still stands, and the smaller part to a nearby farm. The latter part burned shortly after. Its attic may have still held Father Gauthier’s trunk which contained a letter to Father Gauthier from Louis Riel, the Metis founder of the Province of Manitoba. World War II brought a higher level of prosperity and plans were started for the Mission Church at Miminegash, built in 1946. The new steam heating system was installed in 1950.

NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

After World War II, prosperity accelerated with the develop- ment of the Irish Moss Industry, improved prices for lobsters, and discovery of scallop beds. A larger number of families were able to remain in the area. Farming also recovered from the trough of the Depression but in a different form with fewer and larger farms, but less total acreage (census figures show less cleared land on RBI. in 1991 than in 1891.) Large scale potato production and the accompanying beef production, provide some employment but a lot of the land is rented to large producers from other areas whose employees come from all over West Prince. Recently a strawberry plant producer pumped a brook dry with its irrigation system!

Aerial View, 1950’s. Note chimney affront.

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