  this  place  he  intended  to  locate  the  City' 
The  North  West  Arm  Halifax,  was  at  one  time  known  as  "Sand- 
wich River. 

POINT  TUPPER  (R.)— Said  to  be  named  after  Sir  Charles 
Tupper,  a  Canadian  statesman  and  politician,  one  of  the  "Fathers 
of  Confederation,"  of  whom  he  was  the  last  survivor.  He  was 
bom  in  1821;  died  1915. 

The  old  name  was  Guernsey;  it  was  given  its  new  name  by  a 
resident  Henry  Painit.  It  is  held  by  some  that  this  place  was  not 
named  after  Sir  Charles  but  after  a  family  of  settlers. 

POLLY  BOG  (CoL)— See  Anton. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  115 

POMQUET  (Ant.)— The  place  was  first  settled  by  three  men 
named  Duon,  Dorion  and  Vincent.  Old  papers  dating  128  years 
back  (from  1916)  spell  the  name  "Pommquette." 

Dr.  Rand  gives  the  Micmac  name  as  "Pogumkek,"  meaning 
"raining  along"  and  from  this  the  present  name  has  been  formed. 

A  place  near  here  was  known  to  the  Indians  as  "Pogimiko- 
oigitk"  meaning  "flowing  over  dry  sand." 

PONHOOK  LAKE  (Q.)— Indian,  "Bahnook,"— first  lake  in 
the  chain.  There  is  one  lake  of  this  name  on  Liverpool,  and 
another  on  Port  Medway  River ;  and  still  another  in  Halifax  County. 

POPE  HARBOR  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Kwemoodetc,"  meaning  "the  little  loon  place." 

POQUETVILLE  (V.)— This  name  is  given  to  the  territory 
between  the  Half-way  House,  Neil's  Harbor  and  Cape  North,  and 
was  given  it  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1893. 

PORCUPINE  CAPE  (Ant.)— So  named  owing  to  the  curious 
resemblance  the  cape  has  to  the  back  of  a  porcupine. 

The  Indian  name  was  "Pookudapskwode,"  and  also  "Madooes- 
wotp,"  meaning  "the  head  of  a  porcupine." 

PORT  ACADIA  (D.)--Named  by  an  Act  of  Parliament 
passed  in  the  year  1860,  was  formerly  known  as  "Church  Point." 
(See). 

PORTAGE  CREEK  (V.)— See  Whycocomagh  Portage. 

PORTAPIQUE  (CoL)— River  and  Village  in  Colchester 
County.     Descriptive  French* name  meaning  "Port  under  a  hill." 

PORT  BAN  (I.)— An  English-Gaelic  word  meaning  "white 
port."     "Ban"  is  Gaelic  for  a  degree  of  whiteness. 

PORT  BEVIS  (V.)— Originally,  and  now  sometimes  called 
"Big  Harbor."  The  present  name  was  given  it  in  honor  of  an 
American  who  was  identified  with  the  company  that  at  one  time 
was  engaged  in  mining  plaster  rock  at  this  place. 

PORT  BICKERTON  (G.)— This  place  is  said  to  have  been 
named  in  honor  of  an  English  Lord  Bickerton,  who  was  Vice- 
Admiral  some  time  on  the  West  Indian  Station. 

PORT  DUFFERIN  (H.)— Was  formerly  known  as  Salmon 
River.     In  the  year  1899  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  the  name  was 


116  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

changed  to  the  above  in  honor  of  the  Marquis  of  Dufferin,  who  was 
Governor-General  of  Canada,  1872-1878. 

PORTER  LAKE  (Hts.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Amaguntcetc,"  meaning  "the  little  breezy  place." 

PORTER  TOWN  (C.)— See  Hastings. 

PORT  FELIX  (O— Formerly  known  as  Molasses  Harbor. 
An  Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  the  year  1869  changed  it  to  its 
present  name.  The  Indian  name  for  Molasses  Harbor  was  "Wol- 
unkak,"  meaning  "the  scooped  out  place." 

PORT  GEORGE  (A.)— Named  after  English  Royalty,  the 
Indian  name  was  "Goolwagopskooch,"  meaning  "Hood  seal  rock." 

PORT  GREVILLE  (C.)— This  place  takes  its  name  from 
Greville  Bay  in  Cumberland  County.  The  Bay  was  no  doubt 
named  in  honor  of  Robert  Greville,  the  second  Lord  Brooke,  a 
famous  English  Parliamentary  General,  1794-1866.  It  was  form- 
erly known  as  Ratchford  River,  but  was  changed  to  its  present 
name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1865. 

PORT  HASTINGS  (I.)— At  one  time  named  "Plaster  Cove," 
owing  to  gypsum  deposits  in  the  neighborhood.  The  old  name  was 
changed  by  An  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1869.  It  received 
its  present  name  in  honor  of  Sir  Hastings  Doyle,  at  one  time  Lieu- 
tenant Governor  of  Nova  Scotia. 

PORT  HAWKESBURY  (I.)— At  one  time  called  "Ship 
Harbor,"  which  was  changed  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year 
1860  to  its  present  name,  owing  to  their  being  a  "Ship  Harbor"  in 
Halifax  County. 

It  was  named  in  honor  of  Admiral  Edward  Hawke,  an  English 
Baron.   (See  Hawkesbury). 

PORT  HEBERT  (S.)— Named  by  de  Monts  in  1623,  after  his 
apothecary,  Louis  Hebert. 

PORT  HOOD  (I.)~Harbor,  Island  and  Town.  At  one  time 
called  "Juste  au  corps"  by  the  French. 

The  British  changed  the  name  to  its  present  name  in  honor  of 

the  famous  Admiral  First  Viscount  Samuel  Hood  (1724-1816). 

He  was  appointed  Commander-in-Chief  in  North  America  in  1767. 

The  first  English  settler  is  said  to  have  been  John  Smith,  who 

settled  there  in  1789. 

The  Indians  called  the  place  "Kagweamkek,"  meaning  "sand- 
bar." 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  117 

On  some  maps  the  Port  Hood  Island  is  called  "Smith's  Island" 
and  on  others  "Henry  Island." 

PORT  HOOD  TOWNSHIP  (C.  B.)— One  of  the  four  sub- 
divisions of  Cape  Breton  Island  (the  north-western  part)  formed  in 
the  year  1828. 

PORT  HOWE  (O— This  place  was  Hkely  named  after  Vis- 
count Howe,  who  commanded  the  British  forces  sent  out  in  the  year 
1757  to  take  Louisburg  from  the  French.  Admiral  Holborne  had 
charge  of  the  fleet  and  Howe  of  the  troops. 

It  was  at  one  time  "Toney  Bay."  It  was  given  its  present 
name  in  Match  1883 — There  was  an  English  Captain  How,  who  was 
treacherously  shot  in  this  vicinity  in  the  year  1750  and  although 
the  spelling  is  not  the  same  it  may  have  been  named  after  him. 

PORT  JOLI  (0.) — A  descriptive  French  name  meaning 
"pretty." 

The  India;ns  named  this  place  "Emsik,"  from  a  word  probably 
meaning  "blown  along  by  the  wind."  This  place  was  at  one  time 
called  by  the  FrSnCh  "Port  Noir,"  that  is  "the  black  port."  The 
Portuguese  namecTthis  place  Baya  Formo^e. 

PORT  LA  TOUR  (S.)— Named  after  a  Frenchman,  Charles 
Amador,  the  Marquis  de  la  Tour.  It  was  at  one  time  known  as 
"L'Omeroy,"  or  "L'esmeron."  Strange  to  say,  about  the  year 
1620,  this  place  was  named  "Port  Louis"  in  honor  of  the  French 
King,  by  the  interesting  man  whose  name  it  now  bears.  La  Tour 
built  a  fort  at  this  place  for  convenience  as  a  depot  for  Indian  trade. 
It  is  near  Cape  Sable. 

La  Tour  was  known  as  Lord  of  Cape  Sable  and  Lieutenant  of 
the  King  (French)  in  Acadia. 

PORT  LORNE  (A.)— This  place  was  likely  named  in  honor 
of  the  Marquis  of  Lome  (Duke  of  Argyle)  who  was  Governor- 
General  of  Canada  1883-1888.  One  time  known  as  Marshall  Cove 
and  again  as  Port  Williams. 

PORT  MALCOLM  (R.)— At  one  time  named  "Caribou  Cove 
Main,"  which  was  changed  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year 
1886  to  its  present  name,  which  is  the  name  of  a  number  of  families 
who  settled  there.  In  former  times  the  place  was  a  great  resort  for 
Caribou,  which  suggested  its  first  name. 

PORT  MEDWAY  (Q.)— This  place  was  called  by  the  French 
"Port  Moltare."  The  old  Indian  name  was  "Alacah,"  meaning 
"a  river  with  many  branches  or  streams."  The  Indians  also 
knew  this  place  as  "Ulgwedook,"  "the  place  of  mushrooms." 
The  present  name  is  no  doubt  after  the  English  River  "Medway." 


118  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

The  second  lake  on  the  Port  Medway  River  was  calledby  the 
Indians  "Malegeak,"  meaning  "fretful  waters." 

The  third  lake  on  Port  Medway  River  was  named  by  the 
Indians  "Miriegooskek,  meaning  "the  place  of  the  Little  Islaaid." 

The  fourth  lake  on  Port  Medway  River  was  named  by  the 
Indians  "Nabegwonchuk,"  meaning  "the  ships'  place." 

This  name  appears  in  several  plans  as  "Port  Metway." 

PORT  MORTEN  (C.  B.)— See  Morien. 

PORT  MOUTON  (Q.)— Town,  Island  and  Port.  Named 
"Luke's  Bay"  which  was  the  name  of  the  ship  "St.  Luke"  sent  out 
with  colonists  by  Sir  William  Alexander  in  the  year  1623,  but  the 
older  French  name  stuck  to  it.  The  name  was  given  to  it  by 
De  Monts  in  1604,  from  the  circumstance  of  a  sheep  jumping  over- 
board and  being  nearly  drowned  before  it  was  rescued. 

The  proper  form  is  "Port  du  (not  au)  Mouton" — nOw  "Port 
Mouton." 

The  name  "Port  Matoon"  appears  on  some  modern  maps  as 
the  present  form  of  this  name.  In  1771  we  find  a  reference  to  this 
place,  and  it  is  called  "Port  Mattois." 

The  name  "Gambier  Harbor"  appears  as  the  name  for  this 
port  at  one  time.  The  Indian  name  was  "  Wolugumkook, ' '  meaning 
"a  deep  gully"  or  "hole  in  the  river." 

PORT  MULGRAVE  (G.)— Named  in  1859  in  honor  of  the 
Earl  of  Mulgrave,  Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  in  1858.  The  old 
Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Wolumkwagunuchk,"  meaning 
"the  lobster  ground." 

PORT  NOVA  (C.  B.)— (See  "Cape  Breton"— the  "Cape.") 
Pichon  spells  it  (1760)  "Portenove."  The  cape  was  known  as 
"Le  Chameau  in  1725. 

PORT  PHILIP  (C.)— Formerly  known  as  "Mouth  of  River 
Philip,"  changed  to  the  above  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1867. 

PORTREE  (I.)— Named  by  Scotch  settlers  after  the  Northern 
division  of  the  Isle  of  Skye  on  the  west  coast  of  Scotland. 

PORT  ROSEWAY  (S.)— Formed  by  Alexander  McNutt  in 
1765.  This  is  the  old  name  for  Shelburne  Harbor.  This  name  is 
the  old  French  name  Port  Razoir  transformed  into  an  English  name 
of  similar  sound. 

PORT  ROSSIGNOL  (OO— On  May  12th,  1604,  De  Monts 
put  in  at  Liverpool  Harbor,  where  he  found  Captain  Rossignol  of 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  119 

Havre,  carrying  on  a  contraband  trade  with  the  Indians.  De 
Monts  arrested  the  Captain  and  confiscated  his  vessel,  naming 
the  port  after  the  captain. 

PORT  ROYAL  (R.)— This  name  adopted  and  the  old  name 
"Grand  Rosseau"  discontinued.  The  change  approved  by  an  Act 
of  Parliament  passed  in  1867. 

PORT  SALTER  (C.) — So  named  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in 
1882. 

PORT  SHOREHAM  (G.)— In  1901  an  Act  was  passed  by 
Parliament  changing  the  old  name  of  this  place  *'Clam  Harbor"  to 
Port  Shoreham,  after  the  sea  port  town  in  Sussex,  England 

PORT  WADE  (A.)— Opposite  Digby.  It  was  known  until  a 
few  years  ago  as  "West  Ferry"  named  about  1905  after  Mr.  F.  B. 
Wade,  a  member  for  Annapolis  County,  who  was  partially  instru- 
mental in  having  a  railway  terminus  and  pier  built  at  this  place. 

It  was  originally  settled  by  French;  later  by  United  Empire 
Loyalists. 

PORT  WILLIAM  (K.)— This  place  was  formerly  known  as 
"Terry's  Creek,"  so  called  after  one  of  the  early  settlers  named 
Terry.  Its  present  name  is  after  a  former  Governor  of  the 
Province. 

POTTER'S  POINT  (D.)— First  settled  and  named  after 
Joseph   Potter. 

