GRAND PRE, NOVA SCOTIA

                                            A True Historic Place
                                               

            At the Grand Pre National Historic Site we were joined by a young docent dressed in period costume. He told us, “In 1680 Pierre Melanson, his wife and five children escaped from Port Royal because it was always under French-English conflict and settled in Grand Pre, French meaning great meadow. He and others who joined him built a dyke system to hold back the tides in Minas Basin creating rich pastureland for grazing and fertile fields for crops.” He demonstrated how the dykes worked with a small model.

            Grand Pre soon outgrew Port Royal, and by the mid 18^th century was the largest Acadian community around the Bay of Fundy and the coastline of Nova Scotia. The Minas area became the breadbasket of the colony and the Acadians prospered. Today a lot of apples as well as corn are grown in the Annapolis valley.

            In 1713 part of Acadia became Nova Scotia with Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal) its capital. The Acadians chose to remain and live under British rule. An oath of allegiance to the British crown was a point of contention for the next forty years. Many did sign the oath in 1730 when promised that they would not have to bare arms against the French.

            But in 1744 when England and France were again at war everything changed. Attacks and counterattacks occurred. Halifax became the capital of the colony in 1749.  The majority of the people living in the British colony were Acadians, their numbers were growing, and they lived on the most fertile farmland.

In 1755 the boats and guns of the Acadians living in the Minas area were confiscated. The governor decided to expel the Acadians from Nova Scotia and disperse them in British colonies south from Massachusetts to Georgia. The men and boys of the area were ordered to the church and were told they were to be deported as soon as ships arrived to take them away. Families were split apart and before 1755 ended more than 6000 Acadians were carried away. Their villages were burned to the ground.  Thousands more followed until 1763 when the two countries were again at peace.

Evangeline

       Henry Wadsworth Longfellow told this tragic story in his poem Evangeline in 1847. Grand-Pre was forgotten for nearly a century until   Americans wanted to visit the birthplace of the poem’s heroine. Of the original village only the dykelands and a row of willows remain. A lovely bronze stature of Evangeline stands at the front of the walkway to the church that has been reconstructed at the Grand-Pre Historic Site. It is said in many circles that Evangeline is the most famous Acadian who never lived.

SITKA, ALASKA

 A Charming Historic Town

Once the capitol of Russian America, Sitka is a charming small town at the northern end of most Inland Passage cruise destinations. It has a fascinating history and plenty to see and do, other than shopping, to fill your day. All major sites in this walkable city can be covered . Like all small cities along the Inland Passageway, Sitka exhibits magnificent scenery.

Two things I wanted my grandchildren to see were St. Michael’s, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the New Archangel Dancers, and I wanted to hike a bit in the National Forest.

Although I visited several Russian Orthodox churches in Russia I still learned a couple of things from the knowledgeable docent. He explained the three-bar Russian cross.
I had never seen or known about a riza, an exact replica of an icon done in 3-D shiny metal. Only body parts are left uncovered. The removable riza gives a glittery view of the icon while protecting it.
During the 1966 fire, people fled to the church to carry out the 16^th century icons, a 400-pound chandelier and the heavy oak entrance doors.
The U.S. Metropolitan, similar to a Catholic Cardinal, was due to arrive at noon. We made it back to the church to witness his unpretentious arrival.

The New Archangel Dancers perform authentic Russian dances at Centennial Hall. None of the female dancers is a professional nor of Russian heritage. They dance for exercise, fun and to keep Sitka’s Russian heritage alive though dance. As I admired their agility, I wished I could squat and kick at the same time!

It’s a short walk to Castle Hill and the 92 steps up to the site where Russia passed Alaska to the United States. There is nothing left of Baranof’s castle and the fort is little more than a wall, a cannon and an American flag.  Across the street, on the old Russian parade grounds, is Pioneer House, a home for the indigent to live. Once free, there now is a sliding payment scale. The home is similar to our old Soldier and Sailor Homes.

Walking the mile-long totem loop-trail in the Tongass National Forest was a delight. We studied the 28 totems and paused at the site of the 1804 Russian-Tlingit battle.

Strolling back along

Lincoln Street

—the main street—we photographed St. Peter’s by the Sea, the Russian Bishop’s house, the oldest house in Sitka, and some park statuary before stopping at a hatchery.

The Sheldon Jackson Museum was a real jewel of a find. The first concrete building in Sitka, 1895, houses Indian artifacts and history of six native Alaskan tribes. Mary Bear was on site making Christmas decorations from seal skin and elk. She showed and explained an otter head belt that is traditionally given to a girl at menses.

Each city along the Inland Passage has something different to offer, but Sitka is probably my favorite city.