This is a post that is a little off topic but was referred to me by a friend in Maubert, France. While on "vacance" he paid a visit to the construction site for the good ship Hermione. This is an historic reconstruction of the ship La Fayette sailed to America in support of the revolution. This ship is a massive undertaking using donated funds. The web site is beautifully done....and we hope to see the ship in Boston in the near future.
If you are a marine/naval history buff you will enjoy this site: http://www.hermione.com/en/
While we are on the topic I ought to suggest a visit to the Maine Maritime Museum is worth a visit as well. Their web site is at : http://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/
A visit to Bath, Maine is a great opportunity to see a very special portion of the Maine coast.
A two day trip ought to include Brunswick, Wiscasset,Boothbay, and Bath.
Check out the Maine Tourism page for mid-coast info: http://www.visitmaine.com/region/midcoast/
Their mid-coast pages will give you the information you need for a wonderful trip.
If you are reading this in search of your Franco heritage you will want to check out Bowdoin College
a gift of a very wealthy Franco in Maine many years ago. Wonderful small museum on campus
http://www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum/ and a summer music theater on campus as well....
the Maine State Music Theater at: http://www.msmt.org/
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Champlain's travels on the New England Coast
This site has the full text of Champlain's reports to the king of France regarding discovery in Quebec and New England. It makes fascinating reading because it is possible to visit many of the sites which are annotated for history buffs and travelers.
A special trip to the Saint Croix Island National Park Service site will give you a wonderful picture
of historical documentation and tours possible on this journey.
This year and 2009 mark anniversary celebrations for the founding of Quebec City and the discovery of Lake Champlain.
The Quebec Anniversary guide is here:
The Vermont/New York Celebration plans and events can be followed here:
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The Champlain periplum
We will occupy the next few posts with a review of the Champlain periplum of the Northeast from Quebec City to Cape Cod with special stops at Saint Croix Island, Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine and up the Penobscot to Bangor......or Norumbega.
These posts will be interspersed with return to the source trips from New England back through Maine to Quebec and New Brunswick. A return to the source for many Franco-Americans.
You thoughts and comments are always welcome especially during this period when the blog will get a lot more specific about finding our roots in Maine and Quebec.
Come on up and trace your roots!!!
These posts will be interspersed with return to the source trips from New England back through Maine to Quebec and New Brunswick. A return to the source for many Franco-Americans.
You thoughts and comments are always welcome especially during this period when the blog will get a lot more specific about finding our roots in Maine and Quebec.
Come on up and trace your roots!!!
La Grande Traversee de l'Atlantique
"La Grande Traversée de l'Atlantique" has completed its journey to Quebec as of June 24th. If you remember our past entry about LaRochelle and the recreation of the voyage of settlers from Charente to Quebec you will be pleased to know that the voyage was completed on schedule. You can view the history of the voyage and some pictures of the welcome here:
http://www.grandetraversee400.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=10&Itemid=54
Le Retour aux Sources
A return to LaRochelle is scheduled for July 6 departure and a August 24 arrival in France. You may still be able to get a hammock below decks:
| Fédération de Voile du Québec 4545 Pierre de Coubertin CP 1000, Succ.M Montréal (Québec) H1V3R2 | Tél. (514) 252 3097 Fax (514) 252 3158 ras2008@retourauxsources.info www.retourauxsources.info |
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Franco Events for the rest of June
There are an amazing number of events that can fill a Northeast francophile calendar here are just a few for June, our favorite is the Festival la Kermesse franco-américaine in Biddeford, ME:
6/19 Fête du Québec à Boston @ 6 pm, Boston, MA http://www.quebec-boston.org/
6/19 Soirée Karaoke @ 6:30 pm, French Library, Boston, MA http://wwwfrenchlib.org/
6/19 Nathan Williams & Zydeco Cha-Cha's @ NYC, NY ([ http://www.concertedefforts.com/ ]www.concertedefforts.com)
6/19 Heritage String Band @ 7:30 pm, LeFoyer Club, Pawtucket, RI http://www.lefoyer.org/
6/20-26 Film: Le Voyage du ballon rouge @ Movies, Portland, ME http://www.moviesonexchange.com/
