The name Church Point or "Pointe-de-l'Église" reflects that part of this village's history in which the first church was build on that point which protrudes out into the bay.

When the Acadians first arrived at Baie Ste.-Marie the name used to designate the area now known as Pointe-de-l'Église was "Chicaben"...the Indian name for the location. Not that long ago many of our elders...my grandfather included...occasionally used this name when referring to Pointe-de-l'Église and I was reminded only recently of it when someone mentioned having heard their grandparents say that they had to go "ŕ la Chicaben"...

When Abbé Jean Mandé Sigogne opened the first school for the Acadians "de la Baie"...he named it l'Académie de la Chicaben and when the "College Sainte-Anne"..the predecessor of the present l'Université Sainte-Anne first began...it was also known as l'Académie de la Chicaben. Today...l'Université Sainte-Anne is the only French-language university in the province of Nova Scotia.

About 1860 the name Pointe-de-l'Église or Church Point was officially changed to Port Acadia and this name is found on some old official documents. To the best of my knowledge this is still the "official" name of the village...never having been changed back through any act or legislation...however...the Acadians never accepted it and continued to use Church Point or Pointe-de-l'Église to signify this village and now all the maps refer to this location as Church Point.

At approximately the center of the village on the main route stands a sight which must be seen to be appreciated...the church. This structure and much of the interior details is the result of the craftsmanship of the local Acadians. The church who's spire is 56 meters high can be seen for miles and was build over a period of two years...from 1903 to 1905. The spire and the main building structure is an engineering feat in itself which would make any structural engineer or architect take notice. The spire had to be constructed in such a manner that it would sway in the heavy wind storms so often experienced in this part of the North Atlantic. To solve this engineering problem the builders place some 36 tons of rock to act as base ballast. The final result of this construction was and still is...the tallest wooden structure in North America.