bluenose (bloo'noz) noun

1. Nova Scotian's have been proudly called "Bluenoses" or "Bluenosers" since the 1700's for several reasons. For the planting and exporting of Irish Bluenose potatoes (see #2 below), the blue marks left on the noses of Nova Scotian fishermen left by blue mitts (see #3 below), and the name given to the Nova Scotia British troops which occupied New York City and Boston during the American Revolution.

2. About 1814 a potato crop failure in Maine caused the import of potatoes from Nova Scotia. The potatoes, when washed were a blue in color, and very often had knobs on them that some people thought looked like noses. Hence the name "bluenose" potatoes. So the land that they came from became known as the land of the bluenoses. It was a term that was accepted and we became quite proud of it.

3. During the early years of the fisheries in the south shore area of Nova Scotia, all the fisherman wore homespun clothing. One of the most popular and easy to make dyes for the wool, was a blue variety. When the fisherman were out in their boats, hauling in their nets, etc., they all wore woolen mittens, dyed blue. Their noses would be running and the men instinctively wiped their noses with their mitts, and the dye from the mitts would rub off onto their noses. When the boats arrived in the Boston area to sell their fish, all the men aboard had blue noses!

4. Bluenose (Schooner) - World famous Lunenburg tall ship, 1921-1946; appears on the Canadian dime - 1937.

5. Bluenose II - Canada's sailing ambassador, Lunenburg, 1963. It was built by the Oland family to promote Schooner Beer and was later given to the Nova Scotia government where it has had a new life promoting Nova Scotia's past.

This is our collection of everything Bluenose.

Nova Scotia - claimed by John Cabot in 1497 is Britain's only colony named in Latin (New Scotland) by James I of England, VI of Scotland, in 1621.

The Official Welcome: "Ciad Mile Failte" - (Key-ut-me-la falchuh), Gaelic for "One Hundred Thousand Welcomes".

Motto: "One defends and the other conquers". - 1625

Flag: Britain's first overseas, 1621

Shield

Coat of Arms

Tartan - Canada's oldest

Blue and White - The seas
Greens - The Forests
Red - The Royal Lion
Gold - The Nova Scotia Royal Charter

Flower: Mayflower

Tree: Red Spruce

Berry: Wild Blueberry