Grassy Island National Historic Site was established in 1991. Since that time it has gainfully employed over 35 individuals. The site has also provided over 25,000 tourists with a special insight into the nature, trials, and tribulations of archaeolgoical digs and the history of Grassy Island.

On site, you will find friendly interpretive guides to greet you and tell you about the Island, the digs, and the history. You will then be guided into a small audio-visual room where there is a ten minute video on the history of Grassy Island for your viewing pleasure. After the video you are then invited to browse the three different diorama representations of life on Grassy Island.

  

The first diorama depicts lower class society on Grassy Island. This included shorehands and soldiers, whom often frequented one of the eleven local taverns on Grassy. The second diorama depicts middle class life. This would have involved such inviduals as high ranking military men like Patrick Heron (commanding officer). The last diorama depicts the life of high class inviduals on Grassy Island such as the family of Edward How. These people were often merchants and politicians.

Each of these dioramas are accompanied with an extensive display of artifacts retrieved from their respective sites on the island. After you have browsed the inside of the centre, a guide will invite you aboard the "Special K" (nothing to do with cereal), a northumberland style boat, for a peaceful ten minute excursion to the island itself. This is often considered the highlight of the tour.

Once you arrive on the island, your tour guide will bring you along a gravelled pathway to the different sites. These sites consist of the ruins of the once prosperous community on Grassy Island. Click on the link below to see a detailed image map and description of those sites. More detailed explanations of the excavations are located in the archaeology section of this website.