Irony of History: England, First Nation to Salute the Acadian Flag

Ironie de l'histoire : l'Angleterre, première nation à saluer le drapeau acadien

Photographed by Jay Noble, August 28, 2026

1. Irony of History: England, First Nation to Salute the Acadian Flag Marker

Irony of History: England, First Nation to Salute the Acadian Flag
The Acadian flag was adopted on August 15, 1884, by delegates attending the second Acadian National Convention in Miscouche, Prince Edward Island. The following day, the flag was raised for the first time at sea in the Summerside harbour aboard a steamship ferry, the St. Lawrence, on its way to Pointe-du-Chêne, New Brunswick. The ship's captain, Captain Evans, granted a request from passengers, who were delegates returning home from the conference, to fly the flag on the mast, albeit below the Union Jack. As the flag was hoisted, the newly adopted Acadian national anthem, Ave Maris Stella, was sung.

At the time, a seconded vessel from the British fleet was close by, and, as the flag was hoisted, it dipped its colours, believing it was saluting the French flag. It marked the first time the Acadian flag was saluted by another nation. How ironic it was that this nation was England, the country that had deported the Acadian people from the Maritimes over a century earlier.

This piece, "Irony of History: England, First Nation to Salute the

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Acadian Flag", was painted by New Brunswick artist Claude Picard as part of a series of six paintings depicting the Acadian national symbols. These paintings were commissioned by the Association du Musée acadien de l'Île-du-Prince Edouard and unveiled in 2005. These original works of art can be viewed at the Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island in Miscouche.

Ironie de l'histoire : l'Angleterre, première nation à saluer le drapeau acadien
Le drapeau acadien a été adopté le 15 août 1884 par les délégués de la deuxième Convention nationale acadienne à Miscouche (lle-du- Prince-Édouard). Le lendemain, le drapeau était hissé pour la première fois en mer, dans le port de Summerside, à bord d'un traversier à vapeur, le St. Lawrence, en route vers Pointe-du-Chêne (Nouveau-Brunswick). Le capitaine du navire, le capitaine Evans, avait accédé à la demande de passagers, qui étaient des délégués rentrant chez eux après la conférence, de hisser le drapeau sur le mât, bien qu'en gee de l'Union Jack. Pendant que l'on hissait le drapeau, l'hymne national acadien nouvellement adopté, l'Ave Maris Stella, a été entonné.

À ce moment-là, un

Photographed by Jay Noble, August 28, 2026

2. Irony of History: England, First Nation to Salute the Acadian Flag Marker

navire détaché de la flotte britannique se trouvait à proximité et, en réponse au lever du drapeau, a fait un ses drapeaux en pensant qu'il saluait le drapeau français. C'était la première fois que le drapeau acadien était salué par une autre nation. Quelle ironie que cette nation soit l'Angleterre, le pays qui avait déporté le peuple acadien des Maritimes plus d'un siècle auparavant.

Cette œuvre, intitulée Ironie de l'histoire : l'Angleterre, première nation à saluer le drapeau acadien, a été peinte par l'artiste néo-brunswickois Claude Picard dans le cadre d'une série de six tableaux représentant les symboles nationaux acadiens. Ces tableaux ont été commandés par l'Association du Musée acadien de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard et dévoilés en 2005. Ces œuvres d'art originales peuvent être admirées au Musée acadien de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard à Miscouche.

 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Events • Patriots & Patriotism. A significant historical date for this entry is August 15, 1884.
 
Location. 46° 23.441′ N, 63° 47.544′ W. Marker is in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. It is on Heather Moyse Drive, on the right

Photographed by Jay Noble, August 28, 2026

3. Irony of History: England, First Nation to Salute the Acadian Flag Marker

when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 305 Heather Moyse Drive, Summerside PE C1N 0J7, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Maritimes and in Atlantic Canada. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony and also the Viceroyalty of New France.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Head of Queen's Wharf (within shouting distance of this marker); In memory of Carrie Ellen Holman (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); The Summerside Armoury (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); The Great Fire of 1906 (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); The Holman Homestead (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); The Railway Station (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Georgina Fane Pope (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Salute to the Prince Edward Island Railway (approx. 0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Summerside.

 

 
Credits. This page was last revised on September 11, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2026, by Jay Noble of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. This page has been viewed 13 times since then. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on September 10, 2026, by Jay Noble of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.