6/20-21 Franco-American Heritage Festival @ St.Albans, VT ([ http://www.stalbanschamber.com/ ]www.stalbanschamber.com)
6/21 Fête de la Musique (Music Day) (1982) ([ http://www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr/ ]www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr)
6/21 Fête de la Musique @ 1-10 pm, Harvard Sq., Cambridge, MA ([ http://www.makemusiccambridge.com/ ]www.makemusiccambridge.com)
6/21 L'Orchestre Baobab @ 8 pm, Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA ([ http://www.worldmusic.org/ ]www.worldmusic.org)
6/21 Lucie Therrien @ Multi-Cultural Festival, State House, Concord, NH ([ http://www.nhhistory.org/ ]www.nhhistory.org)
6/21 Duke Robillard @ Colonial Theatre, Bethlehem, NH ([ http://www.bethlehemcolonial.org/ ]www.bethlehemcolonial.org)
6/21 Fête de Saint Jean Baptiste @ 5 pm, Fr.Am.Centre, Manchester, NH ([ http://www.facnh.org/ ]www.facnh.org)
6/21 Michèle Choinière @ 7 pm, Fr.Am.Centre, Manchester, NH ([ http://www.michelechoiniere.com/ ]www.michelechoiniere.com)
6/21 Franco-American Festival @ Church of Precious Blood, Woonsocket, RI ?
6/21 Franco-American Dinner & Dance @ 6 pm, KofC, St.Albans, VT http://www.stalbanschamber.com/
6/22-7/02 AATF: Summer Institute: Samuel de Champlain @ FAC, Orono, ME http://www.maine.edu/
6/22-29 Festival acadien de Madawaska @ Madawaska, ME
http://www.acadianfestival.com/
6/22-29 Réunion de famille Guerrette @ Madawaska, ME ([ http://www.acadianfestival.com/ ]www.acadianfestival.com)
6/22 Va-et-Vient @ 3 pm, Boarding House Park, Lowell, MA ([ http://www.indie911.com/va-et-vient ]www.indie911.com/va-et-vient))
6/24 Fête chrétienne de Saint Jean Baptiste (Saint John the Baptist Day)
6/24 Fête nationale du Québec (Quebec National Day) (QC) /www.fetenationale.qc.ca)
6/24 Célébrons Notre Héritage @ 5 pm, Parc de Notre Renaissance, Nashua, NH (603-889-6437)
6/25 Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal @ 1:30 pm, LeFoyer, Pawtucket, RI ([ http://www.lefoyer.org/ ]www.lefoyer.org)
6/26-29 Festival la Kermesse franco-américaine @ Biddeford, ME www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/26 AFB: Ensemble Jyugoya @ 7 pm, French Library, Boston, MA ([ http://www.frenchlib.org/ ]www.frenchlib.org)
6/26 Le Vent du Nord @ 8 pm, St.Kieran Arts Center, Berlin, NH ([ http://www.stkieranarts.org/ ]www.stkieranarts.org)
6/27-29 Lucie Therrien @ Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.luciet.com/ ]www.luciet.com)
6/27 Famille LeBlanc @ 8 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/28-29 Festival des Rameurs @ Petit Roches, NB ([ http://www.festivaldesrameurs.com/ ]www.festivaldesrameurs.com)
6/28 Erica Brown @ Festival acadien, Madawaska, ME ([ http://www.ericabrownonline.com/ ]www.ericabrownonline.com)
6/28 Chantal & Marcel @ 2 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/28 Pierre et Lionel @ 4 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/28 C'est Si Bon @ 7:30 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/28 Illusion @ 8 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/28 Pierre et Lionel @ 9 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/29 Chantal & Marcel @ 1 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/29 Famille LeBlanc @ 6 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/29 Pierre et Lionel @ 7 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/29 C'est Si Bon @ 8 pm, Festival la Kermesse, Biddeford, ME ([ http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ ]www.lakermessefestival.com)
6/30-8/29 L'Été en Français @ French Library, Boston, MA ([ http://www.frenchri.org/ ]www.frenchri.org)
Oral History and Franco Tradition
This from Lisa Desjardin at the Franco American Center of the University of Maine
Our project consists of digitizing the Oral Histories that have already been captured and to continue to gather more. Also making them available to be viewed by all Francos wherever they may be via the Internet. Our website which is currently under construction will house all this. Check it out for a sneak peek, http://www.francoamericanarchives.org
These are interesting memories and give pause for thought. My grandparents were quite old when I knew them.....and I did not ask the questions I would now as a person trying recreate history. If you have older family members who can impart family history I suggest you capture it as soon as possible. Create your own archive. It will lead you to interesting places, people and events that have shaped your family
Thursday, June 12, 2008
LaRochelle and the church
I just got an interesting email form Marc Pembroke in response to the LaRochelle post. There are several pieces in Marc's note that I will include in other postings but this particular section is a brief history of religious reformation and the central role of LaRochelle. Thanks Marc.
