News and Reflections: Ancient place-names close to home: "Meteghan" -- October 26, 2022

"Meteghan"

"Meteghan - La Vieille Maison. The Old House built soon after 1768. Now a museum." Contributed by Marcel Jean d'Entremont

"Meteghan Wharf in Lobster Season." Contributed by Jocelyne Comeau

"Meteghan Wharf." Contributed by Jocelyne Comeau

"Meteghan Lobster Cars." Contributed by Jocelyne Comeau

"Meteghan - Meteghan Wharf - Lobster boat on dry dock for repairs or maintenance." Contributed by Marcel Jean d'Entremont

"Meteghan Centre is a way of life in Southwest Nova Scotia. No one can resist the lure of Frenchy's - a popular clothing store." Contributed by Marcel Jean d'Entremont

"Meteghan - Meteghan Wharf - lobster boats tied up in the shelter of the wharf and beakwater." Contributed by Marcel Jean d'Entremont

"Meteghan Centre Evangeline Trail - Highway 1 through Clare, Nova Scotia." Contributed by Marcel Jean d'Entremont

"Meteghan Villa Acadien Home for Special Care." Contributed by Marcel Jean d'Entremont

"Meteghan Shore Road - Meteghan Wharf with Acadian Shores Interpretive Tour panel featuring history, story, and pictures of the past." Contributed by Marcel Jean d'Entremont

Thank you, Marcel Jean d'Entremont, President, AAMS and AAMS Director Jocelyne Comeau, for so graciously contributing these photos!

"Muntoogun"

"Meteghan" is a variation of the Indian name, "Muntoogun," meaning "wooden fence, weir," or " a chunk (of pipestone) broken off.'' To read the story of Meteghan, and its original name "Muntoogun," visit the Nova Scotia Archives, https://archives.novascotia.ca/places/page/?ID=430

Brown, T. J. (1922). Place Names of the Province of Nova Scotia (visit) https://archive.org/details/placenamesofprov00browrich/mode/2upis is another go-to source for ancient place-names close to home.  From this source we find, on page 93, "METEGHAN (D.)— The Indian "Mitihikan" meaning "wood- en fence" — weir. The village was first settled by Prudent Robicheaud in the year 1785. The Geographic Board of Canada states that it is a descriptive Indian name meaning "blue stone."

Comment: Jocelyne Comeau, AAMS, grew up in Meteghan.  She always heard that the name "Meteghan" meant "blue rocks."