This Church is a Memorial to the men and boys
who were read the Deportation Order
on September 5th, 1755 and held prisoners
for one month until the ships that would
deport and scatter these families arrived.
The Order had been decided upon by
Governor Lawrence, Lieutenant Governor
of Acadia stationed in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Governor Lawrence believed that the Acadians
were a threat to the British. However, the
Acadians had no such intentions and were very
peace loving and hard working people. Though
the Acadians had signed Allegiance to the British
Crown that had promised they would never have
to bear arms against France ~ the land of their
birth ~ Governor Lawrence ordered them to take
up arms against France for the British. When
the Acadians refused, the Order of Deportation
was prepared and given by John Winslow.
At the same time the Order was being read
Governor Lawrence took prisoners those men who
had gone to meet with him in Halifax and who
had been chosen as representatives by their Acadian
families and neighbors. Some of the men and
boys imprisoned in the Church that day,
would never see their families again.
In the forefront is the statue of Evangeline.