# History of Caraquet

Caraquet, a town in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, has been inhabited for about six thousand years. The modern town was founded by the Breton Gabriel Giraud dit Saint-Jean around 1731.

## Toponymy

In the 17th century, the settlement was called Habitation Pichiguy (Habitaçion Pichiguy), a toponym derived either from the Basque language or from the Basque-Algonquin pidgin used at the time for exchanges between Basques and Mi'kmaqs. Its meaning is uncertain..
The toponym Caraquet was first mentioned on 18 December 1664, during a trial in France between two groups of fishermen disputing the use of the port. Governor Nicolas Denys mentioned the toponym Caraquet in 1672, in his book Description géographique et historique des côtes de l'Amérique septentrionale, avec l'histoire naturelle de ce pays. He gives a brief description of two islands, mistakenly identified in his text as the îles de Tousquet but on his map as the îles de Caraquet – Caraquet Island and Pokesudie Island. Different spellings used over the years include Karaquet, Quaraqu, Carraquet and Caraquette.
Four theories attempt to explain the origin of the name Caraquet. The first is that the name comes from a word in the Mi'kmaq language, Kalaket or Pkalge depending on the source, meaning "the meeting of two rivers", in reference to the confluence of the Rivière du Nord and the Caraquet River to the west of the town. Today's Micmacs call the town Kalaket. According to the second theory, the name refers to a type of boat, the Carrack. According to historian Fidèle Thériault, this theory is the most plausible, as the Mi'kmaq language does not possess the "r" sound. The third theory, also introduced by Fidèle Thériault, relates it to the name of the Bahía de Caráquez in Ecuador. This Spanish origin could be explained by the Basque presence and the deformation of the name they gave to the Caraquet Island. The fourth theory, less widespread, attempts to explain the origin of the name by the fact that two French lieux-dits, one in Boursin and the other in Desvres, bear the name Caraquet.
The name is pronounced /'kara.kɛt/ in French.

## Archaeology

The first professional archaeological digs in Caraquet were carried out by Charles Martijn in 1968 at the port of Caraquet but he found nothing. Further digs at the port in 1977 yielded no discoveries. Artifacts have been found by enthusiasts at Pointe à Brideau and Ruisseau à Chenard, around the harbor, but suggest that the Micmacs only used the site as a camp, a shortcut between Saint-Simon Bay and Chaleur Bay. Albert Ferguson carried out excavations on Caraquet Island in 1983 and, for the prehistoric period, found only a kind of stone scraper, which has not been dated. He points out that there are certainly prehistoric archaeological sites in Caraquet, but that they have been destroyed by erosion, and that only underwater digs, excavations in the foreshore, or the discovery of new sites in the sheltered hinterland could tell us more about the town's prehistory.
Half of Caraquet Island was granted to Sieur Denis Riverin on 24 November 1696, for fishing by Pierre Rey Gaillard.

## Permanent establishment (1711–1784)
### Gabriel Giraud

In 1713, under the Treaty of Utrecht, England gained control of the peninsular part of Acadia, with France retaining the territories to the north, including Caraquet. Around 1731, Frenchman Gabriel Giraud dit St-Jean was probably the first permanent settler in the region. He arrived around 1710 and was living in Miramichi by 1727. He was born in Brittany and lived on the east bank of Ruisseau Saint-Jean (now Isabelle), three-quarters of a league from the road, on the border between Caraquet and Bas-Caraquet. He married a Micmac woman and they had at least two children, Angélique (married Joseph LaBouthillier) and Jean-Baptiste, also married to a Micmac woman. Their name has disappeared, but they have a few descendants, mainly in Gaspé Peninsula. It seems that a few fishing families settled with the Girauds, forming the first nucleus of the village.

