Memramcook - WikiHQ

Memramcook (historically also spelled Memramcouke or Memramkouke) is a village in Westmorland County, New Brunswick, Canada. Located in south-eastern New Brunswick, the community is predominantly people of Acadian descent who speak the Chiac derivative of the French language. An agricultural village, it has a strong local patrimony, key to the history of the region. It was home to the Mi'kmaq people for many years and was the arrival site of Acadians in 1700. A large part of these Acadians were deported in 1755, but the village itself survived.

The Collège Saint-Joseph was the first francophone university in the east of Canada, which opened its doors in 1864 and hosted/organized the first National Acadian Convention in 1881.

History

Name

Memramcook was called the "Berceau de l'Acadie", which translates to "cradle of Acadia". Long inhabited by the Mi'kmaq, the site saw the arrival of their allies, the Acadians in 1700. It now goes by the slogan of "Notre belle vallée", since the recent re-branding of the village in May 2015. The village name is originally Mi'kmaq and means "variegated" referring to the many intricacies of the Memramcook River. The first mention of the area used the spelling Mémérancouque in 1757. The missionaries turned it into Memerancook, Memerancooque (1757), Memeramcook (1803), Memramkook (1812), Mamramcook (1812) and finally Memramcook. There have been several recent controversies about the name, such as people who offer the spelling Memramcouk or Memramkouke.

Origins

Mi'kmaq people were already established in the region for a couple hundred years before the Acadians arrived. Their main village and cemetery seemed to be in Beaumont, and they also had a camp at what is now today Saint-Joseph. Beaumont was a strategic location, giving that it allowed them to control the Petitcodiac River, the most important marine transport route in the region. Knockout, Bernard, Skéouite, Toudoi, Argémiche, Thomas and others were the common family names at the time.

Samuel de Champlain and Jean de Poutrincourt explored the region in 1605. They noted a rocky point (the Beaumont point) and no human presence. In 1612, Father Biard, Charles de Biencourt and their four Native American guides returned to visit Memramcook. At that time, there were about 60–80 cabins.

In 1672, Acadian and European word-runners and fishers started to frequent the area and some stayed to establish themselves. The village became a part of domain of La Vallière (Beaubassin) in 1676.

In 1698, Pierre Thibaudeau, Guillaume Blanchard, Pierre Gaudet and a few others left Port-Royal to explore Trois-Rivières. Pierre Gaudet, the youngest of the group, decided to stay in Memramcook. The village developed much more quickly after the signing of the Utrecht Treaty, which gave Acadia to England in 1713. Many families from Port-Royal moved to Memramcook at this time as it was still French territory.

Hamlets that would be later known as Pierre-à-Michel and Beaumont were founded in 1740. The Fort de La Galissoniére was constructed in 1751. Its job was to defend the entire isthmus of Chignecto, but was later replaced by Fort Beauséjour. Residents were also starting to construct the famous dyke system to dry out the marshes for agriculture. In 1752, the village was composed of 250 people from 51 different families. There were the Blanchards, Richards, Lanoues, Dupuis, Benoîts, Landrys, LeBlancs, Aucoins, Maillets, Girouards, Forests, Daigles, Savoies, Robichaud, Bastaraches, Heberts, Deslauriers, Cyrs, Bourques and Thibodeaus. People lived mostly along the river, and the first chapel was built in 1753 at Pointe-aux-Bouleaux, which is Ruisseau-des-Breau today.

Deportation

In August 1755, English soldiers were sent to Beaubassin, Petitcodiac, Chipoudy, and Memramcook to take the Acadiens prisoners. However, through guidance by the local missionary, Father LeGuerne, and the local people of the Miꞌkmaq nation, the Acadians hid in the woods. Then, on August 26, Lieutenant Boishébert of Miramichi and 125 soldiers and a group of Miꞌkmaq, surprised 200 Englishmen, under the command of Major Joseph Frye. The English had set fire to the church of Chipoudy and 181 homes, as well as 250 houses in Petitcodiac. Boishébert gave the order to attack at the moment that the English were setting fire to the church of Petitcodiac. After three hours of fierce fighting, the English retreated, leaving behind 50 dead, and around 60 wounded. It was thus that 200 families were able to escape the deportation.

