# Place-Names of the Province of Nova Scotia/G

G
GABARUS (C. B.)—Bay, Cape, Lake and Village said to be named after a French officer of Bayonne named "Gabarus." This is generally accepted as the right derivation. On maps of 1853 we find it called "Bay de Gabory," and on an old map of 1752, "Gabarus." Again it is said to come from the French name Cap Rouge, Red Cape. The village is named from the cape. The peninsulas north-west of the cape are called by Pichon "Desgoutins" and the "Governors." Pichon also refers to a mountain near Gabarus which he calls the "Devil's Mountain." Cape Gabarus appears on some early maps as Cape Portland.
GAETZ COVE (L.)—This is a common family name in Lunenburg County, and the cove is likely named after an early settler.
GAIRLOCH (P.)—In the year 1805, a vessel arrived with passengers from Gairloch a small arm of the sea on the western coast of Ross-shire, Scotland. Three of them took up their lands at a brook, which they named after their native parish in Scotland
GAIRLOCH MOUNTAINS (C. B.)—Named by the Scottish settlers after the arm of the sea of that name on the western coast of Ross-shire, Scotland.
GALLOWS HILL (K.)—So named owing to the unfortunate. necessity at one time of erecting a scaffold on the hill.
GALLOWS HILL (L.)—This hill was known in early days as "Star Fort" owing to the shape of the fence which enclosed the Garrison Fort in 1753.
GARDNER MINES (C. B.)—Said to be named after Mr. Michael Gardner, an early Irish settler.
GARDEN OF EDEN (P.)—Evidently so named by William McDonald, who came from Caithness, Scotland, and settled there in 1830. He was called the "Adam of the Garden" because he was the first man there. See Mount Adam and Eden Lake in the same vicinity, doubtless named so for the same reason.
GASPEREAUX (K.)—The original French spelling is "Gasparot" (an ale-wife). The "ale-wife" is a fish resembling a herring and is found in great numbers in certain parts of Nova Scotia.
​The Indians called Gaspereau River "Magapskejetc," meaning "rushing or tumbling over large rocks."
The Indian name for Gaspereau Lake was "Pasedoock, meaning "it has big whiskers," referring to its many small islands covered with shrubbery.
The French Acadians called part of what is now Gaspereau "Melanson."
GASPEREAU LAKE (A.)—See Gaspereau (K.).
GATES FERRY (A.)—A crossing place near Middleton named after a nearby early settler, Oldham Gates.
GAY'S RIVER (G.)—The Indian name for this place was "Wisunawon," meaning Beaver Castor.
GELLFELLAN ISLAND (Y.)—Named after its early settler James Gellfellan, who came from Londonderry, Ireland, and settled there about the year 1766.
GENERAL'S BRIDGE (A.)—The Indians called this place "Eskunuskek," meaning "the ground is hard and grassy," also "Eisuneskwek," meaning "Eison's place." Here a bridge crosses the Annapolis River.
GEORGEFIELD (Hts.)—Settled in 1826, or thereabouts by George Miller, and named after him, "Georgefield."
GEORGE (Ant.)—Bay and Cape named after King George II. Known as St. Louis on old maps. Was first named George and St. George by DesBarres in 1781, the saint being a survival of the old French name.
GEORGE ISLAND (H.)—Named by Governor Cornwallis in honor of King George II. Was first fortified in the year 1750.
GERRARD ISLAND (H.)—Named after its first settler William Gerrard. He was an Englishman, and died on the Island in the year 1789.
GETSON COVE (L.)—Named after an early settler Mr. John Getson.
GHOUL'S COVE (C. B.)—This cove is also locally known as "Three Echo Cove," from the fact that it has acoustic properties producing on still nights a triple echo. This explains the origin of the name.
GIBBONS' BRIDGE (Near Sydney, C. B.)—Named after ​Chief Justice Richard Gibbons, who was one of the first of the Civil Establishment in the Town of Sydney, in the year 1784. He was taken prisoner by the French when on a voyage from Falmouth to Halifax. He died of fever in a Nantz prison.