POTTLE'S  LAKE  (C.  B.)— The  lake  from  which  the  Towns 
of  North  Sydney  and  Sydney  Mines  receive  their  water  supply. 
It  was  nkmed  after  the  original  grantee,  an  Englishman  named 
Pottle. 

POULAMON  (R.) — This  place  bears  the  Acadian  French 
name  for  the  small  codfish  known  as  the  "Tom  cod."  The  word 
"Tom  cod"  is  a  corruption  of  the  American  Indian  word  "Tacaud" 
"plenty  fish." 

PRESQU'ILE  (I.) — A  French  word  meaning  peninsula,  from 
the  word  "Presque,"  meaning  near  or  almost  an  "isle,"  meaning 
"island."     "Nearly  an  island,"  that  is  "peninsula." 

PRESTON  (H.)— One  of  the  four  township  divisions  of  Hali- 
fax County,  settled  in  1812  by  colored  men  and  women  who  were 
plantation  slaves,  among  them  descendants  of  the  Maroons  from 
Jamaica  who  settled  there  a  few  years  previously. 


120  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

It  was  originally  surveyed  and  laid  out  in  1784  by  on  Theophile- 
us  Chamberiain,  and  granted  to  him  and  his  associates,  sixty-three 
other  Loyalists. 

PRIM  POINT  (D.)— The  Hghthouse  on  the  point  bears  the 
name  of  Prim  Point  Lighthouse,  since  the  year  1817. 

PRINCE  OF  WALES  LANDING  PLACE  (C.  B.)— This 
Cove,  on  the  shore  of  Sydney  Harbor,  between  North  Sydney  and 
Sydney  Mines,  was  originally  known  as  "Indian  Cove,"  and  is 
locally  known  as  ''Barrington's  Cove,"  after  the  family  of  that  name 
who  own  the  beautiful  adjoining  property. 

It  received  its  present  name  owing  to  the  fact  that  in  the  year 
1860,  on  the  28th  of  July,  the  then  Prince  of  Wales  and  afterwards 
King  Edward  VII  of  England,  who  was  en  route  from  St.  John's, 
Newfoundland  to  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  in  the  ships  ''Hero"  and 
"Ariadne,"  made  a  landing  at  this  place  and  visited  the  Sydney 
Mines  and  inspected  the  Sydney  Mines  Volunteers. 

PRING  ISLAND  (Y.)— Named  after  WilHam  Pring.  It  was 
given  to  him  and  John  Crawley  in  the  year  1762  for  assistance 
rendered  to  the  first  families  that  settled  in  Yarmouth ;  they  arrived 
in  1761  and  suffered  great  distress  during  the  first  year. 

PRIVATEER  COVE  (D.)— So  named  owing  to  a  privateering 
vessel  having  used  the  port  about  the  year  1777.  The  vessel  was 
lost  at  the  time  on  Baxter's  Point  near  by. 

PROSPECT  (H.)— In  1771  this  place  is  referred  to  as  "Pros- 
per"; at  one  time  called  "Passepac."  The  Indian  name  was 
"Naspadakun,"  meaning  "an  herb  mixed  with  tobacco." 

PUBNICO  (Y.)— Named  from  the  Indian  word  "Pogomkook," 
meaning  "land  from  which  the  trees  have  been  removed  to  fit  it  for 
cultivation."  The  old  French  spelling  was  "Pomboncoup,"  from 
which  the  transition  to  "Pubnico"  was  easy.  It  is  also  stated  that 
it  was  called  "Poubomcoup,"  after  a  French  family  of  that  name 
who  lived  there  or  thereabout  in  1705,  but  it  is  more  likely  that  the 
Indian  derivation  is  the  correct  one.  Of  the  Indian  word  "Pog- 
bumkook,"  or  "Bogbumkook,"  we  find  the  following  English  and 
French  variations  "Pommicoup,"  Poumicoup,"  "Pobomcon," 
"Pignico,"  and  "Pubnico." 

PUGWASH  (O— This  is  from  an  Indian  name  "Pagweak," 
meaning  "shallow  water,"  or  "a  shoal."  Settled  by  the  French 
about  1750.    Was  one  time  called  "Waterford." 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


121 


PUZZLE  POINT  (C.  B.)— The  eastern  end  of  Long  Island  in 
the  Bras  d'Or  Lakes.  Sailing  westerly,  i.  e.,  coming  into  the 
Lakes,  it  is  difficult  to  discern  the  opening  between  the  Island  and 
the  mainland;  hence  the  name. 


122  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


0 


QUAKER  ISLAND  (L.)— So  named  because  a  number  of 
Quakers  from  New  England,  wishing  to  fit  out  for  whale  fishing, 
were  at  one  time  anxious  to  make  the  Island  their  headquarters. 
They  could  not  secure  it,  so  they  abandoned  the  scheme  and  re- 
turned to  New  England.     The  name  still  clings  to  the  Island. 

QUEENS  COUNTY— On  August  21st,  1761,  the  Council  at 
Halifax  advised  that  the  Townships  of  Barrington,  Liverpool  and 
Yarmouth  be  erected  into  a  County  and  to  be  known  by  the  name 
of  "Queens" — chosen  no  doubt  to  express  loyalty  to  the  monarchy. 
It  is  now  divided  into  two  townships,  Liverpool  and  Guysborough. 
The  County  contains  1065  square  miles. 

QUARRY  ISLAND  (P.)— Received  its  name  from  its  stone 
quarries  which  were  well  adapted  for  the  making  of  grindstones. 

QUINAN  (Y.)— Once  called  Tusket  Forks  up  to  the  15th  of 
May,  1885.  Then  changed  to  Quinan  in  honor  of  a  deceased 
pastor  of  that  name. 

QUEENPORT  (G.) — This  place  which  was  at  one  time  known 
as  Crow  Harbor,  was  named  in  honor  of  Queen  Victoria  in  1897, 
being  her  Diamond  Jubilee  year.  The  Act  confirming  its  name 
was  passed  in  1898.  The  Indian  name  for  Crow  Harbor  was 
**Wedoonik"  meaning  "having  a  mouth." 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  123 


R 


RATCHFORD  HEAD  (C.)— The  records  show  that  a  number 
of  American  emigrants  were  settled  in  this  part  of  Nova  Scotia  in 
and  previous  to  1775.  This  point  was  probably  named  after  one 
of  them.     The  name  appears  sometimes  spelled  "Rotchford." 

RAYS  HILL  (C.  B.)— Near  North  Sydney.  Named  after  an 
English  soldier  who  settled  near  there. 

RAWDON  (Hts.)— The  first  inhabitants  of  Rawdon  were  dis- 
banded soldiers  who  had  served  under  Lord  Rawdon  in  the  War  of 
Independence,  most  of  them  having  been  enlisted  in  the  Carolinas. 
The  place  was  named  in  his  honor,  he  was  afterwards  created 
Marquis  of  Hastings.  The  Township  of  Rawdon,  one  of  the 
six  township  divisions  of  Hants  County  was  granted  in  1784  to 
Lt.  Col.  Small  for  the  location  of  the  2nd  Battalion  of  the  84th 
Regiment. 

RED  HEAD  (V.)— See  Beinn  Breagh. 

RED  ISLANDS  (R.) — This  place  received  its  name  from  the 
Islands  near  by.  The  soil  and  rock  is  of  a  reddish  color  and  the  sun 
at  certain  times  of  the  day  gives  them  a  beautiful  red  appearance. 
The  Indian  name  of  this  place  was  "Gwesassek." 

REDMOND  COVE  (HOy-A  cove  in  St.  Margaret^s  Bay 
named  after  a  Redmond  family. 

RED  POINT  (G.)— In  the  Gut  of  Canso,  was  known  by  the 
Indians  as  "Wipkoogweiik." 

REARLAND  (R.) — A  rather  pleasant  name  formed  by  making 
one  word  of  the  two,  which  meant  Rear  or  Back  lands,  being  lands 
situated  back  of  lands  generally  more  advantageously  located  near 
the  shore  or  leading  roadway. 

REFUGEE  COVE  (C.)— See  "Morden"  (K.). 

So  named  owing  to  a  number  of  French  Canadian  Refugees 
landing  here  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  Basin.  Now  known  as 
"French  Cross"  or  "Morden." 

REID  ROCK  (H.)— In  1752  a  Solomon  Reid  was  living  in  the 
south  suburb  of  Halifax,  and  as  the  rock  is  near  the  shore  and  Reid 
or  Reed  owned  the  adjoining  land,  it  is  probably  the  name  came  in 
this  manner. 


124  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

RENFREW  (Hts.) — A  gold  mining  camp  commenced  in  1862. 

One  of  the  late  King  Edward  the  Seventh's  younger  titles 
was  Baron  Renfrew.  This,  it  is  said,  is  where  the  name  Renfrew 
was  found. 

RESERVE  (C.  B.)— When  the  General  Mining  Association 
owned  all  the  coal  in  Cape  Breton  County,  the  coal  at  this  place 
was  known  to  exist,  but  the  Company's  operations  were  then  con- 
fined to  Pictou,  Sydney  Mines  and  Lingan,  the  coal  seams  outside 
of  Glace  Bay  being  held  in  * 'reserve"  for  future  operations.  Hence 
"Reserve  Mines"  now  ''Reserve."  In  1827,  about  the  time 
the  above-named  Association  was  formed,  we  find  all  of  the  coal 
mines  referred  to  as  "Royal  Reserved  Mines." 

RIDGEVALE  (S.)— Named  by  Judge  Lewis  Morris  Wilkins, 
who  made  his  home  there.  The  place  was  known  for  many  years  as 
"Wilkins'  Folly." 

RICHMOND  COUNTY— Named  in  honor  of  Charles  Lennox, 
fourth  Duke  of  Richmond,  who  was  Governor  General  of  British 
North  America  1818-1819. 

Was  cut  off  from  Cape  Breton  County  in  1836,  and  formed 
into  a  separate  county.  The  townships  of  Richmond  County  are 
four:  Arichat,  Lenox,  Maitland  and  Hawkesbury.  This  county 
contains  623  square  miles. 

RISER'S  POINT  (L.)— This  point  was  formerly  known  as 
Lovely's  Point. 

RING  POINT  (Y.)— This  place  received  its  name  from  an 
early  settler,  George  Ring,  who  came  from  Massachusetts  and 
settled  here  about  the  year  1762. 

RIVER  BOURGEOIS— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Nabigwonchek"  meaning  a  "brig"  or  "ship,"  the  whole  meaning 
"a  brig  or  ship's  place." 

RIVERDALE  (D.)— For  a  long  time  known  as  "Wagoner 
Settlement,"  as  it  was  first  settled  in  1833  by  a  Mr.  Benjamin 
Wagoner. 

RIVER  DENYS  (I.)— Named  a//^r  and  it  is  said  by  Sir  Nich- 
olas Denys,  Sieur  de  Fronsac,  a  native  of  Tours,  France.  He  was  a 
very  enterprising  Frenchman,  who  obtained  a  patent  in  1654  from 
the  King  of  France.  In  1654  he  was  appointed  Governor  of  Cape 
Breton,  Prince  Edward  Island,  and  part  of  Newfoundland. 

RIVER  INHABITANTS  (R.)— The  Inhabited  River  or  River 
of  Inhabitants. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  125 

RIVER  JOHN  (P.)— One  time  known  as  "Deception  River" 
and  ''John's  River."  Said  to  be  named  after  John  Patuguin,  an 
early  settler.  A  cape  nearby  was  known  as  Cap  Jean.  Probably 
the  name  came  from  this.  Des  Barres'  chart  dated  1770  names  it 
"Harbor"  or  "River"  John.  The  Indians  called  it  "Kajeboogwek" 
meaning  "winding  through  the  wilderness,"  or  "desert  place." 
Dr.  Patterson,  Pictou's  Historian,  gives  the  spelling  of  the  Micmac 
name  as  "Cajje  Book  Wek"  and  says  the  meaning  is  "flowing 
through  a  wilderness."  Cajje  from  "Cajjah"  to  be  alone. 

RIVER  PHILIP  (€.)— The  Indians  named  this  place  "Kesoos- 
kiboogwek"  meaning  "flowing  through  hemlock."  It  is  said  that 
the  name  Philip  is  after  a  popular  old  Doctor  of  that  name  who 
practised  and  had  his  home  there. 

RIVERPORT  (L.)— One  of  Sir  Nicholas  Denys'  headquarters 
and  fishing  stations.  Previous  to  1904  it  was  called  "Ritcey's 
Cove,"  then  changed  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  to  its  present  name. 

RIVER  RYAN  (C.  B.)— Formerly  known  as  "The  Head  of 
Lingan  Bay"  given  its  present  name  after  a  reside'iit  named  Patrick 
Ryan. 

RIVERSDALE  (L.)— Settled  about  the  year  1820  by  Moss- 
mans  .Knocks  and  Eisenhauers,  who  came  from  Kingsburg  to  this 
place 

ROBERTA  (R.)— In  1906  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  the  old 
name  of  this  place.  Cross  Roads  St.  George's  Channel,  was  changed 
to  its  present  name. 

ROBERTA  (G.)— This  place  was  named  in  1851,  after  the 
postmaster  whose  name  was  Robert. 

