MINUDIE, N.S. — What once was a thriving community in the mid-1800s wants everyone to know it’s proud of its heritage.
Members of the Minudie Heritage Association joined with other community organizations to replace aging and faded signage welcoming people to the community that overlooks the Cumberland Basin and the River Hebert River.
“I could do a happy dance, if there weren’t so many people watching,” Sharon Gould of the heritage association said as she watched the first of eight signs being erected in the community. “I’m delighted. This has been two years in the planning and the signs are so beautiful.”
Minudie was a shipbuilding, farming and lumbering hub while its grindstones, quarried under the direction of Amos ‘King’ Seaman were sent to markets in the United States.
The population peaked at approximately 600 in the late 1800s before dwindling over time to where there are only about 20 or so people living there. It’s home to the Amos ‘King’ Seaman Museum and the St. Denis Roman Catholic Church.
The signs, that include directional signage in River Hebert and Joggins as well as Welcome to Minudie, were cost shared between the heritage association and the Municipality of Cumberland’s District 9 arts and recreation fund with support from the Minudie Music Festival that’s held each summer in the community.
Another sign points to the King Seaman Lake Cemetery, where Seaman, known as the Grindstone King, is buried.
“The signs we had were here for many years and they served their purpose, but it was time to put new signs up,” Gould said. “We’re delighted. These signs are colourful and bright and will catch the eye. These signs celebrate our history, which is very important.”
The signs have the bright colours of the Acadian flag in the background to recognize the original settlers of Minudie in the 18th century while in the foreground is a grindstone that made Minudie a manufacturing hub more than a century ago.
“Minudie was a big community at one time. People would come from across the basin to Minudie to shop and with the wharf here, schooners were coming in all the time loading lumber as well as grindstones. Once the schooners dropped off their cargo in places like Boston, they would load dry goods and bring them back to stock the stores at the wharf.”
Also included is a photo of old Minudie showing the main road with the hall and the Universalist Church.
“We have to give a lot of credit to Larry Hunter Sign Designs in Springhill for taking the elements and ideas that we had and putting them together into these signs,” she said. “It’s nice to see them going up.”
A group of volunteers from Minudie and surrounding areas battled blackflies and mosquitos to put the signs up, working in groups with one group using brute strength to dig holes at each location and then to put the posts in place while the second group erected the signs, screwed them in place and braced each sign to protect them from winds that often blow off the Bay of Fundy.
“This is something that’s great for the community,” volunteer Anthony Boudreau said. “It’s going to make people feel more welcome as they enter Minudie and tell them a little bit about the significance of this community.”
Gould said it’s going to be a busy summer in Minudie.
Minudie Day is July 14, while Aug. 11 is the annual Blessing of the Crops Mass and Concert. The Minudie Music Festival will be Aug. 17 while there will also be pancake breakfasts at the hall.
The Amos ‘King’ Seaman School Museum and the two churches will be opening on July 1.