### Seven Years' War

* Monument commemorating the Great Upheaval
The early years of Caraquet's history are closely linked to the Seven Years' War. To escape deportation, hundreds of Acadians took refuge from 1756 at Camp d'Espérance on Beaubears Island in the Miramichi. They spent a terrible winter there, and some 2,000 died of hunger and disease. In 1757, part of the population decided to settle on the southern shore of Chaleur Bay, between Népisiguit and Néguac. A village was founded in Caraquet by Alexis Landry, Olivier Blanchard, Olivier Légère, Louis Brideau, and their families, at a place called Sainte-Anne-du-Bocage.
In a letter mailed from Restigouche and dated 7 September 1760, commissioner Basagier wrote to Cardinal Mazarin that 150 people were living in Caraquet in 36 families.. That same year, following the battle of the Restigouche, Captain Saint-Simon was given command of a privateer ship with a crew of 47 Norman and Acadian men. In October, they chased a British ship, which they captured. They were then pursued by a British frigate. They took refuge in Saint-Simon Bay to avoid capture. They scuttled their boat at a place called La Chaloupe, near the hamlet of Morais in Bas-Caraquet. Unable to return to Restigouche, they spent the winter in the region. In the spring of 1761, Saint-Simon returned to France, while some of his crew settled in Caraquet and Bas-Caraquet. Some later founded the village of Saint-Simon.
In July and August 1761, Pierre du Calvet conducted a census of the region for Governor Murray. According to the census, 37 families (174 inhabitants) lived in Caraquet in three villages. There were also five inhabitants on Caraquet Island, but subsequent accounts seem to show that they were only seasonal fishermen.
Following this census and in retaliation for the battle, Captain Roderick MacKenzie captured most of the Acadians in the region between Nipisiguit (Bathurst) and Miscou. These people were imprisoned in Halifax (on George Island) and at Fort Cumberland. Caraquet was relatively spared, as 150 of the 170 or so inhabitants were left behind due to lack of space on the boats, or fled. Those who escaped the attacks settled in other parts of Chaleur Bay, such as Bonaventure or Miscou, on Landry Brook. The Girauds were suppliers to MacKenzie. Having not been deported, this would make Caraquet and Bas-Caraquet one of the oldest permanent settlements in New Brunswick and eastern Canada. The British merchant Gamaliel Smethurst would later recount these events. He witnessed the deportation of Nipisiguit and was subsequently abandoned by his captain. He made his way to Caraquet with the help of three Frenchmen hiding in the woods, probably members of Saint-Simon's crew. After haggling, Gabriel Giraud gave him a canoe and help from the Micmacs to get to Fort Cumberland. According to Gamaliel Smethurst, it was Jean-Baptiste Giraud, Gabriel's son, who wrote to MacKenzie asking him not to touch his compatriots.

### Re-establishment of the town, followed by privateer attacks

In 1763, the Treaty of Paris was signed, giving Great Britain the entire territory of Acadia. In 1764, the Royal Proclamation allowed deported Acadians to settle on uninhabited land. The Landry, Légère, Blanchard, Poirier, Cormier, Dugas, Gallien, Doiron, Gionet, Albert, Bouthillier, and Lanteigne families returned to Caraquet in 1766. The Dugués and Mallets decided instead to settle in Shippagan.
In 1762, Raymond Bourdages of Bonaventure founded a fishing post in Caraquet. These possessions made many jealous. In 1776, during the American Revolution, American privateers attacked merchants on Chaleur Bay, including the Bourdages post in Caraquet. John Allan stirred up the coastal Micmacs, and on 22 March 1779, 16 of their number attacked Caraquet.

## 19th century
### Grand Concession

In 1784, François Gionest walked to Halifax. The Grande Concession, also known as the Grande Grant, the legal occupation of land in Caraquet, was granted on 19 March, a concession of 14,150 acres (57 square kilometers) for 34 families. Some of this land is now part of Bertrand or Bas-Caraquet. By this time, several Norman fishermen had settled in Caraquet. Some of the first settlers were Micmacs, so their descendants were of mixed race. Other Canadians followed. From then on, Caraquet's population split into two distinct groups: the Acadians to the west, and the Métis, Québécois and Normans to the east. For around 50 years, there was a certain amount of hatred between the two groups, and no marriages. This split had disastrous consequences during the riots of 1875.

