The landscape of Grand Pré was created by 17th century Acadians who built dykes, drained the seawater, and let the rain wash the salt away to create fertile farmland. Although the infrastructure holding the sea back has been replaced, visitors are still standing on the same tract of land cleared 400 years ago. The site was first nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2004 before being listed in 2011. It created a lasting legacy for the history of the agricultural landscape.
Unlike the British, the Acadians, who created their own territory here, lived largely in harmony with the indigenous Mi’kmaq people. In the 1760s, the British deported the Acadians and expanded the dyked farmland by 20% to its current 3,200 acres. Interestingly, Dutch farmers, masters of reclamation, came and settled here in the 1940s and 1950s after the Second World War.
Today, the Grand Pré National Historic Site is open year round and staffed only during summer. It remains active farmland and still has some of the most fertile soil in the country.
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