Pictou Island Heritage Society · Virtual Museum
Pictou Island Heritage Society
Preserving and sharing the history, stories, places and people of Pictou Island.
This Week in Pictou Island History
1926
Federal patrol responds to illegal lobster fishing
Federal patrol is dispatched to suppress illegal lobster fishing around Pictou Island and adjacent waters.
From the Island’s history. This account is dated to a year or period, rather than this calendar week.
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Ray Hayman / PIHS collection
Featured Article
Asadalia and Asadalia Reef — 1827
A shipping notice and a remembered reef name preserve different parts of the Island’s maritime history.
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Featured Exhibit
Faith, Death & Memory
Church, cemeteries, funeral practice and remembrance
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An Island life
John Alexander “Jack Happy” MacDonald
John Alexander MacDonald, remembered as Jack Happy, worked in lobster fishing and the canneries before becoming keeper of the West Lighthouse. His later recollections describe cannery work from the age of thirteen and owning fishing gear by seventeen, giving a personal view of working life along the Island shore.
Read the BiographyBrowse all biographies
Explore the Island
The Historical Map
Explore nineteen landmarks and follow their stories through the Island’s illustrated map.
Explore the Historical MapShipwrecks & Strandings
From the Collection
Annabel “Bella” McCallum at a spinning wheel
Annabel “Bella” McCallum, identified in the Andrea Rankin Sibley collection, is pictured working at her spinning wheel.
View the PhotographRead Her Biography
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Pictou Island Heritage Society
PIHS is a volunteer organization made possible by the time and effort of its board, members and community volunteers. The upkeep of Pictou Island’s heritage sites is ongoing. We greatly appreciate everyone who helps with this annual work.
PIHS is not a registered charity and does not issue tax receipts.