GIBRALTAR—The Indians named this place "Wesek," meaning a "sapling" or Weesik" meaning "the beaver's home. The original town and fortress in Spain received its name from the Saracen Leader Tarik "Gebel-al-Tarik" the hill of Tarik.
GIBSON'S WOODS (K.)—This is a negro settlement, and was named after the chief negro family among them.
GILBERT COVE (D.)—Named after Lt. Thomas Gilbert, a celebrated Loyalist Pioneer about 1783.
GILFILLAN ISLAND (Y.)—This island was granted to John Perry in 1765, and to James Gilfillan in 1767, and from the last named received its name.
GILLIS LAKE (C. B.)—Called after a family named Gillis; the Indian name was "Elbegatkik.
GILLISVALE (I.)—So named in 1881.
GISBORNE LAKE (V.)—Named after Frederick Newton Gisborne, an Englishman, who was about the year 1879 superintendent of the Dominion Telegraph and Signal Service. Gisborne laid the first submarine cable in America, and it was he who laid the first cable from Newfoundland.
GLACE BAY, (C. B.)—It was at one time known as Windham River-after a General Windham. It evidently received its present name from the French, who must have found it frozen over, and named it "Glace" (ice). Incorporated as a town in 1901. The Indian name for this place was "Wosekusegwon," meaning "bright house" or the "home of glory." The head of Big Glace Bay is known as "Dyson Pond."
GLADSTONE (I.)—A happy change from the old name "Victoria Line" in honor of the great statesman William Ewart Gladstone. The name was approved by Parliament in 1901.
GLASSBURN (Ant.)—This place was a portion of Black River settlement and was given its present name by an Act of Parliament in the year 1891.
GLENCOE (I.)—Named after the ill-fated glen of the same name in Argyleshire, Scotland, where Chief Maclan and his Macdonald followers were massacred in 1692.
​GLENCOVE (I.)—Formerly known as Turk settlement, changed to the present name by an Act of Parliament in 1872.
GLENDALE (C. B.)—The Indian name for this place was "Amasastokek" meaning "the river with inhabitants."
GLEN DHU (I.)—"Dhu" is a Gaelic word meaning black or possibly here Dark Glen.
GLEN DHU (P.)—See Glen Dhu, Inverness County.
GLENDYER (I.)—In 1848, Donald McLean McDonald came here from New Glasgow, N. S. and erected a mill for the dyeing and dressing of hand-made cloth. As this was the first establishment of the kind in Cape Breton, Mc Donald became known as "The Dyer" and his home was called "The Dyer's Glen" which he himself transposed to "Glendyer."
GLEN-ELG (G.)—No doubt in honor of Lord Glenelg, who was the Colonial Secretary in 1837; but there is a place of this name in Scotland, after which it may have been named. This place was first settled in 1801 and was then named St. Mary's.
GLENGARRY (P.)—Named by the early Scotch settlers after the famous Glen in Inverness-shire, Scotland. After Culloden in 1746, many Scottish Highlanders immigrated to Canada.
GLENHOLM (Col.)—This is the name given the old Folly Village settlement by an Act of Parliament in the year 1909.
GLEN MARGARET (H.)—Named after Mrs. James Fraser about the year 1876. Previously named "Lower Ward."
GLENORA (I.)—So named in 1881.
GLENTOSH (V.)—Formerly known as Big Hill, given its present name in honor of the Rev. Abraham McIntosh, who was a Presbyterian minister in this district in the earlier days.
GLENVILLE (I.)—So named in 1876.
GLEN-UIG (Ant.)—Settled and named in the early part of the nineteenth century by Scotchmen from the place of that name in Scotland.
GLENWOOD (Ant.)—Formerly known as Lower Keppoch, given its present name by an Act of Parliament in the year 1892.