Geography

Location

Memramcook is situated 20 km south-east of Moncton, in the Trois-Rivières region. The village has an area of 187.67 km<sup>2</sup>. The most western part of the village is composed of the Grandes Buttes hill. This region, also called "Pointe" borders on the west by the Petitcodiac river. It is composed of a plateau and a few hills, with the principal hill being Beaumont at 160m. The Grandes Buttes finish on the peninsula, so their extremity is the Beaumont point, or Fort Folly. To the east of the Grandes Buttes is the Valley of Memramcook, where the principal buildings are located. Even more to the east are the Aboujagne Woods and the Coppermine hill.

Memramcook is the border between Dieppe and Grand-Brûlis-du-Lac in the North and Sackville to the east. The Dorchester parish borders Memramcook to the south, and is composed of the south-east point where you can find the hamlet of Village-des-Taylors. This municipality also has an enclave in north-east Memramcook. Memramcook Village is part of Acadia.

Bordering communities

Hydrography

The village has two hydrographic basins. In the Petitcodiac River, Steeve's, McFarlane's, Downing, Boyd, Upper, Belliveau and Boudreau creeks empty. Stoney, Smith, LeBlanc and Breault flow into the Memramcook River. The two major rivers meet at the Beaumont point.

The village is home to two important lakes, Le Lac and Folly Lake . Le Lac (Memramcook) is situated in the south-east part of the village and is 500m long, where as Folly Lake is in the north-west and measures about 800m by 270m. There are also numerous marsh areas in Memramcook, mostly on the river banks, in the north of the village and a few along the Petitcodiac river.

Climate

{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="font-size:90%; width:auto; border:0; text-align:center; line-height:120%;"

! colspan="15" style="background: #6688AA; color: white;" | <big>Climate of Memramcook</big>

! colspan="15" style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Temperatures

! style="background:#ddd; height:16px;" | Month

! style="background:#ddd;" | Jan

! style="background:#ddd;" | Feb

! style="background:#ddd;" | Mar

! style="background:#ddd;" | Apr

! style="background:#ddd;" | May

! style="background:#ddd;" | Jun

! style="background:#ddd;" | Jul

! style="background:#ddd;" | Aug

! style="background:#ddd;" | Sep

! style="background:#ddd;" | Oct

! style="background:#ddd;" | Nov

! style="background:#ddd;" | Dec

! style="background:#ddd;" |

! style="background:#ddd;" | Average

! style="height:16px;" |Record Maximum (°C)

| style="background: #B78747; color: black;" | 16

| style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 15

| style="background: #C78937; color: black;" | 19

| style="background: #DF8C1F; color: black;" | 28

| style="background: #EF8F0F; color: black;" | 34

| style="background: #F5930A; color: black;" | 36

| style="background: #F5930A; color: black;" | 37

| style="background: #EF8F0F; color: black;" | 33

| style="background: #DF8C1F; color: black;" | 26

| style="background: #CF8A2F; color: black;" | 23

| style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 18

|

! style="height:16px;" |Daily High (°C)

| style="background: #6F7C8F; color: black;" | −4

| style="background: #777D87; color: black;" | −3

| style="background: #878177; color: black;" | 2

| style="background: #9F845F; color: black;" | 8

| style="background: #B78747; color: black;" | 16

| style="background: #C78937; color: black;" | 21

| style="background: #D78B27; color: black;" | 24

| style="background: #CF8A2F; color: black;" | 24

| style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 19

| style="background: #A78557; color: black;" | 12

| style="background: #978367; color: black;" | 6

| style="background: #777D87; color: black;" | −1

|

| style="background: #A78557; color: black;" | 10.4

! style="height:16px;" |Daily Mean (°C)

| style="background: #5F7A9F; color: black;" | −9

| style="background: #677B97; color: black;" | −8

| style="background: #777D87; color: black;" | −3

| style="background: #8F826F; color: black;" | 3

| style="background: #A78557; color: black;" | 10

| style="background: #B78747; color: black;" | 15

| style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 19

| style="background: #BF883F; color: black;" | 18

| style="background: #AF864F; color: black;" | 13

| style="background: #978367; color: black;" | 7

| style="background: #878177; color: black;" | 1

| style="background: #6F7C8F; color: black;" | −6

|

| style="background: #978367; color: black;" | 5.1

! style="height:16px;" |Daily Low (°C)

