The first inhabitants of Maitland were the MicMacs.
They called the place Menesatung (healing waters) and
T’witnook (place where river runs fast).
Next came the Acadians who built the dykes and called the
place Village Robert. Thirty years after their expulsion
came the English and the town of Maitland sprang
up.
The first land grant was to the Putmans, then came the Whiddens,
the Douglas’, the Frieze family and the Roy family. Of these
great families, little remains but the grave stones, their great
homes, and a few scattered kin. It is reported that in 1831 there
were eleven shingled houses in town, four of which were taverns.
How things have changed, there are more houses now, but No taverns.
In fact, it was only a couple of years ago that the town was voted
wet again. Within a few years of settling in Maitland, shipbuilding
was started.
By the mid 1800’s this was a major ship building town. Bigger
and bigger ships were built until in 1874
William D Lawrence launched the largest wooden sailing ship ever
built in Canada. In fact, the second largest ship was also
launched here in 1891. When the days of sail ended, so did the ship
building in Maitland.
Time and the great tides have washed most of the evidence away,
but if you look hard enough you may still find some here and there.
The stories also remain if you take the time to ask the right
people.
This hunt will only touch on a couple of interesting locations.
Start your hunt at the above location. To find the second waypoint,
divide the tonnage of this great ship by 1000 and add the result to
both N 45 16.646 and W 063 27.834. This will take you to a place
with the same name as another interesting location in Nova Scotia.
Connection, some say maybe, others just laugh. Only time will tell.
To find the final waypoint, divide the Master Mariner’s birth
date by 1000 and subtract it from N 45 20.934 and W 063
32.203.
The cache container was a prize from the 3rd Annual MGA Geo-BBQ and
Awards. I loaded it with some trail marker tape; a bottle opener;
tigger; some crayons; a pencil; a key tag; a pair of sunglasses;
and a log book.