Riverton School Becomes a Museum

The history of the removal of the Little White Schoolhouse from Riverton, Pictou County, to its present location on the Truro Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College is actually the story of the single-minded dedication of a handful of individuals who worked patiently for eight years to bring their dreams to a fruition, lead by Harvey MacPhee.

In 1974, interested members of the Nova Scotia Teachers College faculty, which has since been closed, decided to initiate a search for a little white school house which would stand on campus as a living tribute to the early days of education in Nova Scotia. The search for a suitable building ended on July 3, 1975 with the conveyance of the title of the Riverton School by Pictou for payment of one dollar. It was transported in two sections through the back roads of Nova Scotia. The schoolhouse arrived at the NSTC on October 7, 1976 to take its place, unheralded, and “stored” on the campus until August 9, 1979 when it was moved for the last time to its permanent position.

A grant in 1977 from the Nova Scotia Department of Recreation assisted in the restoration, and the generous support of numerous individuals added to the collection of desks, books, photographs, and other memorabilia. The official opening of the Little White Schoolhouse Museum was on September 4, 1982.

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