ROBERT'S  ISLAND  ( Y.)— This  Island  was  long  called 
"Non  Present"  and  "Non  Prison."  It  received  the  name  in  this 
way : 

At  the  deportation,  a  number  of  Acadians  who  had  been  col-, 
lected  ready  to  be  taken  to  Boston  were  placed  on  this  Island, 
which  was  thought  to  be  a  safe  place.  Between  wading  and  swim- 
ming, they  managed  to  escape.  When  Prebble  came  with  his  ships- 
to  carry  them  away,  they  were  not  to  be  found,  so  the  Island  was 
named  in  derision  "Non-present  Island." 

ROBERTSON  ISLAND  (P.)— Named  and^ first  settled  about 
the  year  1783  by  Colonel  Robertson  of  Struan,  Perthshire.  He 
was  of  the  82rid  Hamilton  Regiment.  This  island  is  generally 
known  as  Big  Merigomish  Island, 


126  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

ROBINS  (C.  B.)— Named  after  a  family  Robins  who  settled 
there  about  the  year  1790. 

ROCKFIELD  (P.) — This  name  was  given  this  place  by  an 
Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1885.  It  was  hitherto  known  as  the 
settlement   of   "Auclein  Caim." 

ROCKHAVEN  (H.)— By  an  Act  of  Parliament  this  name  was 
substituted  for  the  old  name  "McGrath  Cove"  in  the  year  1908. 

ROCKINGHAM  (H.)— Named  after  Charles  Watson-Went- 
worth,  Marquis  of  Rockingham,  who  was  English  Prime  Minister  in 
1782. 

ROCKVILLE  (Y.) — A  descriptive  name.  It  was  once  known 
as  "Rocky  Nook." 

ROCKYVILLE  (I.)— See  Tupperdale. 

RODNEY  (C.) — Named  after  Rodney,  Ontario,  in  the  year 
1866  by  a  Mr.  Howard  Mills.  First  settled  by  three  families  named 
Boss,  Rysley,  and  Schurman. 

The  name  "Rodney"  was  originally,  no  doubt,  in  honor  of 
Baron  (George  Brydges)  Rodney,  the  noted  EngHsh  Admiral. 

ROSEWAY  (S.)— See  Port  Roseway. 

ROGERS  HILL  (P.) — The  old  Indian  name  of  this  place  was 
"Nimnokunaagunikt"  meaning  "blackbird  grove."  Received  its 
present  name  after  John  Rogers  who  owned  the  land,  and  was  one 
of  the  settlers  to  arrive  from  Philadelphia  in  the  brig  "Hope"  in 
1767.    This  place  has  recently  been  named  "Scotsburn."     (See). 

ROGERTON  (G.)— Called  so  owing  to  the  number  of  fam- 
ilies named  Rogers  living  there. 

ROGERS  POINT  (D.)— Called  after  a  Major  Rogers  who  was 
an  early  settler. 

ROSEBURN  (I.)— Formerly  known  as  Bridge  End,  in  the 
year  1887  changed  to  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament. 

ROSETTE  (0.)— Settled  and  named  in  1822. 

ROSIGNOL  LAKE  (0-)— See  Lake  Rosignol. 

ROSS  POINT  (Col.)— Named  after  a  Presbyterian  minister, 
the  Rev.  Hugh  Ross,  who  resided  there  in  1824. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  127 

ROSSWAY  (D.)— First  settled  in  the  year  1785  by  Major 
Robert  Timpany  and  Capt.  Frederick  Williams  from  Annapolis. 

ROUNDHILL  (A.) — This  name  appears  in  early  Nova  Scotian 
history  as  **Le  Pre  Ronde,"  also  known  at  one  time  as  **Lovetts." 
The  Indian  name  was  "Lablalot,"  named  after  an  old  resident. 

ROUSE  BROOK,  ROUSE  ISLAND  (L.)— This  place  was 
named  in  honor  of  Captain  John  Rous,  who  was  Master  of  the  ship 
that  landed  the  first  settler  in  the  county  in  the  year  1750.  The 
Brook  is  the  spot  where  the  landing  was  made.  Captain  Rous  was 
a  very  successful  English  Captain,  and  took  part  in  nearly  all  of  the 
stirring  events  in  Newfoundland  and  Nova  Scotia  between  the  years 
1744-1759.  In  1760  he  became  a  resident  of  Halifax,  and  a  member 
of  the  Council  of  Nova  Scotia. 

ROYAL  CENTRE  (P.)— This  place  in  Pictou  County  was 
previous  to  1906  known  as  Rear  Meadows.  In  that  year  an  Act 
changing  the  name  was  passed. 

RUDDERHAM  CREEK  (C.  B.)— In  Sydney  Harbor,  named 
after  William  Rudderham,  an  early  English  settler  whose  descend- 
ants are  still  living  near  the  creek. 

RUDHA  MHINISTEAR  (I.)— Gaelic  meaning  "The  Min- 
ister's  Point."  It  is  near  Malaga watcht  and  was  named  so  owing 
to  a  Presbyterian  Minister  the  Rev.  Donald  McDonald  having 
settled  there  in   1824. 

RUDOLF  POINT  (L,)— Named  after  Charles  and  William 
Rudolf,  who  as  early  as  1820  built  vessels  of  considerable  size  there. 

RUSSELL  LAKE  (H.) — A  Lake  near  Dartmouth  named  in 
honor  of  an  early  settler  Nathaniel  Russell,  an  American  Loyalist. 


128  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


SABLE  ISLANI>— In  1505  ilamed  "Santa  Cruz."  In  1544 
it  appears  on  the  map  as  "I  da  Cms."  In  1548  its  name  appears  as 
"Isolla  del  Arena."  The  present  name  appears  as  early  as  1546 
when  Joaiiiles  Freire,  a  Portuguese  map-maker,  calls  it  "I.  do 
Sable."  It  is  said  by  some  to  have  received  its  name  from  the 
Frencji  word  "sablon"  meaning  "sand." 

The  name  appears  on  very  old  maps  as  "Sandy  He."  Sir 
Humphrey  Gilbert  visited  it  in  1583.  La  Roche  left  50  convicts 
on  it  in  1508. 

Owing  to  the  great  number  of  vessels  that  have  been  lost  on 
this  treacherous  island  which  is  forty  miles  long  and  two  and  one- 
half  miles  wide,  it  is  known  as  the  "Graveyard  of  the  Atlantic." 

SABLE  RIVER  (S.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  river  was 
"Neseamk,"  meaning  "riley  water  flowing  down  over  sand." 
Another  part  of  the  river  they  named  "Pijeboogwek,"  meaning 
"a  long  flowing  river." 

SACRIFICE  ISLAND  (L.)— Near  Heckmdn's  Island.  Known 
by  this  name  as  it  is  said  that  a  white  child  was  offered  as  a  sacrifice 
by  the  Indians  on  this  island. 

SACKVILLE  (H.) — This  place  was  named  in  honor  of  George 
Sackville  Germain,  first  Viscount  Sackville,  who  was  made  Com- 
mander of  the  British  forces  in  the  year  1758  and  Secretary  of  State 
for  the  Colonies  1775-1782.  The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Alobsoolawakade,"  meaning  "the  place  of  measles." 

Again  an  Indian  name  appears  as  "Kwebaco,"  applied  to 
Sackville,  meaning  "the  head  of  the  tide." 

SALMON  RIVER  (Y.)— Changed  from  the  Micmac  Indi  § 
name  "Boonamoogwade,"  meaning  "place  of  frost  fish,"  or  "Tom- 
cod-ground." 

SALMON  RIVER  SETTLEMENT  (Y.)— This  place  was 
settled  about  the  beginning  of  the  19th  century  by  liberated  negro 
slaves.  These  slaves  were  owned  by  some  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Yarmouth. 

SALMON  RIVER  (H.)— (See  Port  Dufferin).^  The  Indian 
name  for  the  River  was  "Pulammoa-seboo,"  meaning,  "Pulmo" 
(salmon)  "Seeboo"  (river). 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  129 

SALMON  RIVER  (€.)— This  river  was  named  by  the  Indians 
"Wagobagitk,"  meaning  ''the  end  of  the  flowing,  or  bounds  of  the 
rushing  water,  the  tide,  or  bore."     (See  Cobequid). 

SALMON  RIVER  (D.)— By  the  French  named  "Riviere  aux 
Salmon"  owing  to  the  large  number  of  Salmon  found  there. 

SALTER  HEAD  (Hts.)— Named  after  a  Mr.  Salter  of  Hali- 
fax, who  was  granted  2500  acres  of  land  in  this  vicinity  in  the  year 
1765,  and  who  afterwards  sold  it  to  General  Small.  (See  Rawdon 
and  Selmah). 

SALT  MOUNTAIN  (I.)— Near  Whycocomagh.  It  received 
its  name  from  the  saline  springs  to  be  found  near  its  top. 

SALT  POND  (Y.)— Before  1799  this  place  was  called  simply 
"Flats."  It  was  settled  in  1799  by  twenty-five  proprietors,  and 
dyked  at  an  expense  of  270  pounds.     It  contains  165  acres. 

SALT  SPRINGS  (P.)— At  the  foot  of  Mount  Thom.  In  the 
year  1813  afi  attempt  was  made  to  manufacture  salt  from  the  saline 
springs  which  rise  here;  hence  the  name. 

SAMBRO  CAPE  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Meseebakun,"  meaning  "the  constant  mocker."  At  one  time 
the  spelling  was  "Sezambre,"  evidently  so  named  after  Sesambre  an 
sland  near  St.  Malo. 

SAMSONVILLE  (C.  B.) — Named  after  a  man  named  Samp- 
son, who  was  the  Postmaster. 

SANDFIELD  (C.  B.)— A  settlement  on  the  Mira  River,  so 
named  because  the  soil  forms  part  of  a  great  dune. 

SAND  RIVER  (C.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Agoomakunuk,"  meaning  "where  they  catch  the  herring." 

SAULNIERVILLE  (D.)— Named  after  a  French  Acadian 
family  of  first  settlers  named  "Saulnier." 

SAVAGE  POINT  (P.) — So  named  for  a  Captain  Savage,  of 
Truro,  who  died  while  his  vessel  was  lying  there.  He  was  buried 
in  the  sand  on  the  shore.  His  vessel  the  "Betty"  was  said  to  have 
been  cast  ashore  near  here..   (See  Point  Betty  Island). 

SAVAGE'S  ISLAND  (Col.)— Here  is  an  old  Micmac  burying 
ground  and  wooden  monument,  marking  the  Redman's  last  resting 
place;  this  is  the  reason  for  its  name. 


130  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

SAVALLETTE  PORT  (G.)— Named  by  Champlain  after  a 
Basque  shipmaster.     It  is  now  called  * 'Whitehaven." 

SAVARY  BROOK  (D.)— So  called  after  an  early  settler 
named  Nathan  Savary. 

SAW-MILL  BROOK  (P.)— The  Indian  name  of  this  place, 
meaning  "Saw-mill  Brook,"  was  Nawegunichk." 

The  first  settler  was  William  Kennedy,  who  built  a  mill  here — 
hence  the  name.  The  mill  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  frame 
building  erected  in  Pictou  County.  It  was  built  in  1769.  Kennedy 
came  from  Truro. 

SCATARI — It  is  so  spelled  in  a  pamphlet  on  Cape  Breton, 
dated  1746.  Formerly  called  "Little  Cape  Breton."  Called 
"Ponchartrain"  on  some  old  French  maps.  It  is  probably  a  cor- 
ruption of  a  European  name ;  although  finding  it  called  "Secetere"  on 
very  old  maps  it  presumably  means  "dry  land."  There  is  a  little 
island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Shannon  River  in  Ireland  named  "Scat- 
tery." 

SCHNORE  (H.)— After  a  family  of  residents  of  this  name. 

SCHOONER  POND  (C.^  B.)— Received  its  present  name 
owing  to  a  certain  schooner  having  been  lost  on  its  dangerous  shore. 
Sometimes  called  Big  Glace  Bay — called  by  the  early  French  "Bay 
de  Charbon"  i.  e.,  "Coal  Bay." 

SCOTCH  OR  SCOTTS  FORT  (A.)— So  named  in  1628.  It 
was  built  by  Sir  William  Alexander's  son  and  a  party  of  Scotch 
immigrants. 

SCOTCH  HILL  (P.)— See  Lyons  Brook. 

SCOTSBURN  (P.)— Formerly  called  Rogers  Hill  (see)  and 
given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  the  year 
1867. 

SCOTSVILLE  (I.)— Formerly  "Outlet  of  Lake  Ainsley," 
named  by  its  residents  who  are  sons  of,  or  descendants  of  sons  of  old 
Scotland.     Received  its  present  name  in  April  1883. 

SCOTT'S  BAY  (K.)— So  called  owing  to  some  Scotch  immi- 
grants having  been  wrecked  at  this  place,  on  their  way  to  settle  at 
Cap  d'Or,  about  the  year  1764.  They  remained  there  for  some  time, 
but  eventually  moved  elsewhere. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  131 

SCOTT'S  ISLAND  ( Y.)— This  place  received  its  name  from 
its  earliest  settler,  Moses  Scott  who  settled  there  in  the  year  1763, 
he  came  from  Fitchburg,  Mass. 