GLENWOOD (R.)—The district known as Hay Cove, was ​changed to this name in 1914, and an Act of Parliament was passed in this year confirming the change.
GOAT ISLAND (C. B.)—This is a very old name for this island, and appears on very early maps of Cape Breton. It is near Louisburg, and the French had a battery on it to defend the entrance.
GOAT ISLAND (A.)—This island was first called "Biencourtville" in honor of Biencourt. Then it became known as "Armstrong's Island", after a possessor named Armstrong. At one time also it was called Vane's Island, after Charles Vane, to whom it was granted. The French named it "Isle aux Chevres" that is "Isle of the Goat." The English called it "Goat Island," by which name it is known today.
GOFF'S (H.)—Named after one of its early settlers, Mr. William Goff.
GOLDBORO (G.)—By an Act of Parliament in the year 1898 changed from its old name East Side Isaac's Harbour.
GOLD RIVER (L.)—There is a tradition that gold was originally found at this river by the early French settlers, and hence the name; but another authority asserts that the name was "Gould River" after an early settler, and it became changed to its present name. The Indian name for this place was "Amagapskeget" meaning "rushing over stones."
GOOSE HARBOR (G.)—See St. Francis.
GORE MOUNTAINS (Hts.)—No doubt named in honor of Sir Charles S. Gore, General-in-chief in North America, with his residence in Halifax (1837). (Gore District in Upper Canada was not named after this officer, but after Sir Francis Gore, who was Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, 1806-1877).
GOSCHEN (G.)—Named after the pastoral city of Biblical fame, which was situated in Egypt. This name also appears, or did appear, as the name for settlements in Antigonish, Hants and Colchester Counties.
GOTTINGEN (H).—On April 6th, 1764, the suberbs of Halifax were called "Gottingen" at the request of a number of people of the neighborhood. It is named after the Prussian city in Hanover.
GOUGH LAKE (H.)—See Anderson Lake.
​GOUZAR (Col.)—Basin of water at the head of Tatamagouche Bay, so named after a man named Gouzar or Geeser. Its name one time appeared as Port Gauzar. It has been supposed that the Indians gave it its name because of the abundance of geese which gather there, but this is said to be erroneous.
GOVERNOR'S ISLAND (L.)—A tenting place of the Earl of Mulgrave, when he was governor, hence the name.
GOVERNOR LAKE (H.)—See Parr Lake.
GOWEN POINT (Y.)—This point is named after Patrick Gowen, who settled there about the year 1762.
GOWRIE MINES (C. B.)—So named after the beautiful home of Thos. D. Archibald at Sydney Mines, who was one of the principal owners. The mines were at Port Morien.
GRAFTON (K.)—Settled in 1821. Probably named after the Duke of Grafton, or perhaps after the American town in Massachusetts of this name (The name "Grafton" in New Brunswick is said to be a word coined from "graft" as applied to fruit-grafting and nursing, practised at that place in 1876.)
GRAFTON LAKE (Q.)—See Grafton.
GRAND ANSE (R.)—A descriptive French name meaning Big Cove.
GRAHAM SIDING (Col.)—See Brentwood
GRAND ETANG (I.)—A French name, meaning "Large Pond."
GRANDIQUE (R.)—First settled by a family named Kayanagh, about 1790. The name is French, meaning "Big Ditch." The Indian name was "Gebernkek."
GRAND LAKE (H.)—The Indians called this place "Tulugadik" meaning "the settlement."
GRAND NARROWS (C. B.)—"Grand" to distinguish it from the "Little Narrows," on the same "Bras b'Or Lakes," where they lie in Victoria County. The Grand Narrows was, and we think is still, so far as the Strait is concerned called "Barra Strait." This of course, after the Sound of Barra on the Isle of Barra in the Scottish Hebrides, where the most of the settlers in this neighborhood came from about the year 1802. They came directly from ​Pictou County. The Indian name was "Tawitk" meaning "the outlet."
