Strait Area Museum
24 Route 19 B9A 1M1 Port Hastings, PE, Canada

There's no rhyme or reason anymore to what I'm able to post. I usually wanted to have a theme but right now I don't have the time. Let me know if there are any glaring mistakes in the names and maybe you have a more accurate date. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

I'm back. I'm just posting this one picture of Mulgrave which would have been taken by Jack McCully before October 11 th, 1941 who died in a house fire when he was just 35 years old. Fortunately for people interested in history, he took hundreds of pictures of all the communities in the Strait area as well as those further afield. He chose the ones he thought would be of interest and made them into post cards under his Fad Foto business as his home was handy where the auto ferries arrived and departed just off Granville St. (posted by volunteer gal)

Songs of 185 th Overseas Battalion is a small 36 page book of songs compiled for the Canadian Expeditionary Force, Cape Breton Highlanders during WW I. I'm headed to bed. Cheers. (Posted for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Gertrude Duff and her husband Harry Plumb first came to the Port Hastings and District Museum and Archives (as it was known in July 1984) all the way from Cheshire, England. Her father, John George Tuttle Duff was born in Port Hawkesbury on August 21 st, 1880, he being the 4 th of the 10 children born to William and Lydia Duff. Gertrude and Harry returned again in September 1993 bringing family tree information on Duffs, Johnsons, Baillieul, Langley and many more families tha...t the sisters married. She also brought a picture of her father and the plaque the family received from the Merchant Navy after his death on July 18, 1941 in the North Sea, England. Local people should realize the extent of the genealogical material we have been acquiring over the years as other family members from this one family have come from the States too bringing additional information. More serious commitment by many, many more local residents will be necessary once the covid threat is history if people like the Duffs will have the opportunity to add to the history of local families and or do research..... See more

I wish someone would teach me how to make correction on individual pictures so I don't have to delete the whole post and start again because I make a mistake on a name. It's no fun being a 78 year old out here in rural world making mistakes on her own.....woe is me!! Well at least the sun is shining and it's a whopping 21 degrees!!! (Posted by the old volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

This would be the first time in almost 70 years that I won't be attending a Remembrance Day service. Back in the 1950's, we Explorers and C.G.I.T. girls in Truro marched to the Cenotaph along with the Scouts, Guides and veterans. (Posted by Yvonne Fox for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Although who whoever typed the words after his picture had that he was from Port Hastings, he was born in Mackdale on January 18th, 1895 according to church records.

Someone mentioned sheep shearing so I figured I'd post one being done in Troy at Mrs. Mary Ann MacDonald's in Troy. (Posted by volunteer Yvonne for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Belatedly I'm getting a few on for Remembrance Day. (Posted by Yvonne Fox for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

These pictures were posted on June 25 th and it's taken this long to make a correction in one of the pictures. I always liked the hand tinted picture of Annie C. MacDonald of Troy with the horse. Often times I'm guessing at the date of pictures so one of the other sources I have to go to at the Museum is the typed copy we have of St. David's Presbyterian/United Church records that Rev. Dr. Donald MacDonald kept between 1917 and 1934 on families. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Starting Tuesday the Ice Cream Barn will be open 4-8pm until the end of the season.Starting Tuesday the Ice Cream Barn will be open 4-8pm until the end of the season.

LIVE MUSIC Monday 6-8pm in the gazebo with Country Wes.LIVE MUSIC Monday 6-8pm in the gazebo with Country Wes.

Oh my soul. The pictures I've found on one of my external hard drives. They are TIFF files that I made in 2008 when working on the interpretive panels for our section of the Trans Canada Trail known as the Ceilidh Coastal Trail. Don't know what you'll see. The reason I took this and other files off my computer was because of the space they were taking. My computer technician who has since retired told me years ago that he'd never worked on another machine that had as much on it. Picture files and more picture files and now with this FB Group, oh my. By the way, that machine did die even though he had put extra memory on it twice. I still need a tutorial on filing and retrieving. Have a good day!!(Posted by the same old volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Check out our new website! Click the link below to see. https://sites.google.com/view/strait-area-museum

Stop in for an ice cream on this nice sunny day. Here are the flavours we have as of 4pm today.

This painting was delivered to us at the Strait Area Museum with no information. After research, this is what we found out. I thought others might be interested in seeing it. I also tried to post a video showing a very large ship passing through the Canso Canal with a 1972 newspaper picture of Captain Ed Kemp whom was one of the pilots working in the Strait in 1972. I don't know what happened with the 2018 video I took of one squeaking through but I'll add the two pictures I scanned ages ago. (Posted by volunteer again)

A tanker slowly makes its way through the Canso Canal which was constructed sixty five years ago along with the Causeway.

I just received an email from one of my former students way back in 1965- 1966 so decided to post this of combined grades in 1964 - *65. It was taken the last term that the old Port Hastings School was used. The following year, I had 16 or 18 of the ones in this picture in grade six and seven in the new Port Hastings Consolidated School. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Since I didn't get a out to the airport early enough and only have my cell phone for a camera, these are the individual pictures taken by Marilyn of those great folks who shared their talent during the 65 th anniversary celebrations held at the Allan J. MacEachen Airport on August 13 th. Sorry but we didn't get one of Ian Cameron, the piper or Alice LeBlanc. I finally have the deadline met for the article on behalf of the Port Hastings Historical Society for the next Participaper so I'll try to be more regular with posting on this page. Cheers(Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Sorry I've been so slack about posting. I've been struggling with an article for the Fall Participaper. I've just sent it off to Port Hood and now I have to hit the sack. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

This picture just arrived in my emails this am. Anyone know anything about the picture or a photographer business known as Slick Chick Studio?? (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Here are the two post cards taken in 1961 and again in 1980 with Chrissie and Mary Lou in reverse position in the second. I'd like to know the names of the two girls in the original if anyone knows.The piper is John Paul MacKinnon I believe in the ones with Chrissie and Mary Lou and Cameron in the original. (Posted by the same volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society).