SCRAGGY  LAKE  (H.)— One  of  the  Tangier  River  Lakes. 
The  Indians  called  it  "Misegumisk,"  meaning  "scraggy  and  rough.' 

SCULPIN  HARBOR  (G.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Chulok- 
wegook,"  meaning  the  **Sculpin." 

SEABRIGHT  (H.)— This  place  was  at  one  time  known  as 
"Hubley  Settlement."  In  1901  it  was  changed  to  Hubley."  The 
Act  was  amended  in  1902  changing  the  name  to  "Seabright." 

SEAL  ISLANDS  (Y.)— These  islands  were  named  by  Samuel 
Le  Sieur  Champlain  who  accompanied  DeMonts  in  1604.  The 
explorers  found  an  abundance  of  seals  and  named  the  islands  "Isle 
aux  Loups  Martins,"  or  "Island  of  Seals." 

SEA  VIEW  (R.)— Was  formerly  known  as  "Sporting  Moun- 
tain," received  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the 
year  1890. 

SECCOMBE  ISLAND  (L.)— Named  after  the  Rev.  John 
Seccombe,  from  Medford,  Massachusetts,  who  came  here  in  the 
year  1708,  and  lived  on  the  island  for  some  years. 

SECOND  LAKE  (Q.)— See  Liverpool  (Q.) 

See  Port  Medway  (Q.) 
See  Tangier  (H). 

SELMAH  (Hts.)— This  place  was  first  settled  by  the  French, 
who  were  driven  out  by  the  English  in  1755.  A  Mr.  Salter  of 
Halifax  was  granted  2500  acres  in  1765.  He  sold  it  in  1785  to 
General  Small,  who,  after  the  American  Revolution,  settled  Kennet- 
cook  and  other  districts  with  American  soldiers.  General  Small's 
home  estate  was  known  as  "Selma."  Some  person  added  the 
"h." 

There  is  a  city  in  Alabama  of  this  name;  the  spelling  is  "Selma." 

SEVEN-PENCE  HA'PENNY  BRANCH  (D.)— Said  to  be 
so  named  because  a  coin  of  that  denomination  was  found  on  its 
bank. 

SHAG  BAY  AND  HEAD  (H.),  SHAG  ROCK  (C.  B.)— After 
a  wild  sea-bird  of  this  name  which  frequented  the  Bay. 

SHEEHAN  LAKE  (H.)— Named  after  a  family  of  early 
residents. 


132  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

SHEET  HARBOR  (H.)^The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Weijooik,"  which  means  "running  crazily,  spreading  every  way. 
There  is  a  small  stream  running  into  Sheet  Harbor  which  the  Indians 
called  "Kajoogwajek,"  meaning  "the  place  where  gold  thread 
grows." 

SHEET  HARBOR  LAKE  (H.)--This  place  was  named  by  the 
Indians  "Punakade,"  meaning  "the  place  of  bringing  forth." 

SHEFFIELD  VAULT  (K.)— A  brook  flowing  into  Minas 
Channel,  named  so  because  it  has  comparatively  waterless  channels 
called  vaults. 

SHELBURNE—Bay,  Harbor  and  Town.  In  1765  Alexander 
McNutt  applied  for  a  charter  to  found  a  city  which  he  called  "New 
Jerusalem."  This  is  now  "Shelbume."  It  was  so  named  by 
Governor  Parr  on  the  22nd  day  of  July,  1783,  in  honor  of  the  Earl 
of  Shelbume,  Secretary  of  State.  It  is  said  that  as  the  Governor 
named  the  place,  the  flag-staff  which  stood  on  Stanhope  Hill,  on 
which  the  British  colors  were  flying,  fell  to  the  ground. 

Over  5,000  United  Empire  Loyalists,  principally  from  New 
York,  settled  here  in  1783.  The  Town  grew  at  an  astonishing  pace 
and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  at  one  time  it  had  a  larger  popula- 
tion than  Quebec  and  Montreal  combined.  The  Indian  name  for 
this  place  was  "Sogumkeegun,"  meaning  "a  short  cut  through  a 
sandy  b^r." 

Shelbume  was  formed  into  a  county  about  the  year  1799; 
it  is  divided  into  two  Townships,  Shelbume  and  Barrington.  In 
1836  the  County  was  divided,  part  of  Shelbume  going  into  Yar- 
mouth County.     This  county  contains  948  square  miles. 

Shelbume  Harbor  was  at  one  time  called  Port  Razoir  by  the 
French  and  Port  Roseway  by  the  English. 

SHENACADIE  (C.  B.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Soonakadde," 
meaning  "the  place  of  cranberries."  The  name  appears  on  old 
maps  as  "Sunakady." 

SHERBROOKE  (G.)— Named  after  Sir  John  Coape  Sher- 
brooke,  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  (1811-1816),  Gov- 
ernor-General of  Canada  (1816-1818). 

Le  Girandiere  had  a  farming  place  and  a  small  fort,  afterwards 
a  fishing  and  fur-trading  station,  at  the  head  of  Chedabucto  Bay, 
now  Sherbrooke;  doubtful  date,  but  previous  to  1659. 

SHERBROOKE  LAKE   (L.)— (See  Sherbrooke.) 

SHINIMICAS  (C.) — This  is  said  to  be  an  Indian  name 
meaning  "Shining  River." 


PLACE-NAMES    OF    NOVA    SCOTIA  133 

SHIP  HARBOR  (H.)— The  Indians  called  the  place  "Ted- 
umuna-Boogwek,"  meaning  "a  water- worn  rock,"  or  "blunt  har- 
bor." Ship  Harbor  Lake  was  named  by  the  Indians  "Wagwosk," 
meaning  "the  end." 

SHOAL  BAY  (H.)— A  small  bay  on  the  Tangier  Riyer,  called 
by  the  Indians  "Wospegeak,"  meaning  "the  sunshine  is  reflected 
from  the  water." 

SHOOK  POINT  (D.)— So  named  after  a  first  settler  Deacon 
Shook. 

SHUBENACADIE  (Hts.)— Indian  name  "Segunbunakadie/ 
meaning  "the  place  where  the  ground  nut  or  Segubun  (the  Micmac 
potato)  grows."     In  1724  the  spelling  was  "Shickabenacadie." 

Near  Shubenacadie  River  is  a  place  called  "Kitpoo-aykaddy," 
meaning  "the  place  of  eagles."  This  place  was  also  called  at  one 
time  "Shepondie."  Very  old  grants  give  the  name  of  this  place  as 
"Chicabenacadie."  The  Indians  called  the  Shubenacadie  River 
"Agekade." 

SHULIE  (C.)— Sometimes  spelled  "Shulee"  or  "Shoulie." 
Derivation  not  definitely  known,  but  the  pronunciation  of  some  of 
the  early  French  settlers  leads  to  the  theory  that  it  is  a  corruption  of 
the  French  word  "joli," — (pronounced  "sholee") — meaning  "ptet- 
ty." 

It  was  a  favorite  shad  fishing  harbor  for  the  French. 

SHURTLEFF'S  POINT  (Y.)— This  place  was  named  after 
an  early  settler,  Henry  Shurtleff . 

SIEMENS  (Col.)— Formerly  "Acadia  Mines,"  changed  by  an 
Act  of  Parliament  to  this  name  in  1877. 

SILVER  CRAIG  (C.)— So  called  owing  to  the  brightness  of 
the  gypsum  cliffs  when  the  sun  shines  upon  them. 

SILVER  LAKE  (Q.) — So  called  from  the  white  appearance 
of  the  water :  this  is  owing  to  the  lake  being  situated  between  high 
lands  and  the  bottom  being  of  a  whitish  cast. 

SISSIBOU — A  western  Nova  Scotia  River.  The  name  is 
Micmac  for  "Big  River" — the  same  as  "Cibou."  It  was  given  to 
this  river  because  it  is  said  to  discharge  the  largest  body  of  fresh 
water  of  any  river  in  the  Province. 

There  is  a  legend  that  the  name  is  derived  from  the  French 
word  for  "six"  and  the  Indian  word  "hibou"  (an  owl)  as  the  story 
says  there  were  six  owls  found  there  by  the  first  discoverers. 


134  PLACE-NAMES  OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

SIXTH  LAKE  {Q.)—See  Liverpool. 

SIX  MILE  BROOK  (P.)— Given  this  name  because  it  was 
six  miles  from  the  place  the  old  Cobequid  Road  started  to  the 
point  where  this  brook  crosses  the  road. 

SKIR  DHU  (V.)— This  is  a  Gaelic  name,  meaning  "Black 
Rock." 

SLAB  TOWN  (Col.)— See  Hilden. 

SLATE  MOUNTAIN  (C.  B.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Ken- 
eskwotpat,"  meaning  "having  a  peaked  head."  A  brook  near  by 
was  named  by  the  Indians  "Egogek,"  meaning  "next  to  the  woods." 

SLAUGHENWHITE  POINT  (H.)— One  time  called  "Oak- 
land." Received  its  present  name  from  Captain  P.  F.  Shortland» 
R.  N.,  1864,  and  is  a  common  family  name  about  St.  Margaret's 
Bay. 

SLOANE  POINT  (L.)— Named  after  an  Irish  settler  named 
John  Sloane,  who  came  from  Lower  Dublin 

SLOIS  A  BHROCHAN  (V.)— (See  New  Harris).  "Slois" 
is  the  Gaelic  for  place  or  countryside.  "Bhrochan"  is  the  Gaelic 
for  gruel,  or  very  thin  porridge.  The  name  was  a  derisive  one  and 
the  Scotch  settlers  have  recently  changed  it  to  "New  Harris," 
likely  their  former  home  in  Scotland.  It  is  on  the  Great  Bras  d'Or 
Strait. 

SMASHEMS  HEAD  (P.)— An  early  Robertson  Island  settler 
named  Robert  Stewart  was  known  as  "smashem"  owing  to  this  being 
a  favorite  expression  of  his  in  describing  battle  scenes. 

SMELT  BROOK  (C.  B.)— A  brook  in  North  Sydney  originally 
known  as  "Sparling  Brook"  after  an  early  land  owner,  but  un- 
fortunately changed  to  its  present  name. 

SMITH  COVE  (G.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Segegueegunk. " 

SMITH  ISLAND  (PORT  HOOD)  (I.)— The  name  given  to 
the  Inner  Port  Hood  Island,  named  in  honor  of  the  first  settler 
John  Smith,  who  settled  in  Port  Hood  in  1789. 

SMITH  MOUNTAIN  (V.)— Near  Cape  Dauphin.  These 
high  hills  were  at  one  time  known  as  "Les  Quatres  Fils  d'Aymon,'* 
which  was  the  title  of  a  French  Medieval  Prose  Romance. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  135 


SMOKEY  (V.)— See  Cape  Smokey. 

SOLDIERS'  COVE  (R.)— The  St.  Georges  Channel  was  at 
one  time  known  as  Soldiers'  Gulf,  the  name  was  evidently  retained 
as  the  name  of  this  cove. 

SOULIS  COVE  (D.)— So  named  in  honor  of  an  early  settler. 
Daniel  Soulis. 

SOUTH  BAR  (C.  B.)— The  village  was  known  as  Victoria 
Pier.  The  Bar  extends  into  Sydney  Harbor  opposite  North  Bar 
forming  a  splendid  breakwater.  Was  one  time  called  "Guion's 
Bar."     Was  fortified  in  1794  and  known  as  "Fort  Edward." 

SOUTHAMPTON  (C.)— The  old  name  for  this  place  was 
"Maccan."  (See).  A  portion  of  Maccan  was  given  the  above 
name  in  honor  of  the  English  seaport  city  of  the  same  name  by  an 
Act  of  Parliament  passed  in  the  year  1872. 

SOUTH  HEAD  (C.  B.)— South  Head,  Cow  Bay,  appears  on 
the  maps  of  1829  as  "Murgain." 

SOUTHVILLE  (A.)— This  place  was  formerly  known  as 
Negro  Line ;  it  was  changed  to  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment in  1891. 

SOUTHVILLE  (D.)— Formerly  known  as  "Duck  Pond." 
First  settled  in  1827  by  Gilbert  Crossett.  This  place  was  also 
called  New  Salem. 

SPECTACLE  ISLANDS  (L.)— These  two  islands  are  con- 
nected by  a  narrow  sand  bar,  which  suggested  the  name. 

SPENCER  ISLAND  (C.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  island 
was  "Wochuk"  meaning  "a  small  kettle  or  pot." 

SPLIT  (Y.)— See  Cape  Split. 

SPRINGFIELD  (D.)— This  place  was  formerly  called  "Sun- 
rise." 

SPRINGFIELD  (A.) — This  place  was  at  one  time  known  as 
"Grinton   Settlement."     (See). 

SPRINGHILL  (O— This  town  is  situated  on  a  hill,  and  has 
excellent  natural  water  springs,  which  gives  reason  for  the  name. 

The  earliest  settlers  were  families  named  Hunter,  Gilroy, 
Anderson,  Boss,  Mills  and  others. 

Coal  was  discovered  here  in  1834  by  a  man  named  Lodovick 
Hunter. 


136  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

SPRINGVILLE  (P.)— Settled  about  1780  by  John  Eraser  and 
some  others.  An  extremely  large  spring  which  issues  from  the  foot 
of  a  hill  in  this  locality  suggested  the  name. 

