Vintage Sterling Silver Enameled 2D Collectible Souvenir Evangeline Nova Scotia Bracelet Charm. The front has a beautiful enameled depiction of Evangeline with a church in the background. This gorgeous 925 collectible fashion accessory is in good vintage condition with minor signs of age such as minor scratches, tarnishing and minimal enamel wear. Please see photos for more details.

Approximately 1/2”

Made by Breadner Co in Canada

“Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie,” first published in 1847, was a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Almost immediately after its release, the poem obtained worldwide popularity. Millions of people were drawn to the story of a young Acadian couple from the village of Grand-Pré, Evangeline Bellefontaine and Gabriel Lajeunesse, who were separated by the events of the Deportation. Evangeline, being a faithful, pious woman, vowed to find her true love Gabriel, yet she always seemed to be two steps behind. More than a fictitious character, Evangeline became a symbol of the Deportation and the perseverance of the Acadian people.

The combination of an alluring romantic tale of love and loss and a heavenly landscape inspired a new class of “tourists” to travel to Nova Scotia. In 1871, steam ship and rail service from New England to Nova Scotia had begun to bring tourists to the “Land of Evangeline.” The new rail service from Halifax to Annapolis Royal, completed in 1869, (amalgamated under Dominion Atlantic Railway in 1895) opened with six locomotive engines: two of which were called Evangeline and Gabriel.

The Dominion Atlantic Railway (DAR) used the association of Grand-Pré with Longfellow’s Evangeline to promote railway travel. Visitors travelling on the Evangeline locomotive would stop at the Grand-Pré station just a few metres away from the entrance to the Park. The highlight of the visit was being greeted by the statue of Evangeline in the 14 acres of carefully manicured Victorian gardens that were created to represent Evangeline’s village of Grand-Pré.

Many businesses also appropriated the image of Evangeline to sell products such as soda, chocolates, campgrounds, funeral homes, car dealerships, etc. One of the many Acadian newspapers of the time, founded in Digby in 1887 was named “L’Évangéline.” It was later moved to Moncton and continued publication until 1982.