### Establishment of the Church and industrial fishing

Priests began visiting the town in 1768. Previously, Caraquet residents celebrated white masses, led by Alexis Landry. The first church was built in Sainte-Anne-du-Bocage in 1791. A fire destroyed several buildings and food supplies on 28 August 1795; the population appealed to Quebec for help. The Confrérie Notre-Dame des Agonisants was founded in 1804 by French missionary René-Pierre Joyer; it was probably the first French-speaking association in Acadia. In July 1811, Bishop Joseph-Octave Plessis visited Caraquet for a few days. He reported that meat was scarce and bread of poor quality, but that people fished well. He also said that the people to the west were pure, but that those to the east had a lesser reputation, that they went out in Paspébiac, and that they had allied themselves with "savages", without being barbarians. Some people from Caraquet took part in the War of 1812. Louis Gauthier, a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo with Napoleon's Grande Armée, settled in Caraquet after the war. In 1817, Father Thomas Cooke became Caraquet's first resident priest. A second church was built in 1818. Being the only one in the region at the time, it contributed to the town's prosperity.
A fishing post was founded on Caraquet Island in 1821 by Marcel Martin. In the 19th century, many Jersey, Scottish, and English settlers came to Caraquet. Most left after a few years, or left very few descendants. Nevertheless, they controlled the local economy and politics for over a hundred years. The Robin Company was established in 1837 and remained in business until 1958. A post office was inaugurated in 1850. By 1870, postal service to Caraquet was one of the worst in the province, with three mail deliveries a week from Bathurst. The arrival of the Intercolonial Railway improved postal service, but by 1909 the Acadian peninsula was still only served six times a week. English merchant Robert Young settled in Caraquet in 1850. Philip Rive and William Fruing followed a little later. In January 1857, three English boats were trapped in the ice behind Caraquet Island; the sailors were rescued by people from Caraquet and Bas-Caraquet. Later in the year, Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens church is built. A major storm kills several sailors in July 1857. A typhoid fever epidemic ravaged the town in the winter of 1863–1864. In 1865, Jean-Louis Landry opened the region's first flour mill. It operated for 35 years. He also owned a wood mill and a wool carding mill.

### Louis Mailloux case

On 5 May 1871, the provincial government passed the Common School Act, which, among other things, put an end to religious education in schools. Supported by the province's Irish, a few members of parliament, and the clergy, the inhabitants protested and demanded a network of Catholic schools. This crisis led to the defeat of several provincial and federal MLAs, weakened John A. Macdonald's government, and contributed to his downfall. Caraquet's fishermen were impoverished by the companies' method of payment, which involved tokens that could only be exchanged at their stores. The companies only gave the fisherman enough to survive, not enough to emancipate himself. This situation, combined with the discontent caused by Bill 87, led to an uprising among some of the population. This degenerated into two weeks of rioting. The police intervened with the help of the militia. Two people were killed in a shoot-out on 27 January 1875: John Gifford, a 22-year-old militiaman from Newcastle, and 17-year-old Louis Mailloux.

### Industrial revolution

Engineer Sanford Fleming proposed to the federal government that the Intercolonial Railway pass through the town and build a port at Pokesudie. The route was eventually diverted to Halifax, but a more modest railroad was inaugurated in November 1887. In December, the Caraquet Flyer train derailed at Sainte-Anne-du-Bocage, killing eight people. The opening of the railroad led to an economic boom in Caraquet.

