Discover St. Peter's through three specific themes: St. Peters Canal, the photographic legacy of Wallace MacAskill, and Jerome Point Lighthouse. Water engineering, photography, and lighthouse history give the area a clear focus if you would like to include culture and historic sites in your travel plans.
St. Peters Canal and Its History
The St. Peters Canal National Historic Site is located in the town of St. Peter's on Route 4. The 800-metre tidal lock canal connects the Atlantic Ocean with Bras d’Or Lake and is considered the oldest in North America. St. Peter's is therefore centred on a historic waterway whose dimensions and function can be described in concrete terms. In the broader destination of Richmond County, the canal is also associated with a French trading post and settlement, as well as a British fort on a hill.
Wallace MacAskill and Jerome Point Lighthouse
The MacAskill House was built around 1870 and was the birthplace of photographer Wallace MacAskill. The MacAskill House Museum houses more than 100 of MacAskill's photographs, his books, and several craft objects he designed and made. The Wallace MacAskill Museum displays more than 100 of his photographs and an extensive camera collection. Together, these collections offer a concrete way to explore his photography and the objects associated with his work.
Jerome Point Lighthouse is located in Battery Provincial Park. Its original structure, built in 1883, was a wooden, pyramidal tower just under 11 metres tall, with an attached keeper's dwelling. In 1956, the lighthouse was rebuilt without the dwelling. The two building phases distinguish a tower with its associated dwelling from the later reconstruction without it.
Richmond County: Nature, Culture and Regional Themes
The broader destination of Richmond County offers additional nature and culture themes. Isle Madame is known there as the “Isle of 1,000 coves.” For nature-focused visits, Point Michaud Nature Reserve and Lennox Passage offer different highlights: Point Michaud Nature Reserve consists mainly of bogs and poorly drained, black spruce-dominated forests. Rare wetland plants such as New Jersey rush grow in the bogs.
Lennox Passage has two kilometres of shoreline, an active lighthouse, and two kilometres of trails. In winter, visitors can go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing; parking services and access may vary by season. Those interested in historic lighthouses can also take “Guiding Lights of Isle Madame,” a guided driving and walking tour offered in the region. Confirm the tour's operating status and schedule before your trip.
Richmond County's cultural offerings also have a range of different focuses. St. John's Centre for the Arts is located in the former St. John's Anglican Church in Arichat, celebrates local talent, and regularly hosts events. LeNoir Forge Museum combines craft and maritime history: its forge was built between 1780 and 1800 and was a major business on Isle Madame. The museum includes a working forge, tools, and artifacts; the boathouse at LeNoir Landing features exhibits on the region's maritime history. Richmond Artists Alliance Art Gallery showcases works by visual artists from across Richmond County through exhibitions and learning opportunities.
When choosing a destination, the difference lies in the focus: St. Peter's is a suitable place to search if canal engineering, MacAskill photography, and lighthouse history are to shape your trip. Richmond County broadens the picture with regional nature, art, and craft themes. The Festival Acadien Petit de Grat adds food and community dinners to the mix, as part of a four-day program held each August.
Discover more destinations: D'Escousse, Arichat, West Arichat
Return to the main travel overview: Richmond County.
