This area is home to a vibrant and diverse cultural past. The Mi’kmaq, of course, have always belonged to these lands, but this area is also steeped in over 400 years of European history, starting with the arrival of the French, the establishment at Port Royal in 1605, and the Acadians, to the coming of the Empire United Loyalists in the late eighteenth century. This rich historical and cultural mosaic can still be seen today in the many communities, historic sites, and attractions throughout southwestern Nova Scotia.