Eastern Shore, Halifax County

Ostrea Lake is located on the eastern coast of Musquodoboit Harbour, along the shore that also includes Pleasant Point and Starr's Point, as well as the community of West Jeddore on the westerly side of the peninsula. Ostrea is the name for a type of oyster and at one time oysters were plentiful in the area. Clams were also plentiful in the mud flats that were exposed at low tide, and many local families made their livings during the 1940s and early 1950s digging and processing clams at the local clam factories. Pictured here is the General Seafoods Clam Factory, a subsidiary of US National Seafoods. The factory was built in the mid 1940s by Foley Construction of Halifax. Ross Carey was the manager. The wharf (not seen here) went out about 30 feet. Collector boats ranged as far away as Cole Harbour bringing in fresh clams to be processed primarily by women who worked in the factory. The clams were then fresh packed in cans, put on ice, and shipped to New England. Many clam factories operated along the Eastern Shore in the mid 1940s through to the early 1950s, when the shellfish population declined due to over-harvesting.

Date: [ca. 1945]

Reference:  Eastern Shore Archives D0047P007

For more information, please contact the Eastern Shore Archives.