Yarmouth

Yarmouth is a town and major fishing and ferry port located on the Gulf of Maine in southwestern Yarmouth County Nova Scotia, Canada. It is sometimes referred to as "The Gateway to Nova Scotia". The townsite may possibly have been visited by Leif Erikson. A runic stone was found at the nearby village of Overton in 1812. It is interpreted by some to be carved by Erikson, while others feel the markings are natural scratches gradually enhanced over ... more

Yarmouth is a town and major fishing and ferry port located on the Gulf of Maine in southwestern Yarmouth County Nova Scotia, Canada. It is sometimes referred to as "The Gateway to Nova Scotia". The townsite may possibly have been visited by Leif Erikson. A runic stone was found at the nearby village of Overton in 1812. It is interpreted by some to be carved by Erikson, while others feel the markings are natural scratches gradually enhanced over the years. The stone may be seen at the Yarmouth County Museum & Archives. The region was visited in 1604 by Samuel de Champlain, who named it Cap Fourchu, and it became a French fishing settlement. In 1759 settlers came to the townsite from Yarmouth, Massachusetts, and named it Yarmouth after their former home. The town was founded in 1761, when a larger group of settlers came from Sandwich, Massachusetts. They were then followed by Acadians originally from the Grand Pré district who returned from exile in 1767. Substantial numbers of United... less