| East Ferry |
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East Ferry is one of the larger communities on Digby Neck where there
is beauty and breath taking views as the main highway winds down the North
Mountain to the passage waters below. The highway ends on route to the
ferry boat which travels visitors and passengers to the islands. (Long
and Brier Island). St. Mary's Bay and the Bay of Fundy can be viewed with
awesome scenic sights, truly a photographers delight. The noted famous
fog hugs the area and often a welcome on a hot days. This, too, is a sight
to behold as it hovers and moves across about in its mysterious way. A
side road (French Beach Road) under this mountain, along shoreline, leads
to fish plants. The waters show off the fishing vessels that harbour there.
At the top of the mountain there is another road that is a called "Across
the Meadow". It has an extended view of the St. Mary's Bay, passage and
Long Island. Modern and older homes dot the roadsides in their country
likened atmosphere. People are pleasant, welcoming and accommodating, a
tourists dream.
History: Loyalists settled here around the 1800's. French folk
came here and lived summers to catch fish and muscles.They harvested them,
cured and dried them for winters use. They would return to their homes
for winter and come back the next summer. Roads were not made to the shore
then, pathways. Muscles were stopped from harvesting after two people were
poisoned and died. The French road is where they had little buildings for
living in the summer. No evidence of this today. The Thibodeau's were some
of the French people who stayed in these fish houses this was how the Thibodeau's
arrived over here.In East Ferry there were several general stores, post
office and a place were homemade ice cream was made. There were four fish
plants that employed many people there was 175 - 200 people employed. The
names of the fish plants were Newman Theriault, Llewellyn Theriault, Gordon
Theriault, and Harris and Theriault. The fish plant workers had to take
breaks in sections because of all of the workers in these fish plants.
This was a lot of work for the store owners on the breaks.
Education: There was a one room school house that educated the
children. Teachers were from the local area and some boarded if they were
from further away. It closed when the Digby Neck Consolidated School opened
in 1957.
Church: One church is in East Ferry . The East Ferry Baptist.
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Points of Interest:
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Great scenic views along side roads for the photographers eye, birds and
possible wildlife.
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A general store and gift shop near ferry terminal.
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Whale Watching cruises from Petit Passage Whale Watch.
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Mini picnic area at the horse shoe turn on North mountain descent to the
ferry.
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Fish plants on the French Beach Road, only one active present (Passage
Fisheries).