"........I found it interesting that La Rochelle was a starting point for so many immigrants to New France. As you might know, the town was once a hub of the French Hugenot movement. Samuel de Champlain married at a Reformed Church there where his wife was clearly a member. There is little other indication of Champlain’s beliefs, but apparently, he and Du Mont were both Calvinists. In fact, the nearest French equivalent of the Presbyterian/Calvinist Westminster Confession is known as The Confession of La Rochelle. That confession is still a constituent document of l’Église Réformée Évangélique Indépendante in France (a denomination where I served as pastor-evangelist in Perpignan 1978-79) and of l’Église Réformée du Québec, where I served as professor of theology and supply pastor 1998-1999. I am still a member of the ERQ church in Saint Georges"
"........I found it interesting that La Rochelle was a starting point for so many immigrants to New France. As you might know, the town was once a hub of the French Hugenot movement. Samuel de Champlain married at a Reformed Church there where his wife was clearly a member. There is little other indication of Champlain’s beliefs, but apparently, he and Du Mont were both Calvinists. In fact, the nearest French equivalent of the Presbyterian/Calvinist Westminster Confession is known as The Confession of La Rochelle. That confession is still a constituent document of l’Église Réformée Évangélique Indépendante in France (a denomination where I served as pastor-evangelist in Perpignan 1978-79) and of l’Église Réformée du Québec, where I served as professor of theology and supply pastor 1998-1999. I am still a member of the ERQ church in Saint Georges"
The movement of families from France to Quebec.......from Quebec to New England is a fascinating journey. Where they lived....how they got there......why the stayed or moved on is a journey worth following.
Make the trip here with us or make the trip as a vacation during this year of Quebec celebration. Either way make the trip....for yourself....your children and your grand children. It is fun, informative and addictive. A detective story and a history lesson all in one.
Cat de Hollande
Often the name of a ship and passenger lists are available for review as historical documentation of immigration. My ancestors left LaRochelle on the Cat de Hollande in the mid-1600's. Searching on that ship name landed me at: http://racinesrochelaises.free.fr/cat.html ......a wonderful Canadian site about the ship and its passengers. Some pictures of the Cat or a similar vessel and even the offices of the notary who supported the out-migration documentation.
Passenger lists are available at: http://www.migrations.fr/departure_of_la_rochelle.htm We will follow this journey and the journey of the families involved as well as the journeys of Samuel de Champlain as part of this blogging effort.
Passenger lists are available at: http://www.migrations.fr/departure_of_la_rochelle.htm We will follow this journey and the journey of the families involved as well as the journeys of Samuel de Champlain as part of this blogging effort.
LaRochelle France
In this year of celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec it is interesting to follow the travels of the founders as well as our ancestors.
