MacIntosh House

In the early 1800s and early 1900s Port Hastings (formerly known as Plaster Cove) was a busy commercial centre. For many years, it was the location of one end of the major ferry service from Cape Breton and mainland Nova Scotia as small boats carried passangers and freight and animals from one side to the other. In addition, a major telegraph office for relaying messages thoughout Cape Breton was here as also were services useful to the large number of fishing boats from various Canadian and U.S fishing communities.

Among the young men who came to the area durring this time of prosperity and commercial growth as Donald MacIntosh, formerly of Big-Brook-Priceville area of River Denys. The son of Norman MacIntosh, an immigrant from the Herbridean Island of Canna and his wife Margraet Black, Donald MacIntosh appears to have come to Port Hastings soon after marriage in February of 1871, to Catherine MacCuish also of River Denys area. By 1876 he had acquried a lot of land on Chruch St. in the rapidly devoloping business area of Port Hastings. Between 1876 and 1881, it would appear that the MacIntoshs bulit the house now owned by the Gut of Canso Museum and Archives.

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