Photos
This is a gallery of selected photos from the Pictou Island Heritage Society's archives that relate to the history and heritage of Pictou Island.
If you may have photos you would like to generously donate to our archives, or share in the form of digitally scanned copies, please contact the society.
Ralph Hooper
Pictou County saw a great industrial spike during the Second World War as the need for ammunition and ships rose, in addition to the enlisted men and women. There were several residents of Pictou Island who were enlisted, including Ralph Hooper who is pictured. Hooper was a part of the Royal Canadian Engineers, and the only member of the group of serving Islanders who died overseas
Lighthouses
There were three lighthouses on Pictou Island: the East end, wharf, and West end locations.
The East and West end lighthouses were decommissioned in the 1960's, but the wharf lighthouse is still standing.
While in service, the lighthouses were a source of long and short term employment on the Island, and often included separate homes on the lighthouse property for the attendant's family to reside.
Pictured is the West end lighthouse, which is now replaced by a light tower.
ShipBuilding
In addition to fisheries and agriculture, the Island has a rich history of shipbuilding.
There were two noteable shipbuilding operations on the Island, Adamson's Shipyard at the Eastern End of Pictou Island, and Vincent Turple's business.
Pictured is a fleet of newly built boats, soaking in a pond on the Eastern end of the Island. This process of soaking was intended to swell the wooden boards used to build the boats, closing the gaps between pieces and creating a water-tight seal.
The Ferry
The ferry service on Pictou Island was established in 1910
and has been a key component in Pictou Island's connection to the Mainland. There have been several different boats used as the ferry and has had nearly 10 different captains over it's 118 years of service.
The Mail Plane
Between the 1940's and 1950's a twice weekly mail service was established on the Island by way of airplane delivery. The mail plane has been a valuable
service to Island life, providing a reliable and convenient connection to the Mainland, and even serving as emergency transportation on occasion.
Today, the mail plane arrives weekly, every Tuesday morning, delivering parcel and grocery orders to Island residents year-round.
Margaret Macdonald
MargaretMacDonald was the Island's resident nurse for over 30 years.
Margaret walked across the thick ice of the Northumberland Strait one winter to receive her nurses training in Montreal. She worked in Massachusetts for several years until her sister became ill with tuberculosis. She stayed on the Island and was responsible for the treatment and care of all Island residents.
The Iceboat
Before the mail plane or ferry service, the Iceboat was the Island's only connection to the Mainland.
The Iceboat was built by Vincent Turple in 1940 and was captained by Spike MacDonald until 1951, when the mail plane came into service.
The Iceboat is a landmark in Island history as it was the first reliable form of transportation for the Island to the Mainland, and was accessible year-round.
In 2008, the Iceboat was donated to the Northumberland Fisheries museum in Pictou.
Photo by the Pictou Historical Photograph Society, accessed via NovaStory.
Fisheries
Possibly the most well-known aspect of Pictou Island history, fisheries - specificaly
lobster fishing - has been an integral part
of Island life and economy since 1870.
Several lobster canneries were open on the Island during the 19th century, and lobster fishing was a main resource of income for the majority of Islanders throughout the 1900's.
In present day, lobster that is fished out of Pictou Island waters is sold and processed on the Mainland, but Island history is still celebrated through annual lobster boils.
Factory Road
This photo and many others provided by Ray Hayman.
