Browse our digitized archives, timelines, and research to learn more about the historic community of Pictou Island.
About Us
Who We Are: Pictou Island has been inhabited since 1809 by settlers from Scotland, growing to over 220 full time residents by the 1930’s. In the 1940’s , people began moving to the mainland to access services not made available on the island. The school was closed in 1972 and an exodus of families began. There was an influx of young adults in the 1970’s , however, since then, as permanent residents were forced to leave for work or health reasons, the island is gradually becoming a summer community. Over 200 years of pride, stories and artifacts have been left behind. It needs to be preserved.
The Pictou Island’s Heritage Society was incorporated under the Nova Scotia’s Societies Act (registry number 3301771) on September 26, 2016. The original plan/ terms of reference were developed at that time by Directors Bill MacMillan, Jane MacDonald, Lorne Matheson, Gary Faryniuk and Skip Hamilton, and the Management team, which included Caitllyn Banks, Janice Faryniuk, Lorne Matheson, Kay Langille, Brenda Spence MacLeod, and Joyce Halasz.
The updated Terms of Reference are based on the original plan document and the Nova Scotia By-Laws for a Non-Profit Society, Societies Act, Service Nova Scotia. Society documents are available here.
The Pictou Island Heritage Society is committed to documenting, archiving, and researching the past, present, and future of the Pictou Island community. This includes the oral history tradition of Gaelic and Celtic communities, as well as the history of fisheries and agriculture on the Island.
Vision: Knowledge of Pictou Island’s unique history and past culture is preserved and known by future generations.
Mission: To promote the understanding, the appreciation and, the conservation of the island’s unique history (early and modern) - the stories, the legends, the documents, the artifacts and the assets - for current and future generations.
If you would like to contact the Heritage Society, have items that you would like to donate to the Heritage Site, or have any other questions, please feel free to contact us by email at
