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Parker, 1897 PDF Print E-mail

Rev. Davis Otto Parker lived near Grand-Pré around the turn of the 20th century. He visited the land that would eventually become Grand-Pré National Historic Site and produced this map of Acadian ruins for tourists.

SOURCE: Rev. David Otto Parker 1897. Souvenir of Wolfville and Grand Pré. (Wolfville).

David Otto Parker article & map, 1897
Rev. David Otto Parker 1897. Souvenir of Wolfville and Grand Pré. (Wolfville).

Evangeline's Well, so-called, is a little in front of the willows. The plow-share has been over it for ages, and there the grain had grown. It was discovered a few years ago by treasure seekers digging for hidden gold. When cleaned out, many valuable French Acadian relics were found at the bottom, supposed to have been put there at the time of the expulsion. West from the well is the site of the chapel from which the exiles embarked to the transports, discovered by its underground foundation. I visited this place a few days since, when the ground had been newly plowed, and now have at my house relics, personally gathered, of old hand-forged nails, fragments of melted glass, charred fragments of wood and remains of bricks and slate from the chimney, which were once a part of this old sanctuary . . ."

A few steps west of the chapel, are the remains of a cellar, which without doubt belonged to the house of the friar [priest]…

The old Acadian graveyard is a little east of the well...

PARKER'S MAP LEGEND:
Burying ground (G) is 26 rods (130m) north of Railroad Station
Well (W) is 20 (100m) rods from graves (G)
Chapel (C) is 3.5 rods (17.5m) from well (W)
Friar's house (F) occupied by Col. Winslow is 5 rods (25m) from chapel (C)
"The measurements are only approximate, measured by pacing."

 Parker, 1897

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