Tusket Islands
Encyclopedia
The Tusket Islands are a number of islands located in the Atlantic Ocean
, south of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
.
The islands stretch along the coast from Pinkney's Point to Wedgeport and include:
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, south of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Yarmouth is a town and fishing port located on the Gulf of Maine in rural southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the shire town of Yarmouth County. The town is located in the heart of the world's largest lobster fishing grounds and has Canada's highest lobster catch.- History :The townsite may...
.
The islands stretch along the coast from Pinkney's Point to Wedgeport and include:
- Allen Island
- Pease Island
- Spectacle Island
- Ellenwood Island
- Murder Island - There are several explanations for the name, one of which was presented in an historical column written many years ago in a local Yarmouth, Nova Scotia paper. As remembered, at some time in the early to mid-18th century a French missionary traveling from native village to native village along the coast, told two local tribes that a treasure had been buried on that particular island. After he had left to continue his travels, the two tribes went to the island in search of the treasure. A quarrel is said to have ensued and the two tribes virtually wiped each other out. For some reason their bodies were left to the elements and were found some time later by other French explorers in the region. All that they found of course were the bones of the slain and thus named the island "I'sle du Massacre" or Murder Island.
- Harris Island
- Holmes Island
- Haymaker Island
- Turpentine Island
- Owls Head Island
- Eagle Island
- Marks Island
- Candlebox Island
- Tarpaulin Island
- Dog and Calf Islands
- Big Tusket Island
- Green Island
Tusket Island itself has the highest elevation of 100 feet and Bald Tusket Island has an elevation of 50 feet high. Several dwellings were built on the islands during early decades of European settlement.http://www.yarmouth.org/villages/tusketis/index.htm