River John, Nova Scotia

River John
Unincorporated village and surrounding rural areas
River John is located in Nova Scotia
River John
River John
Location within Nova Scotia
Coordinates: 45°44′55″N 63°03′28″W / 45.74861°N 63.05778°W / 45.74861; -63.05778
Country Canada
Province Nova Scotia
CountyPictou County
CommunitiesBigney, Black River, Brook Road, Cape John, Caribou River, College Grant, Diamond, Dufferin, East Branch River John, Elmfield, Fitzpatrick, Hedgeville, Hodson, Loganville, Louisville, MacKays Corner, Marshville, Meadowville, Melville, Mountain Road, Plainfield, Poplar Hill, River John, Rogers, Seafoam, Sundridge, Toney Mills, Toney River, Welsford, West Branch River John, Westerly
Government
 • Governing BodyPictou County Municipal Council
 • CouncillorMary Wooldridge-Elliott
 • MLAKarla MacFarlane
 • MPSean Fraser
Area
 • Total430 km2 (170 sq mi)
Population
 (2006)
 • Total2,399
 • Density5.6/km2 (15/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-4 (AST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-3 (ADT)
Postal code
B0K 1N0
Area code902
Telephone Exchange351
Websiteriverjohn.com
Part of a series about Places in Nova Scotia

River John is an unincorporated community in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada.[1]

It is located near the mouth of the River John on the Northumberland Strait, halfway between Pictou and Tatamagouche near the boundary with Colchester County. It is on Nova Scotia Trunk 6 and the designated tourist route, the Sunrise Trail.

River John was colonized by Europeans during the 18th century and its port and the proximity of plentiful timber led to the development of a small shipbuilding industry.

Today the local economy is based on the seasonal industries of fishing, agriculture, and tourism. The area is a popular summer cottage location for residents of Halifax and other urban areas in the province. The village supports a few local shops, a library, several churches, a post office and a volunteer fire department. The K-9 school was closed in 2015.[2]

The Nova Scotia folklorist W. Roy MacKenzie (1883–1957) lived in River John, as do novelist Linda Little and writer Sheree Fitch.

  1. ^ "River John". Geographical Names Board of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  2. ^ CAMPBELL, FRANCIS (October 30, 2015). "River John keeps battling for school". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 11 November 2015.