Huntington Point
Huntington Point – Land of the Fairy Cottages
When I suggested that we have a bonfire at Huntington Point (near Halls Harbour), I was shocked at the number of people who have lived in the Valley all their lives and had never heard of Huntington Point and it’s Fairy Cottages!
As a child, we used to have family gatherings on this beach, so I have many fond memories here.
Besides, the beach is very accessible. The road ends and the beach starts. There are no long walks to the beach. There are no steps. It’s all flat and easy to get to!
However, be forewarned that there are no amenities like picnic tables or washrooms.
The most well-known part of Huntington Point are, what has been referred to as, the fairy cottages.
These cottages were made by Charles MacDonald, who also built a home out of concrete and is now home to the Charles MacDonald Museum.
This museum is definitely worth a visit, as everything in the house is made from concrete!
In 1912, Charles MacDonald started a concrete factory in Kentville. He was renowned for being a socialist, and never paying his employees. Instead, they had a company pot, and employees took what they needed. When he finally retired, MacDonald was said to have gone to the factory and handed the keys to his foreman and told him that the factory was his!
The fairy cottages were built during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Knowing that his employees needed an income, he sent them to Huntington Point, where his family had always enjoyed camping, and had them build 5 cottages from concrete.
There were no plans. Just imagination. They were made of concrete, reinforced with iron and driftwood, and painted the most beautiful, vivid colours!
Today, only 4 of the cottages remain. The one closest to the shore, which was shaped like a teapot, started to crumble, and so they bulldozed it into the ocean.
If you become a member of the Charles MacDonald Museum society, you can stay in the “blue” cottage for a donation of a few hundred dollars for the week.
This is more like glorified camping, as they are very rustic inside. (I know, I had a tour of 2 of the cottages when I was researching the Halls Harbour Ghost Walks)
If you do go to the shore and take some pictures, there is a mailbox where you can make a donation for your pictures. This goes to help support the upkeep of the cottages, so please honour the museum’s special request.
How to get there
Drive to Halls Harbour but keep going. Pass the lobster pound and start heading back around the bay, heading south.
Take your first road on your right. It is a government sign labeled Simpson Road and Huntington Point.
Follow this road to the end, and you will be at the beach. You can’t miss it!
Head to Huntington Point for a magical evening! You’ll be glad you discovered something new in our own backyard!
