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Tabusintac
New Brunswick - Canada
"All Roads Lead Home"

History of Tabusintac

The first of the five waterways of the Miramichi Bay is the Tabusintac River on which the village of Tabusintac is situated. Off the shore of Tabusintac, towards the gulf, there is a line of sandy beaches or islands separated by the occasional gully. Between these beaches and the mainland there is a lagoon. Near the middle of the lagoon exists the broad mouth of the Tabusintac River. Travelling up the river you can see the many coves and creeks along it's banks. The head of the tidewaters is almost fifteen miles from the sea.

Dr. W. F. Ganong describes this area above the tidewaters as being "a clear and swift but smooth river of great charm, winding in a deep valley cut in places over one hundred feet below a plateau country". The river abounds in sea trout and salmon, and the forest in lumber.

Tabusintac's most important natural resources are fishing, farming, lumbering and peatmoss. The first inhabitants of this area were the Micmac from whom the name of Tabusintac originated. "Tabusintac" is derived from the Micmac word "Taboosinkek" which means "place where two are". Rounding Wishart's Point one can see the significance of this name where you can see French Cove and the main river opening up like two large and equal sized rivers.

Along this river, the Micmac had three main villages - on Cains, Wishart's and Indian Point. Evidence of their inhabitation in these areas has been found in their burial grounds. Eventually, these tribes moved on to better grounds.

In the 1790's the French and English arrived and settled simultaneously in this area. The first French settler was Jacques Breau. The first English settlers were Duncan Robertson, John MacLeod, William Tobin who were led by Philip Hierlihy and his wife Charlotte who was, perhaps, one of the most remarkable women of this area. She became the ancestress of many of Tabusintac's principle families. Their home on Wishart's Point is the oldest English settlement on the Tabusintac, a famous New Brunswick fishing river.

A more complete history of the Tabusintac area can be found at the Tabusintac Library.

.. here is a great web site to visit - "Tabusintac Genealogy" - information on families from the Tabusintac and Miramichi valley area.


The Tabusintac Centennial Memorial Library
Museum and Craft Shop

In July 1960 it was announced that Mr. Robert Brown of Clinton New Jersey had donated a number of books for the purpose of forming a library in Tabusintac, providing that a public-spirited organization would support it. It was through the Woman's Institute that money and books were donated by many people. In 1967, the Library became known as the Tabusintac Centennial Library.

The building which today houses the library, museum and craft shop was the first Methodist Church in the area. It later became Tabusintac's first high school. Today the Library has also developed into a Museum and Craft Shop. It is an interesting place to spend a few hours browsing through the many books, viewing artifacts in the museum which include such interesting things as articles used in the making of butter, shearing of sheep, school books, clothing, china, and early period furniture. There are many other items no longer used in our modern society. There is a record of the celebrations of Old Home Week, which occurs every five years, old photographs, some research on family histories and a visitor's book.

In the Craft Shop, you will discover "just the gift you have been looking for" as well as "The History of Tabusintac" which can be purchased.

The Museum/Library/Craft Shop is situated directly on Route 11 approximately 48 Km from Miramichi.


YOU JUST CAN'T MISS THIS ONE - 55th ANNIVERSARY! JULY 30th to AUGUST 6th 2005

Home Page
Ode to Old Home Week
Tabusintac History
Photo Gallery
Events Schedule
Directions & Lodging
Committee Members
Things to do
E-Mail us at: info@tabusintac.ca

BOOKMARK our Web Address:www.tabusintac.ca

TABUSINTAC
OLD HOME WEEK INC.
4449 Route 11 Tabusintac, N.B.
E9H 1H3
Tel: (506) 779-4504 (Tanya McEachern )

Site revised March 1 2005


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