History

The stories behind the village.

Here, the past isn’t behind glass or roped off. It’s part of the air, the shoreline, the names on mailboxes. Since long before the arrival of Europeans, Mi’kmaq people have been navigating these waters, sustaining communities through fishing, hunting, and commerce.

In the 1700s and 1800s, the sheltered harbour became a hub for shipbuilding. Timber, fish, and sailors flowed through the port, and its legacy still lingers. When the age of wooden ships gave way to steel and steam, and many families moved on. The same currents that once carried cargo began to draw artists, writers, and wanderers instead.

Port Medway is a place where looking back is crucial part of moving forward.

Mi’kmaw Interpretive Panel (Port Medway Lighthouse Park)

Recently installed, this interpretive panel shares the story of the Mi’kmaq in Port Medway, a history that runs far deeper than any written record. Developed through local advocacy and careful research by Ella Stevens, the panel features artifacts found right here in the village. It’s a powerful reminder of whose footsteps came first, and how their presence continues to shape this place.

On July 30, from 11am–2pm, you can view the artifacts in person and speak with the senior curator of archaeology from the Nova Scotia Museum.

Port Medway History Show (The Warehouse and Seely Hall)

Every second summer, local historian Robert Whitelaw and the Medway Area Heritage Society bring the village’s past to life with photos, maps, artifacts, and firsthand stories. From shipwrecks and schooners to the quiet triumphs of daily life, this is living history told by the people who know it best.

Runs daily from July 26–August 4, with a mini-exhibit available year-round upstairs at Seely Hall. Don’t miss the grand opening on July 26 at 1pm.

The Medway Head Lighthouse (925 Long Cove Road)

The current lighthouse was built in 1961, but traces of the original station still remain. Look closely and you’ll spot the former keepers’ bungalow across the road and an old dwelling-turned-light up the hill complete with its original lantern room. In the early days, supplies arrived by rowboat, landing between two rocks. You can still climb to the top for stunning views. 

The lighthouse is open for tours on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays from 11am–3pm, June 18 to September 8, 2025.

Seely Hall (1640 Port Medway Road)

A cornerstone of Port Medway life for nearly two centuries, Seely Hall has always moved with the times. It may have started as a shipping office for Caleb Seely, a privateer turned shipbuilder who helped launch some of Nova Scotia’s largest wooden vessels. But since then, the Hall has worn many hats — concert venue, polling station, radio repair shop, and dance floor for generations of local teens. Today, it’s as lively as ever, hosting art shows, community events, and an ongoing version of the Port Medway History Show. Walk through its doors and you’re stepping into a long, evolving story.

See the robust Seely Hall website for a deeper dive and event listings.

Old Port Medway Cemetery (1640 Port Medway Road)

This historic cemetery tells the story of the village’s earliest settlers one weathered stone at a time. Wander past hand-carved gravestones etched with willows, lambs, and doves. A basswood tree offers shade for quiet reflection, and the view of the ocean is a reminder of how close life and death have always been to the sea here. Maintained by the Port Medway Cemeteries Committee, the grounds are peaceful, beautiful, and full of stories still waiting to be heard. Burials here date back to the late 1700s, including Samuel Mack, a mill owner, merchant, and great-uncle of Mormon prophet Joseph Smith Jr.

The Carroll Baker Music and Mem’ries Centre (1621 Port Medway Road)

Canada’s First Lady of Country Music, Port Medway’s own Carroll Baker bought her childhood church to preserve its spirit and share her story. Available to the community for services and ceremonies, the beautiful building is also a tribute to Carroll’s five-decade career in music and the village that shaped her. The centre is a local gem: part spiritual home, part country music time capsule, and wholly heartfelt. 

Open Thursday through Monday from 10AM to 5PM. 

The Old Meeting House (162 Long Cove Road)

Since 1832, this building has been a quiet witness to nearly two centuries of Port Medway’s story. Originally built by the Free Will Baptist congregation, it later served the Wesleyan Methodists and United Church. Today, its simple wooden frame and rare pew arrangement (facing out from the walls) remain beautifully intact, making it one of the best-preserved meeting houses in Nova Scotia. These days, it’s more than a relic. The Meeting House is the heart of the Port Medway Readers Festival, where Canadian literary legends read where parishioners once prayed. It’s a place where past and present meet, and voices still echo and influence.

Port Medway Lighthouse Park (1687 Port Medway Road)

A more recent addition to the village’s attractions the Lighthouse Park is more than just a beautiful view. It has walking paths and scenic lookout that are dotted with detailed plaques that share stories of Port Medway’s shipbuilding, shipping, and lighthouse history. It’s the perfect place to learn as you wander — and to take in the same coastal sights that have shaped this village for centuries.