Nouvelle is a municipality in eastern Quebec, Canada, on the south shore of the Gaspé Peninsula at the mouth of the Nouvelle River, where the Restigouche River widens into Chaleur Bay. In addition to Nouvelle itself, the municipality also includes the communities of Allard, Brébeuf (Dugal), Drapeau, Miguasha, Miguasha-Ouest, Nouvelle-Ouest, and Provancher. Nouvelle's graphic seal is a world globe overlaid by Eusthenopteron foordi, whose fossil discovery brought worldwide fame to the Miguasha National Park, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the municipality. The seal's red and gray colours represent the colors of the rocks present on the fossil site.

History

Nouvelle was first settled by Acadians fleeing the deportation of 1755, fish merchants from Jersey, Channel Islands and some Irish. The name Nouvelle (French meaning "new") was used as early as the end of the 18th century and stood for the "new land" being made available west of the town that is now called Carleton-sur-Mer. It first appeared on documents in 1787 by the Jersey businessman Charles Robin and by Abbé Joseph Mathurin Bourg, the first Acadian priest. In 1842, the geographic township of Nouvelle was proclaimed. In 1845, the township, which included the area now known as Escuminac, was first incorporated as the Municipality of Shoolbred. It was named after John Shoolbred, who was the first owner of the seignory granted there. In 1847, the municipality was abolished, but it re-established in 1855. From 1861, it was known as the Township Municipality of Nouvelle-et-Shoolbred. On July 1, 1869, the local mission was proclaimed as a parish, known as Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste (Saint John the Evangelist). In 1881, the post office opened, also designated as Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste. In 1907, the place separated from the township municipality and formed the Municipality of Nouvelle-et-Shoolbred-Partie-Nord-Est. It was renamed in 1912 to Municipality of Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste, and on December 5, 1953, it was renamed again to the Municipality of Nouvelle. The same year, the post office name followed suit.

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