The East Hants Historical Society

06/16/2026

Can you spare a few hours of time each month to help us out?

We’re looking for volunteers to assist in a variety of roles, regardless of age, including:

Arrange program speakers and venues
Manage audio visual equipment.
Museum management
Prepare grant proposals
Maintain and update our WordPress website
Handle correspondence reports
Videography & film making

If you have an interest in any of these areas, we’d love to have you join our team and make a meaningful impact. Your help, even just a few hours each month, will go a long way in supporting our Society!

06/16/2026

In March, our Board of Directors voted to send a letter to the Hon. Dave Ritcey, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage conerning the closing of various Nova Scotia Museums, including the Lawrence House Museum. Below is a response we received today.

Thank you for your letter of concern regarding Provincial budget cuts and museum closures.

Museums play a key role in preserving and sharing our heritage. To protect that work for future generations, we’re taking steps to modernize the Nova Scotia Museum system.

With 28 museums, the Nova Scotia Museum is largest provincial museum of its kind in Canada. It was established in 1868 and expanded primarily in the 1960s and 1970s - without the benefit of strategic planning. It now encompasses over 240 buildings, vessels, and living history sites, along with a collection exceeding one million artifacts.

We considered several factors in deciding which sites to close, including attendance and changing visitor expectations. At these locations, attendance has remained low, with some drawing only 1,000 visitors a year. The 12 sites account for just 3 per cent of total attendance across the Nova Scotia Museum system.

These closures will allow us to prioritize museums and programs that reach more people. These are difficult decisions, and we recognize the impact on employees and their families. We’re grateful for their service and the care they’ve shown in sharing the stories that reflect our province.

Please know that this is not a decision that was taken lightly. But it is a necessary response to the challenges we are facing. Protecting Nova Scotia’s heritage remains our priority. We will continue to work on making our provincial museum system a strong resource for future generations.

Sincerely,

Hon. Dave Ritcey
Minister
Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage

06/15/2026

A reminder that we have a Community Library & Book Exchange right here at the museum in Lower Selma.

The exchange runs entirely on the "Take a book, leave a book" honor system:
See something you like? Take it home! No library card or checkout required.
Finished a great read? Bring it by and leave it on the shelves for the next person to discover.

Cost: 100% FREE and open to the public, 365 days a year.

06/14/2026

06/13/2026

A massive thank you to the incredible crew of enthusiastic volunteers who joined us this morning for the East Hants Community Exit Ramp Challenge, sponsored by the Municipality of East Hants! We even received several honks of appreciation.

Together, we tackled the exit ramps in Shubenacadie, clearing out litter and keeping our community beautiful, welcoming, and green.

Want to help with other exciting projects? Send us an email or message on Facebook. We are a completely volunteer run organization and need all the help we can get.

06/11/2026

Come join us for our next program!

06/08/2026

For those of you who remember Massachusetts State Senator Thomas Kennedy, whose family lived at one time in Admiral Rock, and who on his visits home to Nova Scotia funded the revival of the St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Cemetery in Maitland, an interment ceremony will be held Saturday, June 13, 11 am, for his widow, Clare Holmgren-Kennedy. Here is her obituary.

The beloved wife of the late Commonwealth of Massachusetts state Senator Thomas P. Kennedy.
Clare Gerda Holmgren-Kennedy’s devotion to Tommy was legendary; indeed, Tom was the love of her life. Clare passed away on December 20, 2025 at the age of 74. She was born on August 25, 1951 in Brockton, Massachusetts, the daughter of the late James H. and Katharine B. (Keane) Holmgren of Brockton, Massachusetts. Clare lived a life marked by compassion, dedication, and deep connections to her community.
Clare was a lifelong resident of Brockton and graduate of Cardinal Spellman High School and Brockton Hospital School of Nursing. Clare devoted her life to the field of nursing, serving as a registered nurse at Brockton Hospital for over three decades. Her unwavering commitment to patient care was especially evident during her many years in the hospital's emergency room. Known for her steady presence and tireless work ethic, Clare made a lasting impact on countless lives through her service.
Beyond her career, Clare found joy in simple pleasures traveling to new places and sharing meals with friends and former coworkers. These moments reflected her warm spirit and enduring friendships that enriched her life.
She is survived by her brothers, John (Jeanne), Jamie (Cheryl); sisters-in- law, Margaret Ann Kennedy Thibault and Mary Kennedy Bardsley; nephews, Brett (Kate) and Neal (Kate); nieces, Bobbi Lu, Cassie (Anthony) and Erin; grandnieces, grandnephews, and many cousins, as well as her in-laws, the Kennedy and Cruise
families.
Clare's legacy lives on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her. May her memory bring comfort and peace to all who mourn her passing.
A funeral Mass was held for Clare on Saturday, December 27th at Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in Brockton, Massachusetts.
Clare will be buried with her late husband on June 13, 2026 at 11:00AM at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery located at Chapel Hill, Robinson Rd, Maitland, NS, B0N 1T0, Canada. All are welcome.
Refreshments following the interment at High Tides Arts & Community Centre, Church Hill, Maitland.