Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia
Lunenburg County, est. 1,064 residents
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, is a quaint coastal town known for its unique shops and picturesque views of its historic Three Churches. Before the arrival of European settlers, the Mi’kmaq lived in and around the region known today as Mahone Bay. Oftentimes, the Mi’kmaq would spend their summers close to shore, taking advantage of the sheltered waters and plentiful food sources. During winter, they would migrate inland, using the rivers that lead into Mahone Bay harbour.
In the mid-1700s, British officials began placing public notices in Germany, Southern France, Switzerland and the Netherlands stating that anyone willing to relocate to the new planned settlement in Nova Scotia would receive land grants, food for a year and a handful of farm animals. Between 1750 and 1752, more than 2,200 “Foreign Protestants” moved from Europe to Halifax.
In 1753, most new immigrants were relocated from Halifax to Lunenburg, which was intended to be the central hub of the planned settlement. By 1754, some settlers had expanded into the Mahone Bay region, cultivating the land and establishing farms on allocated lots. Mills were constructed at the mouths of Mahone Bay’s two rivers. Farming and fishing were initially the primary economic sources for settlers living in the region before the economy transitioned to shipbuilding. The town’s infrastructure also grew with the railway’s arrival in 1889, connecting it to neighbouring communities and inviting new opportunities for commerce and eventually tourism.
A Shipbuilding Legacy
Mahone Bay is well known for its remarkable shipbuilding heritage. This particular area was ideal for sawmills due to the vast timber and the two rivers emptying into the bay. The water flow made it easy to transport logs to the sawmills, producing first-rate lumber for shipbuilding.
The earliest official registration form found for a vessel built in Mahone Bay dates back to 1817. By 1850, at least 43 boats were built by smaller shipyards in the Mahone Bay area. Between 1850 and 1942, there were six major shipyards in and around Mahone Bay: John McLean & Sons Shipyard, John H. Zwicker, Obed H. Ham Yacht Works, Abraham Ernst/Ernst & Sons/Ernst Shipbuilding, Elkanah Zwicker/Titus Langille, and Henry Schnare. These larger shipyards began being established enough to build mainly schooners and other smaller vessels, primarily for fishing and moving goods. As time passed, building larger vessels meant for longer distances became a trend, trading mainly with the United States and the West Indies.
By the end of World War I, there was less demand for sailing vessels, so local shipyards began designing and building power vessels that used engines instead of sails for fishing and moving goods, which included rum-running. Shipyards continued producing boats during World War II, employing as many as 500 people in Mahone Bay shipyards during this period.
Although fishing vessels continued to be built until 1967, the industry shifted to primarily constructing pleasure boats after World War II ended. Fibreglass sailboats were manufactured at the site of the current RPS Composites factory, under many different company names, one of which included Paceship Yachts. This final phase of commercial boat building focused on creating pleasure crafts that people could enjoy. From 1949 to 1962, Mahone Bay Plycraft Co. produced thousands of laminated plywood “runabout” boats. This era of commercial shipbuilding ended around 1975 in Mahone Bay, when the last fibreglass yachts were built at Paceship.
As the shipbuilding industry faded away, the Town of Mahone Bay has transitioned to tourism as a key way to entice visitors worldwide to the stunning seaside village. One of the ways the town still celebrates the area’s shipbuilding heritage is by hosting the annual Wooden Boat Festival, where classic wooden boats and shipbuilding techniques take center stage.
Mahone Bay Today
The Mahone Bay Museum came to fruition in 1979 when the Mahone Bay Founders Society was formed to celebrate the town’s 225th anniversary of the original settlement. Among the festivities at the time was a re-enactment of the landing of the first European settlers in 1754. After the event, the Founders Society started collecting and borrowing items to display in small exhibits housed in the Pioneer Hall of the Trinity United Church during the summer months.
A permanent museum opened in 1988 after the Society became actively involved in preserving the local Percy Inglis/Clara Quinlan family collection. The building they purchased for the Mahone Bay Settlers Museum was located at 578 Main Street, known as the Begin Family Home, which was built around 1874 for a man named Benjamin Begin. The museum was rebranded to the Mahone Bay Museum in 2015, and today, it is home to four rooms with exhibits, children’s programming areas, a small gift shop, and the Society’s research library and archival collection.
The Three Churches of Mahone Bay are an iconic backdrop to this gorgeous maritime town. Made up of the St. James Anglican Church, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Trinity United Church, I’ll dive more into these historic houses of worship next month with a Small Town Canada Spotlight.
Oh My Cod! serves up some of the tastiest seafood you’ll ever try in Nova Scotia, with crispy batter, fresh catches, and bold flavours that reel you right in. Paul and Harmony Krouse purchased the restaurant in October 2018 after stopping in Mahone Bay on their way home to Newfoundland. Stuck in the town for the week, friends told them the business was for sale as the owner was about to retire. They decided to take the plunge, used all their savings for sailing, and bought Oh My Cod!, which reopened under their ownership in 2019. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the business has relocated to its new home at Shore Cycle & Marine in Martins River to kick off the 2025 summer season — and it’s set to remain a go-to spot for delicious seafood for years to come.
The Teazer is one of Canada’s oldest gift stores, originally opened in 1956 and named after the Young Teazer, a renowned privateer ship from the War of 1812. The building itself once served as a bustling ship chandlery that operated out of the main floor. Since 1993, Sue Bourinot has owned the store, carefully curating a beautiful collection of local gifts, handmade art, and a wide variety of cards. Although the original building had to be torn down in 1995 due to fire damage, the rebuilt store closely resembles the original, with its iconic pink exterior continuing to charm visitors from around the world. From housewares to handmade art, and everything in between, The Teazer is the best place to pick up something special in Mahone Bay.
Mahone Bay is a stunning seaside village with a welcoming community, one-of-a-kind shops, and breathtaking scenery. Nestled along Nova Scotia’s scenic shores, this picturesque town is steeped in history and alive with vibrant culture, making it the ideal getaway for anyone seeking an authentic maritime experience.
A big thank you to the Mahone Bay Museum for the vast information and photos provided on their website, as well as Paul and Harmony Krouse and Sue Bourinot for more information about their businesses.
