Acadian Cross: America's Hidden Grave of French Pioneers

Acadian Cross: America's Hidden Grave of French Pioneers

Hidden on a lonely stretch of US Route 1, the Acadian Cross Historic Shrine is a relic of the 1700s, where the first Acadian family, led by Joseph Daigle, set foot on the Saint John River in 1785.

The Acadian Landing Site, known as the Acadian Cross since 1922, is more than just a simple pitstop on US Route 1. This humble outpost, obscured by a winding side road and a sun-beaten potato field, reveals a tale from French-American history. The monumental marble cross, raised in 1922, is like a crypt, enclosing secrets buried in time. A worn wooden platform, added in 1969, occasionally echoes with religious events, much like eulogies for the fallen dream of Acadia. The Madawaska Historical Society maintains the site, ensuring it's part of the Maine Acadian Culture program under the National Park Service. Despite the cross's simplicity, a treasure trove of Acadian lore lies just beyond its humble appearance.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

Written by Leroy

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