## 20th century
### Political and economic instability

The first municipal elections were unopposed. The abolition of the Gloucester County Municipality on 9 November 1966, had a beneficial effect on municipal election turnout. On 12 June 1967, the contest was very close in some wards, and some of the favorites lost the election. Prominent candidates included Lorenzo Morais, Clarence LeBreton, and Mathilda Blanchard. The distribution of sometimes virulent flyers and the formation of informal political parties were also on the rise. The mayoral race was led by two candidates from the same ward, Lucien Boudreau and Dr. Raymond Savoie, both incumbents in Ward No. 2. Dr. Savoie was the winner. The year also saw the creation of school boards, with 17 candidates standing for election.
During the Confederation Centennial celebrations in 1967, the new Musée acadien building was inaugurated. One of Mayor Savoie's major achievements was the construction of the Colisée Léopold-Foulem, inaugurated on 15 December 1968, and dedicated to Léopold Foulem and Donat Cormier, who had been involved in amateur sports for 35 years. In the 9 June 1969 election, the three candidates were the incumbent mayor, Rhéal Leblanc, and Lorenzo Morais. Savoie's council was weakened by the departure of two members in 1968, and Morais, the least promising candidate, won the election. Morais led the city with dynamism and firmness, but his popularity waned. The Polyavlente Louis-Mailloux was inaugurated in 1970. Only one of the councilors elected in 1969 stood for re-election in 1971, and many accused Morais of ruling without consultation. The campaign was difficult and confusing, but Morais won against Olivier Légère.
The Gorton Pew fish processing plant is bought out by local interests, including Lorenzo Morais. Boulevard and Portage Street were extended. Difficulties continued for Morais, as six of the eight councilors resigned between 1972 and 1974. Morais ran in the 1972 provincial election, where he became Caraquet's first Conservative MNA in many years. Morais wanted to benefit his town but was forced to resign from the cabinet due to disagreements with other members. Despite the difficulties, Morais was re-elected to the municipal council in 1974 with only 26 more votes than Germain Blanchard. His council was again plagued by resignations.
The industrial park took shape on 12 June 1974, with the opening of the Cirtex spinning mill. The plant created 109 jobs outside the fishing season. The plant had already created a scandal in 1972 when Councillor Fidèle Thériault discovered that the municipality had offered $500 per job created to the promoter. Trouble flared up again when employees formed a union affiliated with the Union canadienne de l'industrie des pêches et des travailleurs affiliés (Union of Canadian Fishermen and Allied Workers in English). After several threats from employees and the employer, a strike broke out on 3 December 1974. Under the leadership of Mathilda Blanchard, the employees refused to give in. Mayor Morais resigned on 12 January, feeling that he no longer had the support of the population. Councillor Philibert Landry came to the employer's defense, prompting him to resign as well. Fidèle Thériault's accusations resurface at the council, prompting the resignation of two other councilors and the municipality's general manager. In the March 1975 by-election, Germain Blanchard, a popular school principal, won a large majority for mayor over Normand Sirois. The missing councilors are elected in the September by-election. The strike at the Cirtex factory continues into the autumn of 1975, making constant headlines. Lorenzo Morais demands Mathilda Blanchard's resignation. Blanchard refused, calling the situation in town a "reign of terror". The union was subsequently decertified and the case went all the way to the Supreme Court. The plant finally closed in December 1976. The plant was owned by the Japanese company Ataka, and the closure of their oil refinery in Come by Chance, Newfoundland, had hurt their business too much.
Despite his victory, Germain Blanchard would be questioned in 1976. The resignation of Police Chief Edgar Landry prompted a group of citizens to denounce the municipal administration. A pamphlet distributed to all citizens addressed the resignation, the Cirtex factory, and 19 other issues, claiming that there was a conspiracy and a secret mayor. The council remained in place despite the accusations. In the 9 May 1977 election, Lorenzo Morais again ran for mayor against Germain Blanchard. The campaign focused on reopening the factory and expanding the port. The construction of a second shopping center at Pointe-Rocheuse did not meet with unanimous approval, but Morais had retained his support and the fight was close. Nevertheless, Blanchard was re-elected by a slim majority.
The Village Historique Acadien was inaugurated in 1977. The port was renovated for $3.5 million, and the new town hall was inaugurated on 18 September 1978. The factory was bought by Chanel Fabrics, who reopened it on 3 December 1979. A few years later, the plant had to close again, this time for economic reasons. The Blanchard administration introduced a land-use plan and zoning by-law. Despite a request by some councilors for an official inquiry into the municipality's administration, Blanchard's mandate was stable and the town was in the public eye.
École Marguerite-Bourgeoys was inaugurated in 1981. The daily l'Acadie Nouvelle was founded in 1984.
The 1980s and 1990s saw the end of English-Canadian control of the fishing industry. The Vieux-Couvent, home to most of the region's cultural and community organizations, was destroyed by fire in 1992. Caraquet hosted the 15th Jeux de l'Acadie in 1994. The Caraquet police force was abolished in 2001 and replaced by the RCMP. In 2003, following the crab crisis, Micmac fishermen moved into Caraquet harbour to ensure their safety. The same year, a protest movement in New Brunswick and Quebec was formed to prevent the construction of an incinerator by Bennet Environmental in Belledune, to treat soil contaminated with hydrocarbons and creosote oil. Risks to the environment and the health of residents of the Chaleur Bay communities were cited. Faced with public pressure, the New Brunswick government demanded several actions from the company, including a public consultation, before giving the green light to construction.

### Capital of Acadia

In 1993, Caraquet was one of 3 towns selected to participate in the Rural and Small Towns program. The downtown committee carried out several projects over the following years, including the development of plazas and the organization of activities. The Heritage Preservation Committee was created. The adoption of a heritage preservation by-law in 1999 made it a municipal committee. Posting regulations were modified, and a directory of historic sites and an information brochure were produced. Caraquet declared itself the cultural capital of Acadia in 1993, adopted a cultural policy, and formed a cultural commission in 1994. The commission's goal was to "provide the cultural organizations and events in its territory with structures and tools for grouping and concertation that would support their development".