LaRochelle, France is of particular interest to a great many Franco-Canadians and Franco-Americans because about 40% of the immigration from France to the New World originated at the Port of LaRochelle. Wikipedia has a good entry for LaRochelle and it is a great starting place for a family journey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Rochelle
LaRochelle celebrated the Quebec journeys this year with parades and the launching of a fleet to re-enact the voyage of Champlain.: http://limousin-poitou-charentes.france3.fr/emissions/quebec/42199914-fr.php#para42901474 LaRochelle is of particular interest to my search for family routes since my family originated in Ile de Re an island just of the coast of LaRochelle.....now connected to the mainland by a magnificent bridge. See the Wikipedia article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%8Ele_de_R%C3%A9
LaRochelle, France is of particular interest to a great many Franco-Canadians and Franco-Americans because about 40% of the immigration from France to the New World originated at the Port of LaRochelle. Wikipedia has a good entry for LaRochelle and it is a great starting place for a family journey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Rochelle
LaRochelle celebrated the Quebec journeys this year with parades and the launching of a fleet to re-enact the voyage of Champlain.: http://limousin-poitou-charentes.france3.fr/emissions/quebec/42199914-fr.php#para42901474 LaRochelle is of particular interest to my search for family routes since my family originated in Ile de Re an island just of the coast of LaRochelle.....now connected to the mainland by a magnificent bridge. See the Wikipedia article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%8Ele_de_R%C3%A9
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
FranceGuide resources
Search you ancestry in France via the tourist bureau of France.....FranceGuide at:
http://us.franceguide.com/home.html?NodeID=1649 Search by family name and get a list of possible relatives...as well as a pdf file sent to you by email.
One last note. The University of Maine Franco-American Center is not open during the summer months as we had thought/hoped in a previous post. Funding does not allow for extended no school times for the Center. But you can always endow!!!
http://us.franceguide.com/home.html?NodeID=1649 Search by family name and get a list of possible relatives...as well as a pdf file sent to you by email.
One last note. The University of Maine Franco-American Center is not open during the summer months as we had thought/hoped in a previous post. Funding does not allow for extended no school times for the Center. But you can always endow!!!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Finding family in Maine
Go to Quebec this summer through Maine and do some local research for your family roots. These resources are on the way and offer valuable help for genealogists.
Maine Franco-American Genealogical Society
Auburn, Maine http://www.avcnet.org/begin
University of Maine at Fort Kent
Fort Kent, Maine http://www.umfk.maine.edu/infoserv/archives
Franco American Center / Centre Franco-Américain, et Le FORUM University of Maine
Orono, ME http://www.francomaine.org/index.htm
Quebec Genealogical Research Tour
The New England Historic Genealogical Society www.NewEnglandAncestors.org
In celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec NEHG is offering a research tour that will allow participants to take advantage of two premier Canadian genealogy repositories at the Societe Canadienne-Francaise (SGCF) and the Bibliotheque et Archives national du Quebec (BAnQ). The tour will incorporate field trips to 18th century sites and the assistance of NEHGS staff in discovering les traces des ancetres.
The program will run from June 15 to June 22. You will be responsible for your own travel but NEHG has arranged lodging and tour facilities. Tour costs include accomodations, three group meals, admission costs to official sites, and coach bus transport to the Village Quebecois d'Antan. Single registration is $1,550....commuter registration with $775.
Sounds like an interesting an fun time. You can also check in with the Anniversary celebrations in QC. Take a look at: http://monquebec2008.sympatico.msn.ca/MonQuebec2008/?module=home&id=1
In celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec NEHG is offering a research tour that will allow participants to take advantage of two premier Canadian genealogy repositories at the Societe Canadienne-Francaise (SGCF) and the Bibliotheque et Archives national du Quebec (BAnQ). The tour will incorporate field trips to 18th century sites and the assistance of NEHGS staff in discovering les traces des ancetres.
The program will run from June 15 to June 22. You will be responsible for your own travel but NEHG has arranged lodging and tour facilities. Tour costs include accomodations, three group meals, admission costs to official sites, and coach bus transport to the Village Quebecois d'Antan. Single registration is $1,550....commuter registration with $775.
Sounds like an interesting an fun time. You can also check in with the Anniversary celebrations in QC. Take a look at: http://monquebec2008.sympatico.msn.ca/MonQuebec2008/?module=home&id=1
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Maine travel resources
The Travel resources at http://www.visitmaine.com/ In addition we will posting some itineraries for Ancestral travelers here with links to the Maine pages of interest.
