Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Whycocomagh is a small Canadian
rural community in the province of Nova Scotia
. The population in 2001 was 854 residents. It is located on the eastern edge of Inverness County
in the central part of Cape Breton Island
. The community sits on the northwestern shore of St. Patrick's Channel, an arm of Bras d'Or Lake
. Whycocomagh is a Mi'kmaq
word which means 'Head of the Waters'. Nearby is a Mi'kmaq reserve where wooden sculptures and baskets are made.
The community is bisected by the Skye River, with the Whycocomagh and We'koqma'q First Nations (a Mi'kmaq community, (pop. 624)) located west of the river, whereas the community of Whycocomagh is located east of the river and is dominated by descendants of English
and Scottish
settlers who came to the area in the 18th and 19th centuries; these settlers took to calling the area "Hogamagh".
Highway 105
, the Trans-Canada Highway
runs along the Bras d"Or Lake shore through the area. The beauty of Whycocomagh was noted by Alexander Graham Bell
, who is known to have stated that "Whycocomagh is the Rio de Janeiro
of North America" due to the picturesque island off its shores.
Whycocomagh features several gas stations, several local restaurants and a farmer's market. The Whycocomagh Education Center, where the Whycocomagh Eco Centre is located, also serves as an Elementary school for the surrounding area.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
rural community in the province of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. The population in 2001 was 854 residents. It is located on the eastern edge of Inverness County
Inverness County, Nova Scotia
Inverness County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Its territory is almost contiguous with the Municipality of Inverness County, which only excludes the town of Port Hawkesbury and First Nation reserves.-History:...
in the central part of Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
. The community sits on the northwestern shore of St. Patrick's Channel, an arm of Bras d'Or Lake
Bras d'Or Lake
Bras d'Or Lake is a large body of salt water dominating the centre of Cape Breton Island in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Bras d'Or Lake is sometimes referred to as the Bras d'Or Lakes or the Bras d'Or Lakes system, however its official geographic name is Bras d'Or Lake as it is a singular...
. Whycocomagh is a Mi'kmaq
Mi'kmaq language
The Mi'kmaq language is an Eastern Algonquian language spoken by nearly 9,100 Mi'kmaq in Canada and the United States out of a total ethnic Mi'kmaq population of roughly 20,000. The word Mi'kmaq is a plural word meaning 'my friends' ; the adjectival form is Míkmaw...
word which means 'Head of the Waters'. Nearby is a Mi'kmaq reserve where wooden sculptures and baskets are made.
The community is bisected by the Skye River, with the Whycocomagh and We'koqma'q First Nations (a Mi'kmaq community, (pop. 624)) located west of the river, whereas the community of Whycocomagh is located east of the river and is dominated by descendants of English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
settlers who came to the area in the 18th and 19th centuries; these settlers took to calling the area "Hogamagh".
Highway 105
Nova Scotia Highway 105
Highway 105 in Nova Scotia represents the Cape Breton Island leg of the Trans-Canada Highway. It runs from the junction just east of the Canso Causeway in Port Hastings to the Marine Atlantic ferry terminal in North Sydney, representing a distance of ....
, the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
runs along the Bras d"Or Lake shore through the area. The beauty of Whycocomagh was noted by Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
, who is known to have stated that "Whycocomagh is the Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
of North America" due to the picturesque island off its shores.
Whycocomagh features several gas stations, several local restaurants and a farmer's market. The Whycocomagh Education Center, where the Whycocomagh Eco Centre is located, also serves as an Elementary school for the surrounding area.