GRAND PASSAGE (D.)—and
GRAND PASSAGE (R.)—Known to the Indians as "Taooitk" or the "opening."
GRAND PRE (K.)—French meaning "the great prairie," a village on the shores of the Basin of Minas, the scene of many conflicts between the French and English, also the scene of the Expulsion of the Acadians (1755).
GRANVILLE (A.)—Granville Centre, Granville Ferry, Lower Granville, in honor of Lord John Cartaret, who became Eart Granville in 1744, and was English Secretary of State. On what was known as the Granville Shore, about opposite to Goat Island is the site of the first European settlement in North America (See Patterson's "Sir William Alexander") Granville, one of the four Townships of Annapolis County, was formed and granted in the year 1764 with 168 proprietors. Here the senior De La Tour built his first fort.
GRAPNEL BEACH (V.)—This place is so named because the anchorage or holding ground in the adjoining waters is good Grapnel means a small boat anchor.
GREEN BAY (L.)—At one time named Palmerston Bay.
GREENDALE (Ant.)—This place was known as Greenfield; but the name was so common it was changed to its present descriptive name by an Act of Parliament in 1886.
GREENFIELD (Col.)—Surveyed and named by a Mr. Alexander Miller, about the year 1817. He surveyed the lines and boundaries of Earltown, Kemptown, and Greenfield, in this County and named them all.
GREENFIELD (Q.)—A farming village so admirably situated it is said that the season is a fortnight earlier than in other parts of the County. Early green suggested the name. It is near the "Ponhook," or "first lake" on the Medway River. In this County the affix "field" in naming their places appeared to be popular, as we find places named "Middlefield," "Brookfield," "Westfield," "Northfield," and "Buckfield," all within a very short distance of each other, the place name being formed by prefixing the word "field" by a descriptive or decorative word.
GREEN HILL (P.)—The old Micmac Indian name was "Espakumegek" meaning "high land." ​GREENVALE (P.)—This place was formerly known as "McIntosh Mills." It was changed to its present name by an Act of Parliament in the year 1891.
GREENWICH (K.)—After the town on the Thames in Kent, England, noted as the great Observatory Town.
GRENADIER'S LEAP (C. B.)—Near Louisburg. Named after a Captain Grenadier, who led a party of English at the first siege of Louisburg, and who was supposed to have made a long, dangerous leap from his boat to the shore. History tells us it was a Captain Brooks who led the landing.
GREVILLE BAY (C.)—Named in honor of a former English Parliamentary General, Robert Greville, the second Lord Brooke 1794-1866.
GRINTON SETTLEMENT (A.)—Named after a first settler, James Grinton, who settled there in 1819. He was from Corstorphine, Scotland. (See Springfield).
GROSVENOR (G.)—Said to have been named by a. Mr. J. B Hadley of Mulgrave. Was first settled by families named Kennys and Tait (before 1800). Probably named after the Lord of that name or after Grosvenor Square.
GULLIVER'S HOLE (D.)—So named from a legend that a pirate named Gulliver once visited the place. Sometimes called Gulliver's Cove. First settled in 1780 by a William McDormand.
GUYSBOROUGH—First named "Chedabucto," when Sir Nicholas Deny located a fishing station there about 1635. Named in honor of Sir Guy Carleton (See Guysborough Township, Queens County). Sir Guy was first Baron Dorchester; at one time Governor of Canada; was a Loyalist leader and a great promoter of Loyalist settlements in Nova Scotia.
This County was named Sydney when St. Mary's Township was formed in 1818. The Townships are Guysborough, St Mary's and Manchester. The County contains 1656 square miles and was formed in 1836.
GUYSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP (Q.)—One of the two Township divisions of Queens County granted to Donald McPherson and one hundred and two others in the year 1784. They were disbanded soldiers who had served under Sir Guy Carleton during the Revolutionary War. They named the place "Guy's Borough in his honor. The second year after their settlement, the whole village was destroyed by fire. They then removed to Cape Canso. (See Guysborough).