SPRY  BAY  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Kwem- 
oodetc"  meaning  **the  little  loon  place." 

SPRY  HARBOR  (H.)— The  Indian  name  of  the  smaller 
harbor  was  "Kwemodetc,"  meaning  **the  little  loon  place."  The 
larger  harbor  was  called  by  them  **Sebimkooaak"  meaning  "a  bog 
extending  across."  The  name  of  this  harbor  appears  on  some  old 
maps  as  '*Winchelsea  Harbor"  named  after  one  of  the  Cinque  ports 
in  Sussex  on  the  English  Channel. 

SPRY  HEAD  (H.)— The  Indian  name  for  Cape  Spry  was 
*'Noogoomkegawaachk,"  meaning  **a  small  place  of  soft  sand." 


STANFORD  LAKE  (L.)— This  lake  is  named  after  a  Mr. 
John  Stanford,  an  English  settler  who  arrived  in  Chester  about 
1845,  where  he  established  a  tannery. 

STANLEY  (Hts.) — This  settlement  was  a  portion  of  Douglas 
Township.  It  was  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament 
passed  in  1872,  in  honor  of  Frederick  Arthur  Stanley,  the  Earl  of 
Derby  who  was  Governor-General  of  Canada  1888-1893. 

STANWOOD  BEACH  (Y.)— Named  after  a  family  of  Stan- 
woods  who  were  the  first  settlers  there. 

STARR  POINT  (K.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Nesoogwitk,"  meaning  "lying  on  the  water  between  two  other 
points." 

The  French  called  the  place  "Boudrobank."  The  present 
name  is  from  a  family  named  Starr. 

STEEL  ISLAND  (Col.)— Named  after  a  family  of  early 
settlers  of  this  name.  The  late  Frank  Steel  used  to  relate  that  he 
found  a  large  number  of  human  bones  on  the  beach  of  this  island. 

STELLARTON  (P.)— So  named  after  a  singular  bed  of  coal 
known  as  ''Stellar"  or  "oil"  coal,  so  called  from  its  peculiar  scintilla- 
tions in  burning,  and  for  its  yield  of  oil. 

STERLING  (Col.)— One  of  the  four  township  divisions  of 
/Colchester  County. 

STEW ARTD ALE  (I.)— So  named  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in 
1884. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  137 


STEWART  ISLAND  (CoL)— This  island  is  named  after  a 

Stewart  family,  but  is  known  by  various  names.     On  the  charts 

'  it  is  known  as  "War  Island."     In  ship-building  days  owing  to  oak 

growing  upon  it  it  was  known  as  "Shipyard  Island,"  and  for  the 

same  reason  sometimes  called  "Oak  Island." 

STEWIACKE  (CoL)— Mentioned  in  1759.  The  name  is 
from  the  Indian  word  "Siktaweak"  or  "Esiktaweak,"  meaning 
"oozing  from  dead  water."     It  appears  in  1816  as  "Sewack." 

The  first  settler  was  a  William  Kennedy  who  came  from  New 
England  in  1780.  He  came  to  Stewiacke  from  Pictou  County 
where  he  had  a  mill  at  what  was  long  known  as  "Kennedy's  Hill." 

The  meaning  of  the  word  "Siktaweak"  is  found  in  another 
authority  as  meaning  "Whimpering  or  whining  as  it  goes  out." 

The  Indians  called  a  branch  of  the  Stewiacke  River  "Wedak- 
unak,"  meaning  "long  sea- weed  or  kelp,"  and  another  small  branch 
they  named  "Pepkuse." 

STIRLING  (C.  B.)— A  mining  village  in  Glace  Bay.  (See 
Stirling) . 

STIRLING  (R.)— Named  by  the  settlers  of  Scottish  origin 
in  honor  of  the  Royal  burgh,  the  capital  of  Stirlingshire,  Scotland. 
The  place  was  first  settled  in  the  year  1830. 

STORMONT  (G.)— This  place  was  settled  by  parts  of  Caro- 
lina Regiments,  in  the  year  1783.  They  built  a  small  town  and 
named  it  "Stormont."     This  name  is  also  given  to  the  Township. 

ST.  ANDREW  (Ant.)— One  of  the  four  Townships  of  the 
County  of  Antigonish,  named  in  honor  of  the  Scotch  Saint. 

ST.  ANDREW  CHANNEL  (C.  B.),  ST.  GEORGE  CHAN- 
NEL_  (R.),  ST.  PATRICK  CHANNEL  (V.)— Three  important 
divisions  of  the  Bras  d'Or  Lakes,  named  in  honor  of  the  Scotch, 
English  and  Irish  settlers. 

St.  Andrew  and  St.  Patrick  Townships  were  the  subdivisions, 
if  we  include  Sydney,  of  Cape  Breton.  They  were  formed  into 
Townships  in  the  year  1821. 

St.  Andrew  Channel  is  now  generally  known  as  "East  Bay." 

St.  George  Channel  was  at  one  time  called  "Soldiers'  Gulf." 

ST.  ANDREW  RIVER  (Col.)— The  old  Indian  name  for  this 
river  in  Colchester  Harbor  was  "Wesunawan,"  meaning  "castor 
place." 

ST.  ANN  (V.) — At  one  time  named  "Port  des  baleines,"  or 
"port  of  whales."    A  Scotchman  named  James  Stuart  built  a  fort 


138  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

here  in  1629.  In  1710  the  place  was  called  "Port  Dauphin,"  a 
name  still  given  to  the  Cape.  The  Indian  name  for  the  bay  was 
"Great  Cibou,"  and  for  the  village  "M'tleegalitek." 

A  Frenchman  named  Captain  Daniels  is  supposed  to  have  first 
given  it  the  name  of  "St.  Ann"  in  honor  of  St.  Ann  the  Mother 
of  Mary  the  Mother  of  Jesus.  Daniels  captured  the  English 
settlers  and  carried  them  to  Falmouth  and  some  of  them  to  France. 
In  1713  St.  Ovide  changed  the  name  St.  Anne's  to  Port  Dauphin, 
but  the  name  given  it  by  Daniels  survived. 

The  northern  arm  of  St  Annes  Harbor  was  for  years  known  as 
"Rouville  River,"  after  a  French  Captain  of  Infantry  of  some  con- 
sequence named  M.  de  Rouville,  who  evidently  had  received  a 
grant  here.  Rouville  made  application  for  a  grant  of  "Niganiche" 
(Ingonish),  but  without  success. 

ST.  COLUMBO  (C.  B.)— Named  in  honor  of  "The  Apostle  of 
Caledonia,"  who  founded  the  Monastery  at  lona.  This  name  was 
given  it  and  an  Act  of  Parliament  passed  confirming  it  in  1903. 
The  former  name  of  the  settlement  was  "Grand  Narrows  Rear." 

ST.  ESPRIT  (R.)— There  was  a  French  Order  "Saint  Esprit" 
founded  by  Henry  III  in  the  16th  century.  "Esprit"  is  French 
from  the  Latin  "spiritus,"  meaning  "spirit."  The  prefix  "St." 
is  rather  a  puzzle.  The  French  also  knew  this  place  as  "rade 
foreine,"  which  signifies  that  trading  vessels  could  have  access  to  it 
only  at  particular  times  of  the  year. 

The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Asukadite,"  meaning 
"the  place  of  clams." 

ST.  FRANCIS  (G.)— Formerly  known  as  "Goose  Harbor" 
changed  in  1871  to  the  present  name. 

ST.  FRANCIS  XAVIER  COLLEGE-See  Antigonish. 

ST.  GEORGE  CHANNEL  (R.)— See  St.  Andrew's  Channel. 

ST.  GEORGE'S  BAY  (Ant.)— See  George. 

ST.  MARGARET'S  BAY  (H.)— Named  by  Champlain  in 
1631,  "Le  Port  Saincte  Marguerite." 

A  number  of  people  came  here  from  Lunenburg  in  1783  and 
settled  permanently. 

ST.  MARYS  (G.)— One  of  the  three  Townships  of  Guys- 
borough.     Was  formed  into  a  township  in  1818. 

The  Indian  name  for  the  river  was  "Naboosakun,"  meaning 
"a  bead  string."  It  takes  its  present  name  from  St.  Mary's  Bay. 
(See). 


PLACE-NAMET  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  139 

ST.  MARY'S  BAY  (D.)— Named  by  De  Monts  in  1604  "La 
Baie  Saincte  Marie."  The  Indians  called  this  bay  "Wagweiik," 
meaning  "the  end." 

There  is  a  large  cove  in  the  bay  that  the  Indians  named  "Wes- 
kabok,"  meaning  "salt  water." 

ST.  MARY'S  RIVER  FORKS  (P.)— This  junction  the  In- 
dians  named  "Mimnogun,"  or  Nimnogum,"  meaning  "a  black 
birch  tree." 

ST.  PATRICK'S  CHANNEL  (V.)~(See  St.  Andrew's  Chan- 
nel.) 

ST.  PAUL  ISLAND— Called  so  by  Cabot  in  1535-36.     It  was 

at  one  time  called  the  "Island  of  Monego."     The  Indians  called  the 
island  "Kewtuminege,"  meaning  "the  round  island." 

ST.  PETER'S  (R.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Baslova-akade." 
The  Portuguese  called  it  "San  Pedro."  The  French  in  1713  named 
it  "Port  Toulouse,"  after  Comte  de  Toulouse,  the  illegitimate  son 
of  Louis  Quatorze  and  Madame  de  Montespan.  Denys  settled 
it  in  1755,  and  he  named  it  "St.  Pierre,"  (St.  Peter's). 

The  spelling  of  the  Indian  name  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Indian  name  for  Cape  Traverse  in  Prince  Edward  Island,  which  is 
"Bouselooa,"  meaning  "to  travel  by  water,"  and  as  it  was  the  rest- 
ing place  and  portage  for  the  natives  in  their  travels  from  the  lakes 
to  the  ocean,  it  is  very  likely  the  same  word,  or  a  variation  of  it. 

Near  here  is  a  mount  which  in  the  year  1790  appears  in  several 
records  as  Mount  Grenville;  there  was  a  redoubt  here  and  eight 
guns  mounted.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  Grenville  who  was  in 
1790  English  Secretary  of  State. 

ST.  PETER'S  ISLAND  (R.)— Named  after  the  place  and 
bay.  (See).     It  was  named  "Isle  Vert"  by  Nicholas  Denys. 

STRATHLORNE  (I.)— Formeriy  known  as  Broad  Cove 
Interval,  named  by  a  local  lady  in  1879,  in  honor  of  the  Marquis 
of  Lome.  "Strath"  is  a  Gaelic  word,  meaning  "a  broad  valley" 
and  is  often  used  in  Scotch  place-names. 

STRATHMORE  (Ant.)-— This  was  formeriy  known  as  North 
Grant  Settlement,  was  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment in  the  year  1888.  "Strathmore"  means  "a  great  valley." 
(See  Strathlorne.) 

STRICKLAND'S  COVE  (D.)— This  cove  is  named  after  a 
family  of  Stricklands  who  settled  here;  they  came  from  Weymouth, 
Massachusetts. 


140  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

ST.  ROSE  (I.)— Formerly  known  as  "Broad  Cove  Ponds." 
By  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  1891  changed  to  its  present  name. 

ST.  SAUVER  PORT— On  the  Island  named  Mount  Desert, 
called  by  the  Indians  "Pemetig."  At  one  time  called  "Mount 
Deserts."     It  was  given  its  present  name  in  1613. 

STRONACH  (K.)— A  section  of  the  North  Mountain  named 
after  an  early  settler,  George  Stronach,  who  came  from  Glasgow, 
Scotland. 

SUGAR  LOAF  (C.) — This  place  was  named  by  the  Micmac 
Indians  "Keneskwoktuk,"  meaning  "a  pointed  mountain." 

SUGAR  LOAF  (V.)— Near  Cape  North.  This  descriptive 
name  occurs  in  various  counties.  The  Micmac  Indian  name  was 
"Squa-dichk,"  meaning  "the  highest  point." 

SUMMERSIDE  (Ant.)— So  named  by  an  Act  of  ParHamxcnt 
in  the  year  1869. 

SUMMERVILLE  (Hts.)— The  Indians  called  part  of  this 
place  including  a  creek,  "Achegechk." 

^  SUNNYSIDE  (R.)— Formerly  known  as  "Bear  Island"  and 
again  as  "McPherson's  Ferry."  Changed  by  an  Act  of  Parliament 
in  1894  to  its  present  name. 

SURETTE  ISLAND  (Y.)— Named  after  Frederick  Surrett, 
who  with  some  others  settled  on  the  island  (859  acres)  about  1812. 

SUTHERLAND  COVE  (C.  B.)— On  the  eastern  side  of  Syd- 
ney River,  about  three  miles  from  Sydney,  named  after  an  early 
settler  a  Scotch  Presbyterian  named  George  Sutherland. 

SUTHERLAND  ISLAND  (P.)— (See  Sutherland  River). 
The   Indian   name  for   this   island  was   "Coondawaakade," 
meaning  "a  stone  quarry." 

SUTHERLAND  LAKE  (K.)— A  small  lake  named  after  a  Mr. 
Kenneth  Sutherland,  whose  home  was  near  by. 

