about Wedgeport & Area
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Information about Wedgeport & Area |
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 Wedgeport Logo |
 Argyle Municiple Crest |
 Acadien Flag |
 Nova Scotia Flag |
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Our fire department serves the communities of Lower Wedgeport, Wedgeport, Upper Wedgeport, Plymouth, Little River Harbour and Comeau's Hill, which are all located in Yarmouth County, in the South Western part of the Province of Nova Scotia, in the Country of Canada. Read on for more information about each of these communities.
Wedgeport
Wedgeport is located at 43°44'06"N, 65°58'49"W in the Yarmouth to Pubnico region of the Lighthouse Route, Yarmouth county. Wedgeport is a pioneer Acadian village located in the Argyle Municipality, in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. Wedgeport was settled in 1767 by returning Acadians that were deported from Nova Scotia to the Boston area. The village of Wedgeport was formally called Tusket Wedge, it was also at one time called "Chebec". In 1909 by an Act of Parliament, it was changed to the present name of Wedgeport.
Prior to 1910, the community of Wedgeport in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, was part of the Municipality of the District of Argyle. In 1908 the people of Wedgeport petitioned the Provincial Government for town incorporation. On May 16, 1910, the Town of Wedgeport was officially incorporated, and the communities currently known as Upper Wedgeport, Wedgeport, and Lower Wedgeport, became a town separate from the Municipality of Argyle. Incorporation meant that Wedgeport was responsible for collecting its own taxes, operating a town office, electing a Council, the maintenance and construction of roads and electing its own school commissioners. The town was also responsible for its Magistrates and for Police affairs. The first meeting was held on July 23, 1910, and town officers were appointed. Elections were held previous to this first meeting at which time the mayor and councillors were elected. Town Council held regular monthly meetings as well as special meetings as deemed necessary.
On December 22, 1947, the Town of Wedgeport was disincorporated and rejoined the Municipality of the District of Argyle. The town's tax base had become too small to support the town's obligations and responsibilities.
Wedgeport was once known as the Sport Tuna Fishing Capital of the world, and attracted rich and famous visitors from around the world including President Franklin Roosevelt, Kate Smith, Gene Tunny, Amelia Earhart, Ernest Hemmingway, Jean Béliveau, Ethel Dupont, Toney Hulman and many others. It also hosted the International Tuna Cup Match from the 1937 to the 1976. Teams from around the globe converged on Wedgeport to compete for the Sharp Cup. These fish could weigh-in at 800 pounds and more and the "reeling-in" could take hours. In 1949, 1780 Bluefin Tuna were landed.
A museum and interpretive centre, opened in the summer of 1996, to house the hundreds of mementos and pictures, fishing rods, mock tuna boat, 3 wall tunas, model boats, etc... The quayside museum and interpretive centre also feature other fishing exhibits, fish tanks, touch tanks, Acadian history, Wedgeport general history & videos. Visit the Souvenir Shop. Reserve a Wedgeport Tusket Island Cruise. An interpreted nature trail begins at the wharf and lead through woods, past marshes and along shorelines. The oldest maintained Acadian historical site in southwestern Nova Scotia, the Butte-de-la-Croix (located at the end of the East Road), is a symbol of the courage and perseverance of the Acadians return from exile in 1767.
The Festival Acadien de Wedgeport is held here at the end of June.
The main industry in the area is fishing. The lobster fishing season starts on the last Monday of November, and lasts 6 months. Over 500,000 traps will be dumped between Cole Harbour (Halifax County) and Burns Point (Digby County). In 1997 there were 13,500 tonnes of lobster caught, which is equal to about 14 kilograms of lobster for each person in N.S. The value of the catch was $160 million, at the wharf level ($2 or $3 dollors cheaper a pound than what a seller would charge). However, 80 % of all lobster caught here is shipped to the United States. From Cole Harbour to Baccaro Point (Shelburne County) there are about 750 vessels. From Baccaro Point to Burns Point, there are about 960 vessels engaged in the lobster fishery. Lately, lobster stocks have been slack, due to a lot of poaching, and Indians over fishing in the off season.
The Canada 2001 Census gave the population of the community as 1,217 people and the average income per person was $36,160.
Plymouth
Plymouth is a little more of an English community than Wedgeport. Plymouth is on the west side of the Tusket River approximately 3 miles from the main highway #3. The Indian name for the Tusket River "Neketaouksit" meaning "the great tidal river" included the area of Plymouth. The present name was probably given by the Loyalists who came here
from Shelburne in 1758.
Comeau's Hill
This section is Under Constriction...
Little River Harbour
This section is Under Constriction...
| Distances from Wedgeport to: | (approximate distances) 1 km = 0.62137003 mile | |
| Yarmouth | 15 km / 9 miles |  |
| Tusket (Yar. County) | 20 km / 12 miles | |
| Pubnico (Yar. County) | Haven't measured it yet... | |
| Barrington (Shelburne County) | 65 km / 40 miles | |
| Centerville (Digby Neck) | 130 km / 80 miles | |
| Liverpool (Queens County) | 160 km / 100 miles | |
| Bridgewater (Lunenburg County) | 210 km / 130 miles | |
| Halifax (Capital City) | 320 km / 200 miles | |
| Halifax International Airport | Haven't measured it yet... | |
| Stewiake | 380 km / 235 miles | |
| Truro | 415 km / 260 miles | |
Maps & Pictures
Wedgeport logo
A map of Wedgeport
Other Pictures of Wedgeport
Wedgeport & Other Links
| Businesses | Other |
| LeBlanc Brothers Boatbuilders | Wedgeport School (French website) |
| Wedgeport Quik Mart | Argyle Municipal Government |
| Wedgeport Boats Limited | Radio CIFA (French) |
| Wedgeport Credit Union | CJLS Radio (English) |
| Wedgeport Tusket Islands Cruise | Saint Michael's Roman Catholic Church |
