The Town of Antigonish has a rich and diverse history. The name Antigonish comes from the area's original inhabitants the Mi'kmaq. Today, many residents have strong ties to Scotland and the Town has been home to the famous Antigonish Highland Games since 1863. Check out this pdf  detailed timeline of the history of Antigonish (1.02 MB) .

Descendants of early settlers still reside in the Town of Antigonish and surrounding areas today. A few of the more common and oldest surnames in the area include MacDonald, MacIsaac, MacPherson, MacDougall, MacGillivray, Chisholm, Fraser, Campbell, Stewart, and Gillis.

The Town's long history can still be seen in many of the older heritage buildings which have been preserved throughout the years. An On-line Heritage Tour is available to anyone eager to explore the rich history of Antigonish. All of our heritage buildings have a story that makes them significant in their own way to our Town's history. Many of the heritage buildings in Town were constructed over 100 years ago, offering a window into the past.

Registered Heritage Properties

Designating property within the municipal registry is important for its protection. Once registered, the property owner can access provincial grants and programs, and work with the municipality to ensure heritage value is maintained. The pdf Antigonish Built Heritage brochure (518 KB)  outlines some of the architectural styles in Antigonish as well as the current process for municipal registration of heritage properties. Further information can be found in our Heritage Property By-law. 

For a complete listing of our municipally registered heritage properties, please pdf click here (971 KB) . 

More Information

For more information, please contact our Planning and Building Services Department.