Merigomish Harbor’s rich mapping history reflects its importance as both a fishing hub and a sheltered harbour. Comparing this historical chart with current digital nautical charts can reveal how coastal processes and human structures have reshaped the harbor over the past century. The 1842 Merigomish Harbor Map drawn by Jos. S. Latimer depicts both coastal outlines and underwater topography, designed to assist mariners entering and navigating Merigomish Harbor.
This 1850 Pictou Harbour Map remains a fascinating artifact of maritime history. Created from data surveyed in 1843, it helped guide sailing vessels into one of Nova Scotia’s busiest ports at the time, when Pictou was a bustling hub for shipbuilding, coal exports, and trade, and safe navigation into its harbour was essential for economic growth. Map insets and a sketch provide detail views of the Middle River, and the East River. Coastal features such as headlands, rivers, and even church spires were added as visual aids, since sailors often depended on what they could see from deck.
A second Pictou Harbour map created in 1905, considered an updated version, is also included. This version adds an inset that examines the entrance to the harbour and approaches, a few more sketches. For historians, maps like these offer a window in time.
This Amet Sound Map (nautical chart) created in 1841 by Alfred Klakring shows both coastal and maritime topography, designed to assist mariners entering and navigating into and around Amet Sound. The geographic coverage focuses on the features including islands, coves, points, sandbars, roads, and man-made structures (wharves). The map also shows depth sounding measurements, shaded contour Lines to help illustrate depth underwater relief, indications of mud, sand, rock bottoms in nearshore zones.
This map titled “Plan of Pictou Town About 1793”, depicts the Pictou Waterfront about 20 years after the landing of the Hector. Pictou Waterfront Map 1provides a glimpse of an early layout of the Pictou Waterfront, with details including the high water mark, property boundaries, water lots, property owners’ names, and a wharf. It identifies several landowners, including Samuel Copeland, John Patterson, John Dawson, Robert Pagan, and several others.
This nautical chart of the Northumberland Strait, created in 1872, with precise detailing and intricate craftsmanship, offers a comprehensive portrayal of the maritime landscape spanning from Prince Edward Island to mainland Nova Scotia. Like many early Canadian nautical maps were referred to as “Bayfield charts” in honor of Henry Wolsey Bayfield who began in the early 1800s charting the waterways.
Click here to view this map online, or download a digital reproduction …
This Northumberland Strait map, meticulously crafted in 1977, stands as a testament to the cartographic mastery of its time. With precise detailing and intricate craftsmanship, this chart offers a comprehensive portrayal of the maritime landscape spanning from Prince Edward Island to mainland Nova Scotia.
Click here to view it online, or download a digital reproduction …