There are many interesting stories that were submitted to the 50 th Anniversary Memories of the Canso Causeway web page in 2005. They were typed and then filed by topic... workers, official opening memories, pipers and dancers, first time across the Causeway stories, etc., The people of Mulgrave were good to submit stories about their town. This is what a community Museum is all about......keeping the stories for future generations that were compiled 15 years ago. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Thousands of people came from near and far away by train, buses and cars on August 13 th, 1955 to see Premier Angus L. Macdonald's dream realized. He had been passionate about getting a fixed link constructed finally to his native island home. Unfortunately he had died in April 1954. His dream of having 100 pipers crossing the day of the official opening though was more than fulfilled (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

It was a very hot day on August 13 th, 1955 for the Official Opening of the Canso Causeway. It was a huge celebration after so many years of waiting for a fixed link between Cape Breton Island and mainland Nova Scotia. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Today is the 65 th anniversary of the Official Opening of the Canso Causeway which was billed as being the deepest man made causeway in the world at the time. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

It was a very hot day I've been told. A Fair and highland dancers performing an a stage on the land just off route # 19 was held. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Thousands attended the Official Opening of the Canso Causeway on August 13th, 1955. Premier Angus L. Macdonald who died on April 13, 1954 didn't live to see his dream which was to have 100 pipers pipe across his 'Road to the Isle' on that day. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

It'll be 65 years on Thursday, August 13th since the Official Opening of the Canso Causeway took place in 1955. Clearing of the site of the Causeway project began at Cape Porcupine on June 4th, 1952 by two Vancouver construction firms. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

The Port Hastings Historical Society is celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Canso Causeway on August 13th. We will have a display set up at the Celtic Air Services 2nd show & shine. It will be Thursday from 5-8pm. Come out to the Port Hawkesbury Airport to show your support. Here are some highlights from the 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Wes is playing right now in the gazebo, stop in and have a listen. Grab an ice cream while you are there. The Ice Cream Barn is open until 9pm. Social distancing rules apply.

I'm assuming that it's Frank McCully standing on Granville St. in Port Hawkesbury and his garage further down the street. Jack McCully's daughter Pat in California has given the names of the two girls in bathing suits with her mother which disagree with the names given in the History of Port Hawkesbury published in 1989. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

On the first of April 1953, T.C. Gorman N.S. Limited began the construction of the Canso Canal . 215,000 cubic yards of earth and 230,000 cubic yards of rock would be excavated by it's completion in 1955. Next Thursday will be the 65 th anniversary of the official opening to the Causeway. The Canal wasn't open to traffic until the fall. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Good night. That's it for today. Note that I finally got the name changed on this page for the Museum. We've been the Strait Area Museum for a little while now. (Posted for the Port Hastings Historical Society by volunteer)

I'm just finishing up my last column for The Reporter and it's way too long but hopefully Jake will be able to squeeze it in. I'll get back on line more regularly. I was pleased to hear after yesterday's post from a long ago resident who lived in Troy, Joan Blue. Have to go make lunch. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

I'm still working on the last column I'm going to do for The Reporter for the 65 th anniversary of the Official Opening of the Canso Causeway wwhich will be on August 13 th. I'm too old to be trying to keep up with deadlines and doing the web page too. Cheers (Posted by volunteer Yvonne Fox for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

We had some unexpected entertainment in the gazebo this afternoon. He will be back at 6:30 pm tonight. So come out and enjoy an ice cream and some tunes. Please adhere to social distancing rules.

Our Ice Cream order has arrived. We have lots to choose from. Open daily from 1-9pm.

I know that people enjoy seeing old pictures sometimes even if they don't know them. The MacIntosh home was on the road between Port Hastings and Port Hawkesbury but within the Town limits. It would have been across the road from the Pioneer Cemetery is located overlooking the Strait of Canso. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Hope some of you will enjoy seeing a few of the hundreds of pictures the Port Hastings Historical Society acquired back in 1979 when we were preparing for the 25 th anniversary of the Official Opening of the Canso Causeway to be held in 1980. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

Sorry that I'm not posting more regularly BUT I've been working on a weekly column for The Reporter for those who aren't on line in the community. Here are a few pictures showing the blasting procedure at Cape Porcupine between the summer of 1952 and the Canso Causeway reaching the Cape Breton Island shore on December 10th, 1954. They actually continued until the end of the month filling in and of course doing the necessary rip rapping. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

My sister in law, Beverley Fox Hayman died this morning in Perth, ON after a year long battle with cancer. Since classmates mentioned being in school with her on my FB page, I decided to post these two class pictures. Beverley lived in many places as she married an Airforce guy, They started in Greenwood, then Germany, then to B.C., Trenton and Ottawa before retiring in Perth, She always treasured the times when she was able to get back to Port Hastings on vacation. (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)

I think I may have posted a couple of these before, but if I did and you told me who the people are, I slipped up. Any corrections if needed would be appreciated too, (Posted by volunteer for the Port Hastings Historical Society)