Lunenburg Part 1 - Introduction and Background August 30.pdf

Closer to the coast, on the western shore of the mouth of the LaHave River, sits the community
of LaHave. Settlement began with Commander Isaac de Razilly’s establishment of Fort Sainte-
Marie-de-Grâce in 1632. The lands around La Have consist of drumlin and gravelly till, and
historically supported a mixture of soft and hardwood trees, including significant stands of oak.
The Acadians cleared some areas around La Have, including what is now Petite Rivere, for
agriculture 49 . In the 1770s, Joseph Parnette was granted a large portion of land on the west side
of the river, where he established a farm. On the east side of the river, settlers from Lunenburg
developed farm lots. Landowners constructed sawmills on streams running through their
properties; the lumber was used for construction both dwellings and ships, as well as for export.
Islands just off the coast protected the fort, and continue to provide a sheltered harbour today.
Settlement occurred in the area as a result of its rich potential for forestry, shipbuilding, fishing,
and agriculture. Because of its location on the coast, as well as the inland access provided by
the LaHave River, La Have was a centre for ship building, trade, and fishing for most of the 19th
and 20th centuries 50 . Today, forestry, fishing, agriculture, and tourism keep activity high in the
area. Despite the overall decline in salmon populations, the LaHave River is known as being one
of the best remaining salmon-fishing areas in Nova Scotia. Both residents and visitors use the
area recreationally for boating, hunting, and fishing. The pressures exerted on the watershed by
both industrial and recreational activity have led to decreased water quality and habitat health 51 .
The Riverport District, located on the Kingsburg peninsula, lies between the mouth of the
LaHave river to the southwest, and Lunenburg Bay to the northeast. The district comprises the
communities of Riverport; Lower, Middle, and East LaHave; Upper and Lower Rose Bay; Upper
and Lower Kingsburg; Bayport; and Feltzen South. Riverport’s first general store opened in 1852
and numerous others were operating by the mid-to-late 19 th century. Ship-building was an
important industry in Riverport by the early 19 th century, as was the cod fishery; by 1910 the
community had a fleet of 18 salt fishing vessels 52 . In 1861, gold was discovered in a series of
sea caverns known as the Ovens. Gold mining activities supported a town at the Ovens that, at
its height, had over a thousand miners, stores, hotels and a bank. The area is now a natural park
(Ovens Natural Park). Riverport Seafoods, a modern fresh fish processing plant, operated in the
community starting in the mid-1960s, employing over 600 people. The plant, however, was
destroyed by fire in 1981 53 .
Kingsburg, located in the Riverport District, was settled by foreign Protestants who were allotted
land in 30 acres parcels stretching back from the shore. Originally it was a fishing community,
Kingsburg’s remarkably beautiful natural setting, including two spectacular beaches, has made
the area a vacation and retirement destination. New residents are both restoring old homes and
building new ones, sometimes in highly environmental sensitive and vulnerable locations.
Kingsburg has experienced several contentious developments in the coastal dunes.
The communities of the Riverport District and LaHave area had a combined population of 4,638
in 2006 – this represents a loss of 7.4% since 1996. Population loss occurred in all cohorts
under the age of 45, while large gains (33.8-74.1%) occurred in the 50-65 cohorts 54 .
To the southwest of LaHave is the small community of Petite Rivière, named by Samuel de
Champlain when he landed there in the 17 th century. A river of the same name empties into
Green Bay, South of the Riverport area. Razilly placed a small group of French settlers in Petite
49 Bird, 1955.
50 Dawson, 2010.
51 Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation, 2011.
52 Mosher, 1985.
53 Mosher, 1985.
54 Nova Scotia Community Counts, 2011.
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