North Rustico

History

The village of North Rustico was founded circa 1790, around a small natural harbour along the Gulf of St. Lawrence coast. The region was home to a remnant Acadian population who fled British capture and deportation during the Seven Years' War (see Great Upheaval), although English, Scottish and Irish settlers moved into the area during the remainder of the 18th century and throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The name Rustico comes from Rassicot, the name of one of the first settlers from France. The Farmers' Bank of Rustico in nearby South Rustico was founded and managed under the leadership of Father Georges-Antoine Belcourt, and received Royal Assent for its act of incorporation at the Court of Windsor on April 7, 1864. It is often considered to have been the first community-based bank in Canada. The bank building was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1959.