Description, purpose:

The aim of the Whitney Pier Historical Society is to preserve the history of Whitney Pier and the diverse, rich culture that makes this part of Sydney very unique.
Housed in what was once a Jewish Synagogue, the WPHS operates a unique museum dedicated to a community that developed unlike any other in Canada.

Built around the Steel Plant, "the "Pier" became home to people from all parts of the globe who came seeking a new life. They brought with them the riches of deeply rooted cultures that still enrich our lives today. It is this diversity that we try to capture and display.

To obtain the video "Making Steel", or the book "Italian Lives":

Highlights of the Museum:

Anyone from the Pier who has said "remember when", is likely to find tangible evidence of their memories in the many pictures, newspaper clippings, and artifacts we have gathered over the years.
Faces and events from times past evoke a revival of a sense of community in all our visitors, regardless of where they now reside. We are able to present to those who do not know us well, a chronicle of our daily lives both past and present. It is a "People Place" where you are encouraged to spend lots of time browsing. Most folks return more than once because there's always something new to see or discover.

Other interesting facts:

The Cape Breton Multicultural Association started here. It was later taken over by Halifax, to become the Nova Scotia Multicultural Association we know today.

Curator Gary Gallivan is an avid collector of classic postcards. (The collection and study of postcards is known as deltiology.)
See the Cape Breton Post article, Oct. 20, 2001, p. 29.

Whitney Pier has an interesting religious history. Holy Ghost Ukrainian and St. Mary's Polish are the only churches of their denomination East of Montreal; St. Phillip's African Orthodox is the only one of its kind in Canada. Also of historical significance: Holy Redeemer Church (1901).

Special activities or events:

Heritage Teas in July and August,
every Tuesday, 2:00 -3:30 p.m. - Live music!

Workshops / Educational Programs:

School visits, and school tours.

Contact information: