Lower Barneys River, Nova Scotia
Lower Barneys River Geography
- Official Community Name: Lower Barneys River
- Mi’kmaw Translation: Kaqpese’kaqnk (At the smelt fishing place)
- Geographic Feature Type Category: Populated Place
- Geographic Feature Type: Community
- Postal Code: B0K 1G0
- Latitude / Longitude: 45.664363, -62.34984
Lower Barneys River Maps
- NTS Map Number: 011E09
- 1:250k Topographic NTS Map: 011E
- 1879 Pictou County Atlas: Section 20
- Nova Scotia Land Grant Map Number: NS Land Grant map 093
- Nova Scotia 1:10k Topographic Map Number: 1045650062300 (Lower Barneys River)
- Other Maps
About Lower Barneys River
Lower Barneys River is situated on Merigomish Harbour, along the Shore Road (Route 245). The river area was named after Barnabas McGee who reputedly was the first settler in Merigomish township about 1776 or 1777.
William McKenzie, a native of Sutherlandshire, emigrated to the area in 1803, and first settled Lower Barneys River.
The mouth of the river was the site if a major Mi’kmaq Camping ground, and they referred to the area as Kaqpese’kaqnk meaning ‘At the smelt fishing place’.
Cranberry Campground, a popular recreation spot during the summer is now located in a similar area of Lower Barneys River.
A Presbyterian Church as built about 1830 but latter burned down. A school was built in 1870. Postal way office was established at Lower Barneys River in 1856.
Population in 1956 was 118.
Official Place Names found within the community include:
- Barneys Point
- Cemetery Point
- Murrays Point
- Pattersons Point
- Gordon Brook
- Morrison Island
- Chisholm Brook
- Smith Point
- Smith Brook
- Lower Barneys River
- Smith Gut
- Barneys River
Roads located within the community include:
- A J MacDonald Road
- Barneys River Loop
- Barneys River Road
- Big Island Road
- Murrays Point Cemetery Road
- Piedmont Valley Road
- Shore Road
- Suncatcher Lane
- Weir Road
The History of Barneys River written by H. H. Bruce in 1886, illustrates early settlement of Barney’s River and surrounding areas (Lower Barneys River, Avondale, Piedmont, Upper Barneys River). A compelling blend of biographical sketches, oral histories, and vivid anecdotes that together help paint a rich portrait of early pioneer life among Scottish Highland immigrants who arrived in the region around the early 1820s.
With both a genealogical and historical purpose, Bruce writes so that future generations may learn something of their ancestry, and includes stories about the Stewarts, Robinsons, Dewars, Gordons, McLeans, McKays, Sutherlands, and others.
[Sources: Nova Scotia Place Names – T. Brown / Places of Nova Scotia – C. Bruce Fergusson / History of Barney’s River Early Days in East Pictou – H. H. Bruce / MikmawPlaceNames.ca ]
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