SUTHERLAND  RIVER  (P.)— This  received  its  name  from  a 
Scotchman  named  John  Sutherland,  who  was  a  passenger  on  the 
"Hector,"  and  who  settled  near  it  in  the  year  1785. 

SWEET'S  CORNER  (Hts.)— First  settled  by  families  named 
Dill,  Cochran,  Hunter  and  Sweet.  One  Sweet  had  a  grocery  store 
here  at  one  time  (about  1840).     The  place  was  named  after  him. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  141 

SWIVEL  POINT  (C.  B.)— The  point  of  land  near  Cranberry 
Head  on  the  northern  side  of  Sydney  Harbor,  so  named  because  it 
is  the  swivel  or  turning  point  for  vessels  coming  from  the  Bras  d'Or 
Lakes  to  the  Sydney s,  or  vice  versa. 

SYDNEY  (C.  B.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Cibou."  Captain 
Leigh  in  a  voyage  away  back  in  1597  cast  anchor  in  the  River  of 
Cape  Breton  (Sydney)  on  the  24th  day  of  June.  He  said  the 
savages  told  him  the  harbor  was  "Cibo."  Dr.  Rand  spells  the 
Indian  name  "Seboo"  and  gives  its  meaning  as  "river."  It  would 
then  appear  to  be  a  name  applicable  to  any  river. 

Champlain's  map  of  Cape  Breton  dated  1632,  calls  Sydney 
Harbor  "Gran  Sibou,"  meaning  "Great  River."  Historian  Brown 
suggests  that  St.  Ann's  Bay  may  have  been  originally  "Cibou" 
and  Sydney  "Gran-Sibou"  as  both  names  appear. 

The  Indians  called  Sydney  River  "Ulsebook,"  meaning 
"little  river." 

Previous  to  1783  it  was  known  as  "Baie  de  Espagnol"  or 
"Spanish  River."  In  1783  it  was  given  its  present  name  in  honor 
of  the  Honorable  Thomas  Townshend,  the  first  Viscount  Sydney. 
It  is  said  that  at  this  time  Governor  Desbarres  suggested  the  place 
be  named  "Pittsburgh." 

In  1788  Sydney  Harbor  was  named  "Prince  William  Henry 
Sound,"  by  Governor  McCormick,  in  honor  of  King  William  IV. 
The  name  appears  in  many  old  documents,  but  did  not  survive. 

It  was  founded  in  1784;  the  first  settler  was  an  Irishman  named 
John  Meloney. 

It  was  the  seat  of  the  Local  Government  until  1820,  was  in 
corporated  as  a  town  in  1886  and  as  a  city  in  1904. 

SYDNEY  FORKS  (C.  B.)— This  place  the  Indians  named 
"Natwagemk." 

SYDNEY  MINES  (C.  B.)--In  1820-30  Sydney  Mines  was 
known  as  "The  Mines."     It  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1890. 


142  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 


TABLE  ISLAND  (Col.)— An  island  near  Tatamagouche 
named  by  the  Indians  "Tcegoonkootc"  meaning  the  "small  knee." 

TAILOR  ISLAND  (I.)— Named  after  a  tailor  Mr.  John  McRae 
who  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  settler  on  the  Island. 

TANCOOK  LITTLE  (L.)— First  granted  to  Patrick  Suther- 
land. It  was  originally  called  "Queen  Charlotte  Island."  The 
name  is  from  the  Indian  name  "Uktankook"  meaning  "facing  the 
open  sea." 

TANGIER  RIVER  (H.)— The  Indian  name  was  "Ah-ma- 
gops-ke-keek,"  meaning  "tumbling  over  the  rocks." 

A  Morocco  seaport  and  an  island  in  Chesapeake  Bay  bears 
this  name.  It  was  owned  by  Portugal  and  the  early  Portuguese 
may  have  given  it  its  name,  but  it  is  said  to  have  been  named  after 
a  schooner  wrecked  there  in  1830.  The  Indians  at  one  time  called 
this  place  "Wospegeak"  meaning  "the  sunshine  reflected  from  the 
water."  The  Forks  of  the  Tangier  River  was  named  by  the  In- 
dians "Niktookpak"  meaning  "the  place  where  the  still  water 
branches  off." 

TANGIER  LAKE  (H.)— The  first  of  the  Tangier  Lakes, 
named  by  the  Indians  "Wiskusok,"  meaning  "a  branch  of  a  tree." 

The  second  of  the  Tangier  Lakes  was  named  by  the  Indians 
"Milpagech"  meaning  "variegated."     (See  Brian  Lake). 

The  third  of  the  Tangier  Lakes  was  named  by  the  Indians 
"Emasakunek,"  meaning  "he  could  walk  on  snowshoes."  They 
also  knew  it  as  "Pedawispak"  or  "barren  lake." 

The  fourth  of  the  Tangier  Lakes  was  named  by  the  Indians 
"Pedawikpaak"  meaning  "the  flowing  is  obstructed  in  the  midst 
of  a  barren." 

^  TANGIER  GRAND  LAKE  (H.)— The  fourth  of  the  Tangier 
chain  of  lakes  named  by  the  Indians  "Pedawikpeak." 

TANTALLON  (H.)— Previous  to  1890  this  place  was  called 
"Head  Harbor."  It  was  first  settled  by  German  and  French. 
The  present  name  is  after  the  famous  stronghold  of  the  Douglas 
Family  in  Haddingtonshire,  Scotland. 

TARBOT,  TARBOTVALE  (C.  B.)— Named  after  "Tarbot" 
in  the  sub-division  of  Harris  in  the  Hebrides,  Scotland;  suggest- 
ed, no  doubt,  by  descendants  of  emigrants  from  these  parts. 
The    Scottish  spelling  is   "Tarbert." 


PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA  143 

TATAMAGOUCHE  (Col.)— This  place  is  mentioned  as  far 
back  as  1738  when  La  Loutre  refers  to  it  as  "Tahamigouche"  said 
to  be  the  Indian  word  for  "the  place  where  two  rivers  meet."  The 
Waugh  and  French  River  meet  here.  The  termination  "oochk" 
or  as  it  appears  "ouche"  is  the  Micmac  locative  termination  which 
gives  the  word  the  meaning  of  "place  at  "or  "at  the."  Tatama- 
gouche  Township  was  for  a  time  called  Southampton,  and  the 
harbor  "Southampton  Harbor."  Rand's  dictionary  says  the  Indian 
name  was  "Takamegootck"  meaning  "barred  across  the  entrance 
with  sand." 

TAYLORVILLE  (H.)— See  Chaswood. 

TEDDY  FOLEY  HILL  AND  BROOK  (C.  B.)— Near  Syd- 
ney, so  named  after  a  colored  man  named  Edward  Foley,  who  was 
employed  on  the  old  Ingovill'e  Farm  and  had  his  cabin  on  the  hill. 

TEDFORD  HILL  (Y.)— This  hill  received  its  name  after  an 
old  Yarmouth  County  family  named  Tedford. 

TENNYSON  ROCK  (C.)— This  rock  is  the  pinnacle  of 
Pinnacle  Island  (one  of  the  Five  Islands,  Basin  of  Minas.)  The 
rock  is  solitary,  and  nearly  two  hundred  feet  high  at  low  water, — 
a  seated  figure  strongly  resembling,  as  seen  from  the  basm,  Lord 
Tennyson  in  his  old  age — with  his  cloak  about  him,  for  this  reason 
the  Rock  is  so  named. 

TERENCE  BAY  (H.)— This  place  had  at  different  times  the 
following  names:  Tenants  Bay,  Tern  Bay,  Turner  Bay  and  Turner 
Bay  Rock. 

THE  HUB  (C.  B.) — This  place  is  now  included  in  the  bounds  of 
New  Aberdeen.  It  was  at  one  time  called  "Burnt  Head"  owing  to 
a  fire  in  one  of  the  old  coal  mines.  The  name  "Hub"  which  is  now 
applied  only  to  the  coal  mine,  came  about  in  this  manner :  Nearly 
all  of  the  coal  mines  at  one  time  in  operation  in  this  district  were 
opened  on  the  outcrop  of  the  various  coal  seams,  which  swing  around 
in  a  circle.  "The  Hub"  was  near  the  shore  in  the  centre  of  the 
circle — hence  the  name. 

THE  MARTYRS  (L.)— These  islands  were  so  called  by  Cham- 
plain.  The  name  was  suggested  by  the  fact  that  a  number  of 
Frenchmen  were  killed  on  the  Islands  by  the  Indians. 

^^  THE  NARROWS  (H.)— This  place  was  known  to  the  Indians 
as  "Kebek"  or  "the  narrow  place."  (This  word  is  also  the  possible 
origin  of  the  name  "Quebec".) 


144  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

THE  OVENS  (L.)— See  Ovens  Point. 

THE  PINES  (K.) — This  place  was  at  one  time  known  as 
"Pine  Woods,"  now  called  "The  Pines."     It  is  a  negro  settlement. 

THE  ROOST  (C.  B.)— Near  Glace  Bay,  was  known  in  the 
early  days  as  the  "Shag  Roost"  because  of  the  fact  that  large  flocks 
of  the  sea  birds  known  as  "shags"  roosted  on  the  point  of  land.  The 
name  Shag  was  in  time  dropped. 

THE  WEDGE  (Tusket)  (Y.)— Settled  by  Acadians  in  1767. 
The  Indian  name  was  "Nizigouziack";  also  "Olsegou." 

THIBEAUVILLE  (R.) — This  place  received  its  present  name 
August  1st,  1907.  It  was  named  after  the  majority  of  its  inhab- 
itants, who  are  named  "Thibeau."  It  was  first  settled  by  Jacob 
Thibeau  about  1836. 

THIRD  LAKE  (Q.)— See  Liverpool. 

(0.) — See  Port  Medway. 
(H.)— See  Tangier. 

THORBURN  (P.)— Formerly  known  as  Vale  Colliery,  was 
given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1886. 
The  name  made  up  of  "Thor"  the  Scandinavian  god  of  Thunder, 
and  "bvirn"  the  Scotch  and  north  of  England  word  for  "brook  or 
small  river." 

THREE  FATHOM  HARBOR  (H.)— The  Indian  name  of 
this  place  was  "Amagunchech,"  meaning  "the  little  breezy  place," 

THREE-MILE  PLAINS  (Hts.)— A  village  so  named  because 
it  is  three  miles  from  Windsor.     (See  Mapleton). 

THRUMCAP  (H.) — Shoal  and  Island  near  entrance  to  Hali- 
fax Harbor,  probably  so  named  from  the  thrumming  or  noise  of  the 
surf  on  the  cape.  The  Indians  named  it  "Elpasaktcatc,"  meaning 
"canted  over." 

THURSTON'S  CORNER  (Y.)— Received  its  name  after  one 
of  the  early  settlers  named  John  Thurston. 

TIDDVILLE  (D.) — So  named  after  an  early  Loyalist  settler 
Samuel  Tidd. 

TIDNISH  (C.)— This  name  is  probably  the  same  as  "Tignish" 
or  Micmac  "Mtagunechk,"  meaning  "a  paddle." 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  145 


TILBURY  ROCK  (R.)— A  reef  near  St.  Esprit,  westward 
from  Louisburg,  so  named  owing  to  a  British  warship  named 
"Tilbury"  being  wrecked  there  in  the  year  1757.  The  "Tilbury" 
was  one  of  the  eleven  ships  under  the  command  of  Viscount  Howe 
and  Admiral  Holborne  that  made  a  fruitless  attempt  to  capture 
Louisburg  in  that  year. 

TIMBERLEA  (H.)— Formerly  named  Bowser  Station  (see) ; 
recently  given  this  name.  It  is  the  centre  of  a  considerable  lum- 
bering district. 

TINKHAM  ISLAND  (Y.)— Called  after  an  eariy  settler 
named  Edward  Tinkham,  who  came  from  Marble  Head  and  settled 
here  in  1762. 

TIVERTON  (D.)— Settled  in  1785  by  Messrs.  Robert  Out- 
house and  John  McKay,  was  known  as  Petite  Passage.  It  re- 
ceived its  present  name  in  1842  after  the  borough  of  that  name  in 
England,  long  represented  in  Parliament  by  Lord  Palmerston. 

TOBEATIC  LAKE  (Q.)— The  sixth  lake  on  the  Liverpool 
River,  called  by  the  Indians  "Toobeadoogook." 

TONEY  RIVER  (P.)— Named  in  honor  of  Captain  Toney,  a 
Frenchman  who  was  a  great  chief  among  the  Micmac  Indians.  He 
is  said  to  have  made  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  English  in  1761. 
The  old  Micmac  Indian  name  was  "Booktowtagun,"  meaning 
"spark  of  fire,"  or  flint"  or  "what  strikes  fire,"  or  literally,  the  place 
where  flint  stone  is  found. 

TONGE  ISLAND— So  called  after  Colonel  Winckworth- 
Tonge,  who  commanded  the  Engineers  at  the  seige  of  Port  Beause- 
jour  in  1755,  and  who  received  a  grant  of  land  in  which  this 
island  was  included.  He  was  of  Irish  birth,  and  represented 
Kings  County  in  the  "Long  Parliament"  1770-1785.  He  was  at 
some  time  during  those  years  Chief  Naval  Officer  for  Nova  Scotia. 

