Steeped in mystery and raw beauty, McNabs Island—situated in the middle of Halifax Harbour—yearns to yield up its history. Decaying estate homes and weathered road signs are all that remain of the once-vibrant farms and businesses that populated the island.

Many things have been written about McNabs Island, but little about the residents who lived there from the 1920s through the 1970s. This collection of stories—dictated to author Bruce Scott by his mother, who grew up on the island—provides a singular and highly personal perspective on the island's history.

The Last Farm on McNabs will introduce you to Scott's great uncle, Arthur Davis, and his bottle works and fairgrounds; Bill Lynch, the man who managed the Findlay fairgrounds; and Joseph Perrin, owner of the historically prominent Hugonin Estate—whose life on the island prompted many fascinating tales.

Through recollections from one of the last surviving family members, and with 40 photos and several fascinating hand-drawn maps, The Last Farm on McNabs will take readers on an illuminating journey into the lives of the last family to farm the island.

Bruce Scott was born in Nova Scotia and spent his childhood summers on McNabs Island, where his grandparents farmed and his mother was born. Years of adventure and exploration fostered a creative bent, as expressed through this island chronicle, his first book. It is his hope that the stories of his family and their interactions with notable families on the island will unravel some mysteries for true lovers of McNabs Island.

Bruce Scott's profile page