Pictou is a small a historic Town in Pictou County located along the west side of Pictou Harbour. The name is believed to be derived from the Mi’kmaq word “Piktook” meaning a large explosion, and references the noise made by large waves. It is also believed that it could be a corruption of Poictou, an old province in France. The town was laid out in 1788 and the first house was built about 1790.