TOR  BAY  (G.)— Tor  is  Scottish  for  Rock  or  Pinnacle.  This 
.place  was  neamed  by  the  early  EngHsh  mariners  after  Tor  Bay  on 
the  south  east  coast  of  England.  The  Indian  name  was  "Taboo-" 
esimkek,"  meaning  "two  in  company  picking  berries."  (This  is 
where  "Tabusintac,  N.  B.,  gets  its  name.) 

TOWN  GUT  (P.) — At  this  creek  a  survey  was  at  one  time 
made  for  a  town;  the  creek  has  ever  since  borne  the  name  of  the 
Town  Gut. 


14|5  PLACE-NAMES   OF   NOVA  SCOTIA 

TOWN  POINT  ( Y.)— In  1763  a  committee  intended  to  survey 
and  form  a  town  on  a  projecting  point  of  land  on  the  Chebogue 
Harbor.     This  place  is  still  known  by  the  name  of  Town  Point. 

TRACADIE  (Ant.) — One  of  the  four  township  divisions  of 
Antigonish  County.  The  Micmac  Indian  name  was  *'Tulukaddy" 
which  means  "place  of  residence."  Champlain  mentions  it  in 
1631  as  'Tregate."  Another  explanation  of  the  derivation  of  this 
name  is  that  the  Indians  called  it  'Telegadik"  a  word  used  by  the 
Micmacs  to  denote  any  particular  inhabitated  place  or  camping 
ground.  The  English  changed  the  *T'  to  ''r"  (there  is  no  "r"  in 
Micmac),  making  it  "Etragadie,"  from  which  we  get  the  name 
"Tracadie." 


TRAFALGAR  (G.)— Named  after  Cape  Trafalgar  in  Spain  or 
after  the  great  British  naval  victory  gained  there  in  1805. 

TRENTON  (P.)— Named  thus  owing  to  the  Nova  Scotia  Steel 
&  Coal  Co.  having  their  steel  manufacturing  plant  at  this  place, 
and  after  the  busy  manufacturing  capital  of  the  State  of  New 
Jersey.  The  name  originally  was  after  the  English  River  Trent. 
The  choice  of  a  name  for  this  ambitious  little  Nova  Scotia  town 
was  unfortunate  as  it  lacks  originality,  and  the  name  is  used  to  de- 
note a  battle  between  the  Americans  and  British,  in  which  the 
British  were  defeated. 

TRUEMANVILLE  (C.)— Named  by  Act  of  Pariiament 
passed  in  1876. 

TRURO  (Col.)— First  settled  in  1761  by  McNutt's  colonists 
from  Ulster.  The  Township  was  granted  the  31st  of  October, 
1765.  It  was  at  one  time  called  "Cobequid."  The  present  name 
is  after  the  Town  of  Truro,  the  chief  town  of  Cornwall.  Truro 
is  one  of  the  four  Townships  of  Colchester  County.  In  the  Court 
House  in  Truro  there  is  a  tablet  erected  by  the  Nova  Scotia  His- 
Historical  Society  in  1912,  unveiled  by  H.  R.  H.  the  Duke  of  Con- 
naught,  which  reads  as  follows:  "This  Tablet  commemorates  the 
British  settlement  of  Truro,  Onslow  and  Londonderry  1760:-1762 
partly  by  a  colony  of  English  stock  from  New  England,  chiefly  by 
Scots-Irish  from  New  Hampshire  and  Ireland  under  the  leadership 
of  Colonel  Alexander  McNutt  etc.,  etc. 

TUMBLIN  ISLAND  (L.)— Named  after  a  resident,  Benja- 
min Tumblin. 

TUN  ISLAND  (H.)— An  island  in  Blind  Bay>  named  by 
Captain  P.  F.  Shortland,  R.  N.,  in  1864. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  147 

TUPPERDALE  (I.)— Former  name  Rocky  Ridge.  Changed 
to  its  present  name  in  honor  of  Sir  Charles  Tupper  by  an  Act  of 
Parliament  in  the  year  1897. 

TUPPER  LAKE  (Q.)— See  Lake  Tupper. 

TUPPERVILLE  (A.)— See  Tupperdale. 

TUSKET  (Y.) — This  place  derives  its  name  from  the  Micmac 
Indian  word  "Neketaouksit"  meaning  "the  great  forked  tidal 
river. 

Tusket  Wedge  was  at  one  time  called  "Chebec." 

Tusket  Island  in  1633  is  called  by  Jean  de  Laite  "Isles  aux 
Tangneux"  or  "Gannet  Islands."  The  Indians  also  knew  this 
place  as  "Aglassawakade,"  or  "place  of  the  English." 

The  name  also  appears  as  "Tousquet"  in  Rameau's  history 
of  the  French  colonies  1859. 

TUSKET  WEDGE  (Y.)— See  the  new  name  "Wedgeport." 

TWEEDMOOGE  (C.  B.)~The  Indian  name  given  to  the 
Barrasois  or  Lagoon  at  the  head  of  East  Bay  or  St.  Andrew's 
Channel.  "Tweedmooge"  was  the  name  by  which  the  portage  from 
East  Bay  to  Sydney  River  was  known. 


148  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


u 


UISGE  BAN  FALLS  (V.)— Near  Baddeck.  The  words 
Uisge  Ban  are  Gaelic,  meaning  "white  water." 

UNIACKE  (Hts.)— See  Mount  Uniacke. 

UPPER  SHIP  HARBOR  RIVER  (H.)— The  Indians  called 
this  part  of  Ship  Harbor  River  "Chipkootopskook"  meaning  "the 
gulley  formed  by  a  waterfall." 

URBANIA  (Hts.)— At  one  time  called  "Carleton."  The 
name  was  changed  about  1860  to  "Urbania." 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  149 


V 


VARNER  BRIDGE  (L.)— Named  after  Elias  Varner,  who 
lived  near  this  place. 

VAUGHAN  (Hts.)— Called  after  a  family  named  Vaughan, 
who  settled  here  about  the  year  1833. 

VERNAL  (Ant.)— Evidently  meaning  "Spring."  This  place 
was  settled  about  the  year  1800. 

VESUVIUS  (K.) — A  point  on  the  Blue  Mountains  named  after 
the  famous  Bay  of  Naples  Volcano. 

VICTORIA  COUNTY— So  named  in  honor  of  her  late 
Gracious  Majesty,  Queen  Victoria;  formed  into  a  county  about 
the  year  1851.  The  name  ''Victoria"  is  applied  to  a  number  of 
places  throughout  the  Province  and  was  given,  of  course,  in  honor  of 
"'Victoria  the  Good,"  who  reigned  over  the  British  Empire  for 
sixty-four  years  (1837  to  1901). 

VICTORIA  LINE  (I.)— See  new  name  Gladstone. 

yOGLER  COVE  (L.)— First  settled  by  a  McDonald  an  old 
soldier  from  Scotland.  The  Cove  received  its  name  from  a  later 
settler  of  Prussian  origin,  Frederick  Vogler. 


^yz/iiiF 


160  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


w 


WAGONER  SETTLEMENT.  (D.)— Settled  in  1833  by  Ben- 
jamin Wagoner,  and  called  after  him.     Now  known  as  Riverdale. 

WALLACE  (C.) — One  of  the  three  Township  divisions  of 
Cumberland  County.  This  place  was  at  one  time  called  *  'Ramsack" 
or  **Ramshag."  It  was  settled  in  1784  by  American  Loyalists. 
In  the  year  1810,  Alexander  Stewart,  for  many  years  the  County 
(Cumberland)  representative  in  the  legislature,  had  the  name 
changed  to  "Wallace"  in  honor  of  Michael  Wallace,  Provincial 
Secretary.  Wallace  acted  as  Lt.-Governor  of  the  Province  in  1818 
and  again  in  1824.  The  name  has  spread  to  Wallace  Bay  River 
Bridge — Station — Grant^^Highland — Ridge — East  Wallace — Head 
of  Wallace  Bay — North  and  South,  etc. — all  in  Cumberland  County. 
This  appears  to  be  a  regrettable  multiplicity  of  nearly  similar 
names,  and  must  lead  to  endless  mistakes  and  misunderstandings. 

WALKERVILLE  (R.)— The  old  name  for  this  place  was  Basin 
River  Inhabitants.  It  was  renamed  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in 
1906. 

WALTON  (Hts.)— The  name  was  formerly  "Little  Petite." 
It  was  changed  about  1830  to  "Walton"  after  a  gentleman  named 
James  Walton  Nutting  of  Halifax,  who  owned  considerable  property 
there. 

WARREN  (C.) — So  named  in  honor  of  Warren  Hastings. 
(See  Hastings). 

WARREN  LAKE  (V.)— Named  after  a  family  who  are  said 
to  be  one  of  the  first  English-speaking  settlers  at  North  Bay, 
Ingonish,  after  the  exodus  of  the  French. 

WASHABUCK  (V.)— Said  to  be  a  Micmac  Indian  word 
meaning  an  angle  of  land  formed  between  a  river  and  a  lake.  Some- 
times spelled  Washabuckt,  and  "Watchabuckt."  There  is  an 
Indian  name  "Wosobachuk"  which  means  "placid  water"  and  is 
likely  the  word  the  name  is  derived  from. 

^  WATERFORD  (C.  B._)— A  mining  town  located  near  a  lake 
which  is  known  as  "Waterford  Lake" — hence  the  name.  Locally, 
the  lake  was  known  in  recent  years  as  "Kearney's  Lake"  after  an 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  151 

Irish  settler  whose  farm  was  situated  on  its  margin.  The  locality 
was  formerly  known  as  the  Barrasois  (see)  and  previous  to  1911  this 
name  included  all  the  territory  between  Low  or  Flat  Point  and 
Lingan. 

WATERNISH  (G.)— This  place  was  formerly  part  of  Still- 
water. The  name  is  said  to  be  that  of  the  Scottish  home  town  of 
the  first  Postmaster  McKenzie,  **Nish"  is  the  Gaelic  for  here,  or 
place,  hence  "water  place." 

WATSON  CREEK  (C.  B.)— A  creek  in  Sydney  Harbor 
named  after  an  early  Scotch  settler,  Daniel  Watson.  His  descend- 
ants still  live  near  the  creek. 

WAUGH  RIVER  (Col.)— Named  after  the  first  Scotch  set- 
tler, Wellwood  Waugh,  who  in  1777  came  from  the  County  of  Dum- 
fries in  the  south  of  Scotland,  and  settled  on  an  intervale  on  this 
River  which  has  ever  since  borne  his  name. 

WAVERLEY  (H.)— The  name  given  by  Mr.  Charles  P.  Allen 
to  a  house,  and  afterwards  applied  to  the  village  or  district.  Mr. 
Allen  was  a  great  admirer  of  Scott's  famous  Waverley  novels — 
hence  the  name. 

WEAVER  SETTLEMENT  (D.)— The  name  was  given  in 
honor  of  the  first  settler,  Michael  Weaver. 

WEDGEPORT  (Y.)— The  former  name  of  this  place  was 
Tusket  Wedge.  In  1909  by  an  Act  of  Parliament,  it  was  changed 
to  the  present  name. 

WELLINGTON  (Y,),  WELLINGTON  SETTLEMENT  (H.) 
— Both  obviously  named  after  the  English  Lord  and  General,  so 
famous  early  in  the  nineteenth  century. 

WELSFORD  ^  (P.)— Was  formerly  known  as  River  John 
Village,  and  was  given  its  present  name  by  an  Act  of  Parliament 
passed  in  1858. 

WELTON  CORNER  (K.)— Called  after  a  family  of  this  name 
who  came  from  Annapolis  County — but  originally  from  Connec- 
ticut. 

WENTWORTH,  WENTWORTH  CENTRE,  WENT- 
WORTH  STATION  (C.)— Named  in  honor  of  Sir  John  Went- 
worth,  who  was  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  in  the  year 
1792. 


152  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

WENTWORTH  CREEK  (Neai  Sydney)  (C.  B.)— Named 
after  Lieutenant-Governor  Sir  John  Wentworth,  who  was  at  one 
time  also  Surveyor-General  for  the  Province. 

WENTWORTH  LAKE  (Q.)— See  Wentworth. 

WENTZELL  LAKE  (L.)— So  called  in  honor  of  an  early 
settler  named  Nathaniel  Wentzell.  This  lake  was  at  one  time 
known  as   "MacKay's   Lake." 

WEESIK  (G.)— A  hill  near  Country  Harbor.  It  is  an  Indian 
word  meaning  "The  beavers'  home." 

WESKAWENAAK  (D.)— A  place  near  Digby.  An  Indian 
name  meaning  "Happy  Land"  or  "Laughing  Place." 

WEST  ARICHAT  (R.)— This  place  was  at  one  time  named 
*'Acadiaville." 

WEST  BAY  (L)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was  "Wol- 
namkeak,"  meaning  "a  sandy  cove,"  "Wolna"  being  the  Micmac 
for  Cove.  Was  first  settled  in  1813  by  a  few  Scotch  famiHes  who 
came  from  Pictou,  N.  S. 

