Although our ancestors never returned to their beloved Acadie, many Acadians were able to return and begin life anew. Their farmlands which had been tamed and cultivated over generations were now the property of English farmers. The Acadians were given the less fertile land near the coast. Once again these Acadians tamed the land, planted crops and many became fishermen. The living history museum of Le Village Historique Acadien provides a vignette of what life was like for Acadians of the region in the early 1900s.

Pubnico is said to be the oldest Acadian settlement with direct descendants of the returning Acadians after Le Grand Dérangement. Even though Acadians began returning to their homeland in 1764, the museum depicts the life of the early 1900s. 

Many structures are original and give a glimpse inside homes, post office, boat building shop, blacksmith shop and many more. There are bilingual guides in each building doing the everyday tasks of the early Acadians. We enjoyed discussions regarding local food, very different from Cajun south Louisiana as well as demonstrations on lobster fishing and boat building. As we watched the blacksmithing demonstration, we talked with the blacksmith. He asked our name and in the conversation he found out we have been married 49 years. When he finished his demo, he handed us a nail with the inscription J & L 49 on the head. This is a cherished piece of our Acadian Journey.

In our conversations, we learned most of the guides are local to the area and descendants of the returning Acadians. Once again, this was a learning experience with a range of emotions for our ancestors. Regret, sadness, anger, pride, joy and finally acceptance for the journey they have endured.