In May 2011, after four years of life on McNutt's Island, we moved to Montreal. This blog remains, though, as a (sort of) daily record of our time on the island, and a winding path for anyone who would like to meander about among its magical places. For additional perspectives and insights I recommend Greg's book, Island Year: Finding Nova Scotia (2010), and my Bowl of Light (2012). I'll continue to post once in a while. If you do want to read this blog, one option would be to begin at the beginning of it (which is, as we all know, in blog-world, at the end), and read forward, concluding with the most recent entry. It's a journal, really, so it does makes more sense if you read it that way. But, you know, read it any way you like.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

McNutts geography: James Park map of 1785

This map by James Park is dated 1785, only two years after the first Loyalists arrived at Port Roseway. It's a military map made by an engineer in the royal navy; its primary purpose is navigational. The Town of Shelburne is shown on the far left of the page, deep inside the inner harbour. This map makes quite clear the importance of the large island sitting at the entrance of Port Roseway Harbour, as it was then called. Ships need to enter through the eastern way. The west side of the island is a bit of a backwater, accessible only to local traffic, rowboats and small shallops, perhaps, or accessible to bigger vessels only on the high tide.
Note the pilot settlement at Carleton Point (later called Fort Point). By 1785 Carleton/Fort Point was the location of the British fort, indicated by a square. The island is not named, but Mr. Nutt's settlement is designated along its northeastern side.

Map courtesy of NSARM.

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