Caraquet

Caraquet (English: /ˈkɑːrəkɛt/ French pronunciation: [kaʁakɛt]) is a town in Gloucester County, New Brunswick, Canada. Situated on the shore of Chaleur Bay in the Acadian Peninsula, its name is derived from the Mi'kmaq term for meeting of two rivers. The Caraquet River and Rivière du Nord flow into the Caraquet Bay west of the town. On 1 January 2023, the town was greatly enlarged by annexing the village of Bas-Caraquet and all or part of seven local service districts; the annexed communities' names remain in official use. Revised census figures have not been released. Caraquet was first settled by Gabriel Giraud dit St-Jean who was a French trader and merchant. He married a Mi'kmaq woman and settled in Lower Caraquet. After the expulsion of the Acadians from southern New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in 1755, some Acadians settled in Upper Caraquet. Led by Alexis Landry in 1757, the original town site was founded at what is now called Sainte-Anne-du-Bocage. The land was officially granted for the town in 1774 through the Royal Proclamation to 34 families of Acadian, Normand and Mi'kmaq origins.