A beautifully appointed church, both inside and out, it was seemingly built to hold the entire population of Heatherton, and more. The first church built in Heatherton, also a Roman Catholic church, was begun in 1842, being replaced by the present Immaculate Conception Parish church in 1867. Whether the original church quickly became too small or whether it met an unfortunate and spectacular demise we know not.
Most likely initially sided with shiplap wood siding, the entire building is now covered in vinyl siding, though all the original exterior woodwork remains in place and visible. The square bell tower/steeple is quite large and is recessed into the sanctuary by about two thirds of its depth. The square portion of the tower extends well above the gable roof, where it ends with heavy eaves defining the bottom of the octagonal bell tower. Another, smaller, eight sided eave caps the belfry; from this rises the octagonal spire for another ten to twelve feet, topped with a cross. The belfry itself is covered in green vent slats, material unknown. All the eaves on the building, even the smaller belfry eaves, have coarse modillions, there being seemingly a million modillions.
Each long side of the sanctuary has five tall, narrow Lancet windows, with one more on each side of the tower at the front, all with tracery. Centered in the base of the tower is the entry, a double wood door below a glass filled Gothic transom, again with tracery and a quatrefoil design at its peak. Above the entrance are, first a set of three small Lancet windows, then, further up, a single larger Lancet window.
The interior is quite beautiful without being gaudy, with arched and segmented ceiling down the centre and vaulted ceilings over the aisles. Over each aisle is a full balcony, providing more seating. At the rear of the building is a spacious chancel and, in the tower, where one often finds the organ, is yet another balcony. Colored in shades of blue and off-white, with gold highlights, the sanctuary is quite impressive in its relative simplicity.
HEATHERTON, Antigonish County
A settlement east of Antigonish. Known as "Pomquett Forks" until part of the district was named Heatherton by act of the Nova Scotia Legislature in 1879.
Many the early settlers were from Scotland. e.g. John Chisholm, Donald Ban Gillis, John. Donald, Archy, Hugh, Ronald, Angus and Alexander McDonald. John Tolbert (blacksmith).
Ihe first school in section 25 was a log house on the west side of the Pomquet River which had belonged to John Chisholm (Donn) and the first teacher was Joseph Grant.
A new post office building was completed June 3, 1965.
A Roman Catholic Church was built about 1842 ministered bv the priests of St. Andrew's later from Pomquet.
A new church was started in 1867 and the mission became a separate parish of Immaculate Conception in 1875. The Sisters of St. Martha have Our Lady of Fatima Convent.
By 1898 it contained three stores, one hotel, two sawmills, a cheese factory and had a railway station on the Eastern Extension Railway to Cape Breton. It is now a mixed farming district with poultry and dairying and some lumbering.
Population in 1956 was 203.
From the Nova Scotia Archives