Parc de nos Ancêtres

Attractions in the The Eastern Shore

This park concept is the creation of la Société des Acadiens de la Région de Tor Baie, after a community request to have a unique physical community reminder of our cultural reality and history. In an attempt to integrate history and geography, through the story of our ancestors, the idea of using rocks, for which the area is well known, emerged. It was also decided that 10 paintings revealing our history from our departure from France to settlement at Port Royal, the development of Grand Pré, the Deportation, Re-settlement, and eventual move from Chezzetcook to Tor Bay.

All this was done in the shape of an anchor denoting our ancestors’ resolve when they reacted to Bishop Plessis’ 1815 request to move with our cousins on Île Madame. Their response to him was, “No, we have thrown our anchor-we are here to stay.” The concept led to the search for artists who felt they could meet the challenges of painting on stone and willing to educate themselves to the Acadian saga. Monika Deursch and Charlotte Pitts (Petitpas) accepted the conditions and painting began in the spring of 2007. Local construction company owner, Raymond Delorey, did the land preparation, rock placements, and created a park monument. Chosen images were provided by our Société, and research, writing and translations was done by a variety of individuals who voluntarily pooled their resources to see this project through. Once the writings were completed and edited, they were professionally transferred to plaques created by Atlantex Creative Works, of Chezzetcook. Funding was provided by the province of Nova Scotia, the Municipalty of the District of Guysborough and our local community fund-raising efforts. Today, we have hundreds of annual visitors to our park who share comments such as: “very unique with artistic brilliance; very well documented account and easy to follow; what a great find!; we didn’t know the story prior to this visit; we didn’t realise that Acadians settled this area”. To date our park sees annual visitors from every province and territory of Canada, around 40 States of the USA, and some 20 foreign countries. The Municipality of the District of Guysborough presently own and maintain this park.