History Articles

Gaspé, the scene of many historic events across the years, witnessed dramatic events in September 1758.

The great French fortress of Louisbourg had surrendered to the British forces in August. An expedition was then organized and dispatched to Gaspé to destroy French settlements and shipping in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Sir Charles Hardy and Brigadier-General James Wolfe were in command of the naval and military forces respectively.

Gesgapegiac is a Mi'gmaq community situated along the south Gaspé coast just east of Maria, Quebec. The place-name "Cascapedia" (as in, the world-famous Cascapedia River) is actually a derivation of the name "Gesgapegiac," which is Mi'gmaq for "last land."

The story of the life of Felix O’Hara and his family is linked so inextricably with the early settlement of Gaspé Basin and with events in the District of Gaspé that it is unusually significant. The following attempt at recall of the family story reflects various, widely scattered records. One vital source of information was not available – that of Church records – for Gaspé had no Protestant clergy until long after the death of Felix O’Hara in 1805.The visitor to modern Gaspé will find no civic memorial to Felix O’Hara.

In October 1675, more than three centuries ago, Father Chrestien Le Clercq, a missionary of the Recollet or Reformed Franciscian Order of France, landed at Percé in Gaspesia.