Miscouche (2021 population: 992) is a municipality that holds community status in

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...

, Canada. It is located in Prince County. Incorporated in 1957, Miscouche is located 10 kilometres west of the City of Summerside. Its name is derived from the

Mi'kmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Miꞌkmaw'' or ''Miꞌgmaw''; ; ) are a First Nations people of the Northeastern Woodlands, indigenous to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec as well as the northe ...

term for "Little grassy island". Miscouche is east to the

Evangeline Region ''Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie'' is an epic poem by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written in English and published in 1847. The poem follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel, set during t ...

, the province's largest

francophone French became an international language in the Middle Ages, when the power of the Kingdom of France made it the second international language, alongside Latin. This status continued to grow into the 18th century, by which time French was the l ...

area comprising numerous

Acadian The Acadians (french: Acadiens , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most Acadians live in the region of Acadia, as it is the region where the de ...

settlements; 15% of Miscouche's population is considered francophone. Miscouche also serves as a service centre for some nearby rural communities, including Belmont, Central Lot 16, Southwest Lot 16, Grand River, St. Nicolas, and Linkletter.

History

The Second Acadian National Convention was held in Miscouche in 1884, and was attended by approximately 5,000 Acadian delegates from across the Maritimes. The Convention saw the adoption of nearly all Acadian national symbols, including the Acadian flag. Because Miscouche hosted this historic convention, it was decided in 1964 that the Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island be constructed next to the church. The Museum has been housed in a much larger facility since 1991 (still located on the same location as the former museum) and since 1996 it has served as one of the seven sites of Museum & Heritage Prince Edward Island, a division of the provincial Department of Community, Cultural Affairs and Labour. St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church is one of the oldest wooden churches in Prince Edward Island. It features a historic Casavant organ. Extensive renovations were completed in recent years to restore much of the previous grandeur of the building.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...

, Miscouche had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Education

Miscouche Consolidated School was established in 1977. Grades 1 through 9 are taught, with grades 10-12 taught at Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside.

References

External links

* {{PEI Communities in Prince County, Prince Edward Island Rural municipalities in Prince Edward Island