WEST  BERLIN  (Q.)— This  place  was  formerly  called  "Blue- 
berry" owing  to  the  number  of  these  berries  found  there.  The 
present  name  was  given  it  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the  year  1886. 

WESTHAVER  ISLAND  (L.)— An  island  at  the  entrance  of 
Mahone  Bay,  evidently  named  after  one  of  the  original  grantees 
of  land  in  these  parts,  Jacob  Westheffer  or  some  of  his  descendants. 

WESTFIELD  (QO— This  place  was  settled  in  the  year  1822. 
(See    Greenfield) . 

WEST  RIVER  (P.)— Was  called  by  the  Micmac  Indians 
"Pebloogowaak." 

WESTVILLE  (P.)— So  named  because  the  Colleries  and  Rail- 
way started  in  1869  were  further  west  than  the  colleries  already  in 
operation. 

WESTVILLE  (D.)— This  place  was  formerly  called  Brinley 
Town  by  the  freed  slaves  who  came  with  the  Loyalists. 

WEYMOUTH  (D.)— Laid  out  in  the  year  1784.  It  was  at 
one  time  called  "Wessagussett."  In  1784  there  is  a  record  of  the 
forming  of  two  towns  on  the  Sissiboo  River  in  Digby  County,  to  be 
called  "Edinburgh"  or  "New  Edinburgh"  on  the  east  side,  and 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  153 

* 'Weymouth"  on  the  opposite  side.  Edinburgh  was  evidently 
given  up,  although  we  find  a  village  named  New  Edinburgh  on  the 
Sissiboo  River,  about  twelve  miles  from  Weymouth.  Some  of  the 
pioneer  settlers  came  from  Weymouth,  Norfolk  Co.,  Massachu- 
setts, and  they  probably  gave  it  the  name.  The  American  town 
was  named  after  Weymouth,  Dorsetshire,  England,  which  was  in 
turn  named  after  the  River  Wey  upon  which  it  is  situated. 

WHETSTONE  LAKE  (L.)— So  named  because  of  the  fact 
that  whetstones  (scythe  and  other  stones)  of  a  superior  quality  are 
made  from  stones  found  near  by. 

WHEATON  VAULT  (K.)— A  brook  so  named  because  it  is  a 
comparatively  waterless  channel.  These  channels  are  called  vaults 
and  were  cut  by  geologically  ancient  streams  flowing  into  the  Bay 
of  Fundy  depression. 

WHISTLER'S  COVE  (H.)— See  Ocean  Glen. 

WHITEBURNE  (Q.)— This  place  was  settled  in  the  year 
1822. 

WHITE  HEAD  (C.  B.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Kamsokooteetc,"  meaning  the  "little  place  opposite  small  cliffs." 

WHITEROCK  (K.)— A  descriptive  name.     One  time  known 

as  White  Rock  Mills. 

WHITES  (K.)— Not  Whites  Corner.  Named  after  a  Mr. 
David  White,  a  sometime  Postmaster. 

WHITEHAVEN  (G.)— Once  called  "Savalet"  in  honor  of  a 
Captain  Sa valet  from  St.  Jean  de  Luz,  who  had  a  fishing  place  here 
and  was  found  here  by  Poutrincourt  on  his  voyage,  (1604-1607.  He 
had  sixteen  men  in  his  employ,  and  claimed  that  this  was  his  forty- 
second  voyage  to  these  parts  from  France. 

WHITE  POINT  (C.  B.)— The  Indian  name  of  this  Head  was 
"Kamsokootectc,"  meaning  "the  little  place  opposite  small  cliffs." 

WHITESIDE  (C.  B.)— This  place  was  so  named  in  1902  after 
families  named  White.  The  former  name  was  "Basin  of  River 
Inhabitants." 

WHITNEY  (C.  B.)— Originally  and  still  locally  known  as 
"International  Pier."  The  actual  piers  or  shipping  docks  of  the 
Dominion  Coal  and  Dominion  Steel  Company  are  known  as  Inter- 
national Piers.    The  Poet  Office  and  the  district  are  now  known  as 


154  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

* 'Whitney  Pier."  It  is  part  and  a  suburb  of  the  City  of  Sydney. 
It  was  named  after  an  Americal  gentleman,  Mr.  Henry  M.  Whitney, 
who  was  the  founder  and  the  first  President  of  the  Dominion  Coal 
Company,  formed  in  the  year  1^93. 

WHYCOCOMAGH  (V,)— This  is  an  Indian  name  meaning 
"the  head  of  the  water,"  or  "end  of  the  bay."  The  Indian  spelling 
of  the  word  is  "Wakogumaak."  Although  this  meaning  given 
appears  in  several  places,  Dr.  Rand  in  his  Dictionary  gives  the 
meaning  as  "beside  the  sea"  or  "beside  the  flowing  wave  tops." 
It  was  first  settled  in  the  year  1821  by  John  McKinnon  from  Scot- 
land. 

WHYCOCOMAGH  PORTAGE  (V.)— This  name  is  given  to 
the  strip  of  land  where  the  Indians  portaged  or  carried  their  canoes 
from  the  waters  of  the  Great  Bras  d'Or  Lakes  to  Whycocomagh 
Bay  or  vice  versa. 

WILBURN  (I.) — The  place  formerly  known  as  South  Why- 
cocomagh, was  changed  to  Wilburn  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  in  the 
year  1901. 

WILDCAT  (0») — A  place  near  Liverpool  which  the  Indians 
named  "Kwebejook."  The  Indian  word  for  wildcat  is  "Utkoweeh." 

WILE  SETTLEMENT  (Hts.)— This  place  was  settled  about 
1858  by  the  following  families,  who  came  from  Kings  and  Lunen- 
burg Counties:  James  Boyde,  Abraham  Zwicker,  Charles  and 
Israel  Wile.     From  the  last  two  comes  the  name. 

WILEVILLE,  WILE  LAKE  (L.)— Called  after  an  early 
German  settler  named  Wile.  The  lake  is  sometimes  known  as 
"Oakhill  Lake." 

WILLIAMSDALE  (C.)— In  the  year  1867,  by  an  Act  of  Par- 
liament, the  old  name  of  the  place,  "East  Branch  River"  was  dis- 
carded and  the  present  name  adopted. 

WILMOT  (A.) — One  of  the  four  Townships  of  Annapolis 
County,  was  formed  in  the  year  1764,  and  named  after  Montague 
Wilmot,  who  was  appointed  Lt. -Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  in  1763 
and  Governor  in  1764.  It  was  settled  about  four  years  after  the 
arrival  of  the  vessel  "Charming  Molly"  with  the  first  emigrants  for 
Annapolis  from    New  England. 

WINDHAM  HILL  (C.)— Settled  early  in  the  nineteenth 
century  by  a  colored  family  named  Rodgers.  It  was  named  by  a 
Mr.  John  Bragg,  a  J.  P.  in  honor  of  General  Windham. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  155 

Glace  Bay,  in  Cape  Breton  County,  was  at  one  time  called 
"Windham  River"  after  the  same  man. 

WINDSOR  (Hts.)— The  Indian  name  for  Windsor  was 
"Setunook"  meaning  a  lake  extending  back  or  where  the  sea  water 
flows  back.  The  township,  one  of  the  six  Townships  of  Hants,  was 
formed  in  the  year  1764.  Previous  to  1764,  the  township,  or  the 
land  covered  by  it,  was  known  as  "Pessequid"  meaning  to  flow 
split-wise  (as  the  tide  does  here) .  Windsor  was  first  included  in  the 
County  of  Halifax. 

At  Windsor  is  located  Kings  College,  which  was  opened  in 
1788,  and  an  establishing  Act  passed  in  1789.  Received  a  Royal 
Charter  in  the  year  1802.  It  is  a  Church  of  England  Institution, 
and  its  name  is  a  tribute  to  Royalty. 

WINE  HARBOR  (G.)— The  Indian  name  for  this  place  was 
"Pulamkeegunucht,"  meaning  "the  fish  spawning  place"  (Pulamoo 
is  salmon) .  It  is  said  to  have  received  its  present  name  because  of 
a  vessel  having  been  wrecked  there  with  a  cargo  of  wine. 

WINGING  POINT  (C.  B.)— The  name  given  the  east  head- 
land of  Forchu  Bay.  It  is  said  to  be  so  named  owing  to  many 
wild  duck  being  shot  there  on  the  wing. 

WITTENBURG  (Col.)~Named^  after  the  Saxony  town  of 
that  name  by  settlers  of  Prussian  origin. 

WOLFE  ISLAND  (L.)— Named  after  the  Grantee,  Wendel 
Wolfe,  an  early  settler  of  German  origin. 

^  WOLFE  ROCK  (C.  B.)— A  rock  in  Gabarus  Bay,  so  named 
owing  to  its  being  the  landing  place  of  Wolfe  at  the  last  taking  of 
Louisburg  in  1759. 

WOLFVILLE  (K.)— Situated  on  the  Cornwallis  River  and 
known  as  the  Academic  Town.  This  place  was  originally  called 
**Mud  Creek."  In  1830,  the  Postmaster,  whose  name  was  De Wolfe, 
and  who  was  a  descendant  of  Judge  Elisha  DeWolf e,  who  had  enter- 
tained the  King  at  "Mud  Creek"  a  generation  earlier,  petitioned 
the  authorities  to  change  the  name.  It  was  at  that  time  named 
"Wolfville"  in  honor  of  the  DeWolfes.  The  Micmac  Indian  knew 
this  place  as  "M'taban." 

At  Wolfvilleis  the  Acadia  College,  founded  by  the  Nova  Scotia 
Baptist  Education  Society  in  1838.  University  power  created  in 
1840;  given  its  present  name  by  Act  of  Legislature  in  1841. 

WOODEN  COVE  (H.)— A  cove  in  St.  Margaret's  Bay,  named 
after  a  family  of  early  residents. 


156  PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 

WOODSIDE  (H.)— Near  Dartmouth.  This  was  the  name  of 
the  home  of  the  Honorable  John  E.  Fairbanks,  who  at  one  time 
owned  the  property  that  is  now  known  as  "Woodside." 

WOODVILLE  (D.) — Named  so  owing  to  the  excellent  quality 
of  timber  found  there.     First  settler  in  1825,  Abraham  Robert. 

WOODWORTH  COVE  (K.)— So  named  after  one  of  the  num- 
ber of  Woodworths  who  appear  as  grantees  of  Cornwallis  Town- 
ship. 

WYNOTT  POINT  (H.)— Named  by  Captain  P.  F.  Short- 
land,  R.  N.,  in  1864.     One  time  known  as  Smith's  Point. 

WYSE  CORNER  (H.)— So  named  after  William  Wyse,  who 
was  an  early  settler  at  Dollars  Lake,  near  by. 

WYVERN  (C.)— So  named  by  the  then  Postmaster-General's 
Office  in  1890.  It  was  formerly  known  as  "West  Branch  River 
Phillips."     It  was  first  settled  about  1836. 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA  157 


YARMOUTH— At  one  time  called  "Fourchu,"  i.  e.,  "forked 
or  cloven  cape."  It  was  given  this  name  by  Champlain  in  1604, 
"inasmuch  as  its  figure  was  so."  The  present  name  first  appears 
in  a  grant  made  in  September  1759,  in  which  it  is  provided  that  the 
tract  of  land  hitherto  known  as  Cape  Fourchu  "shall  be  a  township 
to  be  called  hereafter  and  known  by  the  name  of  the  Township  of 
Yarmouth." 

Some  authorities  say  it  was  named  after  the  Township  and 
Town  of  Yarmouth  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts;  others  say  this 
is  absurd,  although  it  is  admitted  that  some  of  the  earliest  settlers 
came  from  that  place. 

Mr.  Campbell,  a  Yarmouth  historian,  states  that  Cape  Fourchu 
River  was  by  the  EngHsh  named  the  "Yar,"  and  infers  that  the 
County  received  its  name  in  this  manner. 

As  all  the  counties  were  evidently  named  by  English  author- 
ities, it  would  appear  that  Yarmouth  was  named — as  Digby,  Shel- 
burne,  etc. — after  an  English  titled  personage  of  that  time. 

The  Indians  called  Yarmouth  "Keespongwitk,"  meaning 
"Land's  End." 

The  Indian  name  for  Yarmouth  River  was  "Maligeak,"  mean- 
ing "fretful  waters,"  which  appears  to  be  the  same  name  they  ap- 
plied to  Malaga  Lakes  in  Queens  County. 

The  district  of  Yarmouth  was  cut  off  from  Shelburne  County 
in  1836,  and  made  an  independent  county.  The  Township  of 
Argyle  was  included.  Yarmouth  Town  was  incorporated  in  the 
year  1890.  The  first  settlers  of  Yarmouth  were  Acadian  French 
and  refugees  from  New  England.  Yarmouth  County  is  divided 
into  two  Townships — Yarmouth  and  Argyle.  The  County  con- 
tains 736  sq.  miles. 

YOUNG  ISLAND  (L)— Named  after  the  original  owner, 
Mr.  Peter  Young. 

YOUNG  COVE,  YOUNG  MOUNTAIN  (A.)— Called  after 
an  early  settler  named  Young. 


158 


PLACE-NAMES  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA 


ZWICKER'S  ISLAND  (L.)— Named  after  an  early  settler 
Mr.  Peter  Zwicker. 


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