More than 250 years ago, 189 Scottish settlers arrived on the shores of what is now known as Piktuk (Pictou), Nova Scotia, after 11 harrowing weeks at sea aboard the Hector.
This voyage marked the beginning of the first permanent Scottish settlement in Nova Scotia, and a new chapter in a place that has long been Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq.
Those who arrived aboard the Hector, and the Scottish settlers who followed, went on to make significant cultural, political, intellectual, and industrial contributions that shaped Nova Scotia and Canada.
The story of the Hector is also a story of relationships. Newcomers relied on Mi’kmaw knowledge of the land and waters, and the connections formed here influenced how communities took root in this region. The voyage helped spark a broader wave of immigration that would shape North America, and gave Pictou the name “The Birthplace of New Scotland.”
Today, the Ship Hector replica and the Hector Heritage Quay Interpretive Centre invite visitors to explore the realities of the crossing, the lives of early settlers, and the culture, and contributions of the Mi’kmaq.
A Story of Resiliance
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The Ship Hector Society is dedicated to preserving the history of the Ship Hector and honoring the Mi’kmaq relationship to the survival of the Hector settlers.
We are also proud to work alongside Vern Shea, our Master Shipbuilder, who is leading the restoration of the Ship Hector replica.
The Society is a volunteer-run organization and relies on admissions and fundraising to operate the Hector Heritage Quay and the Ship Hector. We are a registered not-for-profit charitable organization.
The site is owned by the Society and is overseen by a 14-member Board of Directors. The Directors are from across the region and are committed to the success of the site.