Cape St. Marys

Cape St. Marys

Named by explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1604, the cape and village bear the name of the Virgin Mary.

Land was originally granted to Elias Hardy and three others in 1799, and French Acadian families arrived starting in 1804. The fishers of Cape St. Mary used to go out to sea in small open boats known locally as ‘barchettes’ (little barques) powered by oars or sails, and they processed their catches onshore by salting, pickling or drying them.

The original lighthouse was built in 1868. The current lighthouse was built in 1965 and has been automated since 1989. The active fishing wharf is surrounded by houses perched on the hill overlooking the sea. During the summer, fishermen share their village with summer residents who return each year to bask in the beauty of the sea and the scenery. Not far from the wharf, you will find the Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse Park with panoramic views of St. Mary’s Bay, Gulf of Maine and Mavillette Beach Provincial Park.