| style="background: #4F78AF; color: black;" | −14

| style="background: #4F78AF; color: black;" | −13

| style="background: #677B97; color: black;" | −8

| style="background: #777D87; color: black;" | −2

| style="background: #8F826F; color: black;" | 4

| style="background: #9F845F; color: black;" | 9

| style="background: #AF864F; color: black;" | 13

| style="background: #A78557; color: black;" | 12

| style="background: #9F845F; color: black;" | 7

| style="background: #878177; color: black;" | 2

| style="background: #777D87; color: black;" | −3

| style="background: #5F7A9F; color: black;" | −10

|

| style="background: #878177; color: black;" | −0.3

! style="height:16px;" |Record Minimum (°C)

| style="background: #0A6CF5; color: black;" | −32

| style="background: #0569FA; color: black;" | −32

| style="background: #1771E7; color: black;" | −27

| style="background: #3F76BF; color: black;" | −16

| style="background: #677B97; color: black;" | −6

| style="background: #6F7C8F; color: black;" | −2

| style="background: #7F7F7F; color: black;" | 1

| style="background: #777D87; color: black;" | 1

| style="background: #677B97; color: black;" | −3

| style="background: #5F7A9F; color: black;" | −1

| style="background: #3775C7; color: black;" | −17

| style="background: #0F6FEF; color: black;" | −29

|

| style="background: #; color: black;" |

! colspan="15" style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Precipitation and Sunshine Hours

! style="background:#ddd; height:16px;" | Month

! style="background:#ddd;" | Jan

! style="background:#ddd;" | Feb

! style="background:#ddd;" | Mar

! style="background:#ddd;" | Apr

! style="background:#ddd;" | May

! style="background:#ddd;" | Jun

! style="background:#ddd;" | Jul

! style="background:#ddd;" | Aug

! style="background:#ddd;" | Sep

! style="background:#ddd;" | Oct

! style="background:#ddd;" | Nov

! style="background:#ddd;" | Dec

! style="background:#ddd;" |

! style="background:#ddd;" | Total

! style="height:16px;" |Total mm

| style="background: #4892B5; color: black;" | 109

| style="background: #5C97B5; color: black;" | 81

| style="background: #4C93B5; color: black;" | 103

| style="background: #5896B5; color: black;" | 90

| style="background: #5094B5; color: black;" | 99

| style="background: #5495B5; color: black;" | 94

| style="background: #5094B5; color: black;" | 100

| style="background: #6098B5; color: black;" | 76

| style="background: #5495B5; color: black;" | 92

| style="background: #5094B5; color: black;" | 100

| style="background: #5094B5; color: black;" | 97

| style="background: #4892B5; color: black;" | 106

|

| style="background: #0474B5; color: black;" | 1144

! style="height:16px;" |Rain (mm)

| style="background: #7C9FB5; color: black;" | 42

| style="background: #84A1B5; color: black;" | 28

| style="background: #7C9FB5; color: black;" | 42

| style="background: #709CB5; color: black;" | 58

| style="background: #5495B5; color: black;" | 93

| style="background: #5495B5; color: black;" | 94

| style="background: #5094B5; color: black;" | 100

| style="background: #6098B5; color: black;" | 76

| style="background: #5495B5; color: black;" | 92

| style="background: #5094B5; color: black;" | 96

| style="background: #6098B5; color: black;" | 77

| style="background: #749DB5; color: black;" | 52

|

| style="background: #2C85B5; color: black;" | 849

! style="height:16px;" |Snowfall (cm)

