So, when they first saw the shores of Inverness County, it must have been like a dream. The hills and glens looked just like they did in Scotland. The soil was good for farming, the rivers and ocean were teeming with fish. In some places, coal could be seen peeking out of the rocks. It must have looked like paradise! Soon, thousands and thousands of Scots would join them. The hills would be alive with the sounds of bagpipes and Gaelic singing.

Many people would be surprised to learn that some of the first settlers were not Scottish at all. The Mabou area was first settled by Loyalists who came from New England. They had fought for England during the American War of Independence. They were loyal to England so they were called Loyalists. They had fought against the Americans who wanted to break away from England. The Loyalists lost the war, so they were no longer welcomed in the United States. One of these Loyalists was Capt. Benjamin Worth. He had been a spy for the English during the war. The Americans had captured him and branded a large “T” on his right hand. The “T” probably stood for “traitor.”

A number of Irish families had also settled in the area. By the early 1800s, however, the Scots outnumbered the English and Irish in the southern part of Inverness County. They gave us the Scottish culture that is so well known today in the area south of Margaree Harbour.