Pages in French with a couple of very useful brochures are found on the Maine pages in French
at: http://www.visitmaine.com/brochure/french.php
If you want to use your French take a look at: http://www.office-tourisme-usa.com/tourisme-maine2.php?PHPSESSID=a3cf1c
It will be intresting during this year of the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec City to follow the trails that migrants from Quebec took in their move to New England. We will have more on that in coming posts.
Pages in French with a couple of very useful brochures are found on the Maine pages in French
at: http://www.visitmaine.com/brochure/french.php
If you want to use your French take a look at: http://www.office-tourisme-usa.com/tourisme-maine2.php?PHPSESSID=a3cf1c
It will be intresting during this year of the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec City to follow the trails that migrants from Quebec took in their move to New England. We will have more on that in coming posts.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Storytelling and Migration history
A wonderful discussion of the art of storytelling and the survival of Franco culture in New England can be found through Google Books at: http://books.google.com/books?id=cjFZLXskuiMC&printsec=titlepage&dq=%22franco+american+migration%22&source=gbs_toc_s&cad=1#PPP1,M1
If your family had a story about Franco ancestry it would be great if you would post it here.
If your family had a story about Franco ancestry it would be great if you would post it here.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Family moves and small industry in New England
Every time I sit down and do some investigation into Family a new and surprising finding pulls me even further into family movement and economics.
How people managed to meet over long distances when travel was so time consuming and difficult has become a new facination for me. Tracing the movement of Franco families throughout Maine and New England and learning of the support groups that naturally formed in those Franco communities has been an incredible journey.
It was interesting this week to find that the brother of my great grandmother was a manufacturer of agricultural tools, patented a grass saw and was part of the founding of three companies in Maine that developed cutting equipment.
I list a history of tool manufacturing source in the posting below. This museum has done a great job tracing the roots of tools, manufacturing companies and individuals involved. Check it out.
How people managed to meet over long distances when travel was so time consuming and difficult has become a new facination for me. Tracing the movement of Franco families throughout Maine and New England and learning of the support groups that naturally formed in those Franco communities has been an incredible journey.
It was interesting this week to find that the brother of my great grandmother was a manufacturer of agricultural tools, patented a grass saw and was part of the founding of three companies in Maine that developed cutting equipment.
I list a history of tool manufacturing source in the posting below. This museum has done a great job tracing the roots of tools, manufacturing companies and individuals involved. Check it out.
Monday, February 18, 2008
French History in Maine
Doing some surprising and interesting research on the French settlement of Maine from Champlain's early mapping in 1607 to the end of the French occupation of Pentagoet (Castine) in the 1700's.
If you haven't visited Castine (Pentagoet) it is a beautiful little town on the Maine coast. Now home of the Maine Maritime Academy the town has a strong sense of its history and well marked sites for avid historians of early American history.
Lots of stuff on the web with a very good article in Wikipedia that should be a starting point for history buffs as well as tourist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castine,_Maine
While we may not be able to trace our ancestors in Castine it is interesting to see the spot where the French first settled
If you haven't visited Castine (Pentagoet) it is a beautiful little town on the Maine coast. Now home of the Maine Maritime Academy the town has a strong sense of its history and well marked sites for avid historians of early American history.
Lots of stuff on the web with a very good article in Wikipedia that should be a starting point for history buffs as well as tourist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castine,_Maine
While we may not be able to trace our ancestors in Castine it is interesting to see the spot where the French first settled
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Only for the serious. Check out this opportunity to trace your ancestry through your DNA. This is a big deal in Europe and you cand find out online at:
http://www.dnaancestryproject.com/
or
http://dna.ancestry.com/welcome.aspx
The ancestry.com page will give you a look at a sample report. This could be fun if you are at a deadend with you tracing or just want to see what this is all about.
I think I will try and link myself to that beack on Ile de Re.
http://www.dnaancestryproject.com/
or
http://dna.ancestry.com/welcome.aspx
The ancestry.com page will give you a look at a sample report. This could be fun if you are at a deadend with you tracing or just want to see what this is all about.
I think I will try and link myself to that beack on Ile de Re.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