| style="background: #D3D3D3; color: black;" | 67

| style="background: #C8C8C8; color: black;" | 53

| style="background: #CECECE; color: black;" | 61

| style="background:#aaa; color:black;" | 32

| style="background: #888888; color: black;" | 5

| style="background: #838383; color: black;" | 0

| style="background: #888888; color: black;" | 4

| style="background: #9A9A9A; color: black;" | 20

| style="background: #C8C8C8; color: black;" | 54

|

| style="background: #E5E5E5; color: black;" | 295

! style="height:16px;" |Sunshine Hours

| style="background: #E5D064; color: black;" | 115

| style="background: #E6D060; color: black;" | 124

| style="background: #E7D05C; color: black;" | 139

| style="background: #E9D154; color: black;" | 158

| style="background: #EED240; color: black;" | 205

| style="background: #F1D238; color: black;" | 229

| style="background: #F3D330; color: black;" | 248

| style="background: #F3D330; color: black;" | 244

| style="background: #EAD150; color: black;" | 167

| style="background: #E8D058; color: black;" | 142

| style="background: #E4CF68; color: black;" | 103

| style="background: #E3CF6C; color: black;" | 95

|

| style="background: #EFD23C; color: black;" | 1971

! colspan="15" style="background:#ddd;" | Information from Moncton International Airport 10 kilometers northwest of Memramcook, from Environnement Canada. Data taken between 1971 and 2000.

Geology

Memramcook is built on sedimentary rocks. Beaumont area is composed of rocks from the Cumberland Group, dating from the Pennsylvanian period whereas the rest of Memramcook is made of rocks from the Mabou area dating back to the Mississippian period. In the south of the NB province, there are rocks from the Horton group dating to Pennsylvanian and Devonian periods.

Fauna and flora

Memramcook is situated in the ecoregion of Eastern Lowlands, and in the ecodistrict of Petitcodiac. The forest is dominated by Red Spruce, Black Spruce, Fir, Paper Birch and Red Maples. There are also Poplars, American White Pine and Eastern Hemlock in some areas.

The Trois-Rivières region is also a major migration route for several species of birds.

Neighbourhoods

thumb|Petitcodiac River, view from New Brunswick Route 925, near Gautreau Village (Memramcook)

Within the village of Memramcook there are several hamlets, villages and neighbourhoods, they include:

Starting on Route 925 North-East border with Dieppe following the Petitcodiac River south, the first community is Dover (aka Pre-of-Surette) where the route is known as Rue Principale as it passes the Little Dover Road. From here you could continue from the west to Little Dover and La-Montagne. The next community on Route 925 is Gautreau Village, then Pre d'en Haut From here the route changes direction going inland. If you were to follow the route following the Petitcodiac River, you would end up on Belliveau Village Road passing through Belliveau Village, Boudreau Village, and finally Beaumont before ending at the southernmost border where the Petitcodiac River and Memramcook River meet. Continue heading east on Route 925 at the community of Pre d'en Haut the route has its name changed to Rue Pre d'en Haut St. and enters Saint-Joseph and the route is briefly known as Central St. You could continue south on Central st passing through Cormier Cove then the southern border of Memramcook and Dorchester or turn north then the route again heads east crossing the Memramcook River as it ends at the community of College Bridge.

Starting at Route 106 at the second North-East border with Dieppe (Road known as Route la Vallee) heading south-west the first community is Folly Lake then La-Hetriere. From here you could go onto Little Dover Rd entering both Little Dover and La Montagne from the east or continue on Route 106 passing the Old Shediac Road. On the Old Shediac road you could head towards the north border passing through Memramcook West then passing over Route 2 at the border with Calhoun. Continuing on Route 106 heading east passing Centrale St where you could turn towards Saint-Joseph or cross the Memramcook River entering the original community of Memramcook.

From here there is a choice to go north on Royal Road passing through Gaytons at another Northern Border with the community of Calhoun at Route 2 exit 482, continue east on Route 933 crossing Route 2 exit 488 into Memramcook East where the road is known as Aboujagane Rd at the northeasternmost border or continuing south on Route 106. Continuing South on Route 106 from the original community of Memramcook the route passes by Le Lac and Memramcook Lake as it enters College Bridge.

The eastern terminus of Route 925. Continues south passing Breau Creek and Anderson Mills as it ends at the south-eastern border of Dorchester.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Memramcook had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. Women make up 50.8% compared to 51.3% for the province. For those over 15 years of age, 29.5% are single, 56.3% are married, 2.875% separated, 4.9% divorced and 6.5% widowed. In terms of population, Memramcook is classed at 19th in the province.