In 1887, the railway bridge was built which allowed some people to walk over the strait. The first ferry with a gasoline engine came into use in walk over the strait. The first ferry with a gasoline engine came into use in 1922. In winter, people still had to cross over on the ice because the ferry didn’t run. A three-car ferry came into use in 1927. By 1970, a 12-car ferry, the Monty MacMillan, provided the transportation. That was the last ferry for Barra Strait. In summer 1993, the Nova Scotia government opened the bridge we now have today.

Comprehension Questions

1. 1. Why did Donald “Og” think Iona would be a good place to live?
2. Where did most of the settlers on the Iona Peninsula come from?
3. Why was the location of Iona important in the 1800s?
4. How many different ways of crossing Barra Strait can you find in this reading?

Using Vocabulary

prosperous provide peninsula scow hardy soldier arrested

Choose words from the word bank above to complete the sentences below.

1. The good farmland helped the settlers become _______________.
2. The widow had to _______________ for her children.
3. You had to be _______________ to live in those days.
4. A ______________ from the Island of Barra told his family about Iona.
5. Nova Scotia is a _______________.
6. Sailing on a _______________ looks a little risky to me.