Bonaventure, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Bonaventure is a town on the Gaspé Peninsula
in the Bonaventure Regional County Municipality
of Quebec
. It is located on Baie des Chaleurs near the mouth of the Bonaventure River
. The town is situated on Route 132
between Saint-Siméon
and New Carlisle
.
The Quebec Acadian Museum (Musée Acadien du Québec) is located in the town.
The town was named after the Italian
saint Bonaventure
.
settlement of Bonaventure was in 1760 by Acadian refugees who had successfully avoided the expulsion
of Acadians that had begun in 1755. Some of these early settlers were present at the Battle of Restigouche
in July 1760, where a mixed force of French navy
aided by Acadians were defeated by the Royal Navy
. Many of today's Bonaventure residents are of Acadian
descent.
Prior to permanent settlement, the Bonaventure harbour had often been visited by Europeans and was the location of temporary camps and posts for many years before.
At the time of settlement, Bonaventure was located in lands possessed by France
, but in 1763, after the Treaty of Paris
, all of New France
was ceded to Britain
, and Bonaventure became part of British
colony of the Province of Quebec
. Later, some of the lands already settled by the Acadians were granted to anglophones, although after decades of petitioning the Quebéc government, some of the Acadian settlers were able to gain title to the lands they occupied. However, even as late as 1891, more than half of the homesteaders in this region had no legal title to the lands they lived on.
Bonaventure was raided by Americans during the War of Independence
.
Gaspé Peninsula
The Gaspésie , or Gaspé Peninsula or the Gaspé, is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, extending into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
in the Bonaventure Regional County Municipality
Bonaventure Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Bonaventure Regional County Municipality is a regional county municipality in eastern Quebec, on the Gaspé Peninsula. The regional county municipality seat is New Carlisle.-Communities:Cities*Bonaventure*New Richmond*Paspébiac...
of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. It is located on Baie des Chaleurs near the mouth of the Bonaventure River
Bonaventure River
The Bonaventure River is a river in the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec, Canada. It rises in the Chic-Choc Mountains and flows south to empty into Baie des Chaleurs near the town of Bonaventure, Quebec. The river is about long....
. The town is situated on Route 132
Quebec route 132
Route 132 is the longest highway in Quebec. It follows the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River from the border with the state of New York in the hamlet of Dundee , west of Montreal to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and circles the Gaspé Peninsula...
between Saint-Siméon
Saint-Siméon, Quebec
Saint-Siméon, Quebec can refer to:*Saint-Siméon, Gaspésie, Quebec, in Bonaventure Regional County Municipality*Saint-Siméon, Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, in Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality...
and New Carlisle
New Carlisle, Quebec
New Carlisle, Quebec is a small town in the Gaspé region of Quebec, best known as the boyhood home of René Lévesque; although he was born at Campbellton, New Brunswick. The population is approximately 1430, half English-speaking and half French-speaking...
.
The Quebec Acadian Museum (Musée Acadien du Québec) is located in the town.
The town was named after the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
saint Bonaventure
Bonaventure
Saint Bonaventure, O.F.M., , born John of Fidanza , was an Italian medieval scholastic theologian and philosopher. The seventh Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, he was also a Cardinal Bishop of Albano. He was canonized on 14 April 1482 by Pope Sixtus IV and declared a Doctor of the...
.
History
The first permanent EuropeanEuropean ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
settlement of Bonaventure was in 1760 by Acadian refugees who had successfully avoided the expulsion
Great Upheaval
The Expulsion of the Acadians was the forced removal by the British of the Acadian people from present day Canadian Maritime provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island...
of Acadians that had begun in 1755. Some of these early settlers were present at the Battle of Restigouche
Battle of Restigouche
The Battle of Restigouche was a naval battle fought during the French and Indian War on the Restigouche River between the British Royal Navy and the small flotilla of French Navy vessels. The French vessels had been sent to relieve New France after the fall of Quebec...
in July 1760, where a mixed force of French navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
aided by Acadians were defeated by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. Many of today's Bonaventure residents are of Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
descent.
Prior to permanent settlement, the Bonaventure harbour had often been visited by Europeans and was the location of temporary camps and posts for many years before.
At the time of settlement, Bonaventure was located in lands possessed by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, but in 1763, after the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
, all of New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
was ceded to Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
, and Bonaventure became part of British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
colony of the Province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Later, some of the lands already settled by the Acadians were granted to anglophones, although after decades of petitioning the Quebéc government, some of the Acadian settlers were able to gain title to the lands they occupied. However, even as late as 1891, more than half of the homesteaders in this region had no legal title to the lands they lived on.
Bonaventure was raided by Americans during the War of Independence
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.