White Head Island
Island in New Brunswick, Canada From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
White Head Island is located east of Grand Manan in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick. In 2011 the island had a population of 162. White Head Island was governed as a local service district[2] prior to the 2023 New Brunswick local governance reform.
 An 1855 chart showing White Head Island. | |
 White Head Island Location in the Bay of Fundy | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bay of Fundy |
| Coordinates | 44°37′52.6″N 66°42′28.63″W / 44.631278; -66.7079528][[Category:Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas]]"},"html":"Coordinates: </templatestyles>\"}' data-mw='{\"name\":\"templatestyles\",\"attrs\":{\"src\":\"Module:Coordinates/styles.css\"},\"body\":{\"extsrc\":\"\"}}'/>44°37′52.6″N 66°42′28.63″W / 44.631278°N 66.7079528°W"}"> |
| Archipelago | Grand Manan Archipelago |
| Area | 6.17 km2 (2.38 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 59 m (194 ft)[1] |
| Administration | |
Canada | |
| Province | New Brunswick |
| County | Charlotte |
| Parish | Grand Manan Parish |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 162 (2011)[2] |
| Pop. density | 26.3/km2 (68.1/sq mi) |
| Long Point Lighthouse | |
 Long Point Lighthouse at the southern tip of White Head Island | |
| Constructed | 1966 |
| Foundation | concrete base |
| Construction | concrete tower |
| Height | 11 m (36 ft) |
| Shape | quadrangular tower with balcony and lantern rising from the fog signal building[3] |
| Markings | white tower, red lantern |
| Power source | solar power |
| Operator | Canadian Coast Guard[4][5] |
| Fog signal | 2s. blast every 20s. |
| Focal height | 15.5 m (51 ft) |
| Range | 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) |
| Characteristic | Iso W 12s |
For approximately four hours surrounding low tide, the island can be reached on-foot from Grand Manan walking across sandbars and ledges through shallow water.[6]
Its economy is based largely around aquaculture and fishing, historically through herring weirs.[7][6] There is a series of very small islands marked on charts but typically not appearing on maps, west of White Head Island and north of Three Islands.[8]
The island has a two-classroom elementary school, and older students take a ferry to Grand Manan Community School. From 1976-2012, the island was serviced by the MV Lady White Head, until it was replaced by Coastal Transport Limited's William Frankland car ferry between White Head and Grand Manan.[9][10]
Until 2022 the community had a small general store.
There is a Baptist church on the island that was completed in 1981. However, there are records of a religious house in use until 1928, when the second of three churches was dedicated.[11]
There are 5km of paved roads circling the northern half of the island, while the southern portion has only gravel roads that are less accessible.[12]
History
Summarize
Perspective
The son of François Gravé Du Pont abandoned the ship left to his care and went to live among the indigenous tribes, adopting their customs for himself.[13] He was arrested by Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt in 1610 but escaped captivity.[13] The following year Jesuit priest Pierre Biard found the younger DuPont and brought him out on White Head Island to take public Confession, participate in Holy Mass and receive Communion reconciling himself to Poutrincourt.[13] The younger DuPont asked Poutrincourt to dine with him as he reclaimed the ship left to his care, but during the meal Potrincourt lost his temper and seized the ship requiring Biard to come out again to make peace between the pair.[13]
The island was granted to Captain William Frankland who was for years its sole resident,[14][15] Frankland invited J. J. Audubon to visit the island May 22 1833 to study the Herring Gulls, whose eggs were harvested on the island.[14] Frankland's journal later went to auction and was purchased by the New Brunswick Museum who created a copy to display at White Head.[16]
Edward Cheney died January 23, 1835 alongside Nathaniel Bancroft, when their small boat spent an hour crashing upon a rock between Cheney Island and White Head Island.[17] In 1845, the Lighthouse approved £200 for a fog bell on White Head.[18]
In 1912, the lighthouse keeper Patrick Conway was dismissed leading to years of Parliamentary inquiry.[19]
Gallery
- White Head elementary school August, 2016
- White Head Post Office
- The car ferry William Frankland at Ingalls Head
References
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