Port Morien (also referred to as "Morien") is a small
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
community of 700 people in the
Canadian
Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
province of
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
, located in the southeastern
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island (, formerly '; or '; ) is a rugged and irregularly shaped island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.
The island accounts for 18.7% of Nova Scotia's total area. Although ...
near the rural community
Donkin, and six miles from the town of
Glace Bay
Glace Bay (Scottish Gaelic: ''Glasbaidh'') is a community in the eastern part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. It forms part of the general area referred to as Industrial Cape Breton.
Formerly an incorporated ...
.
Name
Port Morien was first recorded as "Baie de Mordienne" on a map in 1580. In the nineteenth century, it was renamed Cow Bay by settlers. A cow allegedly escaped from a vessel when being transported from
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
to Louisbourg and was found in the area. In 1895, its name was changed to Port Morien.
History
The history of Port Morien can be traced back to the early 18th century, when the area was first settled by French and Scottish immigrants. The town quickly developed into a thriving fishing and mining community, with a bustling port and a thriving economy.
In the late 20th century, Port Morien faced a number of economic challenges, as the fishing and mining industries declined and many residents left the area in search of work. However, the community has remained resilient and has worked to diversify its economy and attract new businesses and residents.
Coal mining
The presence of coal in Cape Breton was first noted by
Intendant
An intendant (; ; ) was, and sometimes still is, a public official, especially in France, Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. The intendancy system was a centralizing administrative system developed in France. In the War of the Spanish Success ...
Jean Talon in 1671.
It was the
Treaty of Utrecht
The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaty, peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vac ...
in 1713, and the subsequent founding of
Louisbourg
Louisbourg is an unincorporated community and former town in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia.
History
The harbour had been used by European mariners since at least the 1590s, when it was known as English Port and Havre à l'An ...
, which really focused French attention on Cape Breton coal as a valuable and necessary resource. The Fortress of Louisbourg and its inhabitants were in need of a local coal supply, and the closest source was the outcrop at Port Morien
So, the first commercial coal mine in North America began production at Port Morien in 1720. By 1724, coal from Port Morien was being traded to Boston in the first officially recorded export of minerals in Canada. The ownership of the mine, called the Gowrie Mines, changed hands between the English and French four times, with the English ultimately gaining control in the late eighteenth century.
In 1725, a blockhouse was built by the French to protect the valuable coal reserves.
Fishing
Alongside the mining industry, the fishing industry also grew. Over time, the village has become dependent on lobster fishing as its main resource. In 2000, the lobster fleet consisted of 47 boats.
There has been a fish-processing plant operating at the harbour continuously by one family since 1941. There is also a boatbuilding business in town.
Organizations and clubs
There are many active organizations and clubs in the Port Morien community. They include: a
Royal Canadian Legion branch, a development association, a volunteer fire department,
Girl Guides of Canada
Girl Guides of Canada (GGC; ) is the national Guiding association of Canada. Guiding in Canada started on September 7, 1910, and GGC was among the founding members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) in 1928.
Histo ...
, a camera club, a community fair committee, a women's institute, an acting group, a wildlife association, a youth sports league, and a walking club. There are also three churches: St John's United Church, St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, and St. Paul's Anglican Church.
Although there is currently no active group, Port Morien was the site of the first Boy Scout troop in North America, founded in 1908 by William Glover, the chief book keeper of the North Atlantic Colliery.
Attractions
* The
Marconi Wireless Station National Historic Site of Canada is located near Port Morien.
Recognition
* In 2008, Port Morien received the Lieutenant Governor's Community Spirit Award.
References
Further reading
*''Port Morien: Pages of the Past'' (University College of Cape Breton Press)
External links
Port Morien on Destination Nova Scotia*https://web.archive.org/web/20091212213423/http://museum.gov.ns.ca/places/morien/morien.htm
{{Coord, 46, 7, 55.73, N, 59, 52, 30.21, W, name= Port Morien, Nova Scotia, display=title, region:CA-NS_scale:100000
Communities in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Unincorporated communities in Nova Scotia
Mining communities in Nova Scotia