William E. DeGarthe Memorial Monument

Every trip to Nova Scotia, I have carved out some time to visit Peggy’s Cove – it is simply that beautiful. The combination of the Atlantic Ocean, weathered granite rocks, fishing village and lighthouse never loses its charm. This photograph was taken in 2026 during a weekend we were teaching in Halifax, and once again we found ourselves back to Peggy’s Cove

At Peggy’s Cove there are many things that capture your attention: the lighthouse, the crashing waves, the massive granite rocks and the fishing village itself. but this monument adds another layer of history to the experience.

This is the William E. DeGarthe Memorial Monument, carved directly into a granite outcropping near the village. DeGarthe lived in Peggy Cove and became inspired by the fishing community and rugged coastal life surrounding him. He began carving the monument in the late 1980s as a tribute to the fishermen, families and maritime heritage of Nova Scotia.

The monument shows carved images of fishermen, boats, sea life, village families and scenes connected to daily life along the Atlantic coast. The figures emerge naturally from the stone itself as these stories have been hidden within the granite waiting to be revealed.

Peggy’s Cove has become one of the most photographed locations in Canada. The weather, ocean, fog and exposed coastline remind visitors how demanding life along the Atlantic could be for earlier generations. Fishing villages depended upon the sea while always living with its dangers.

The deGarthe monument reminds visitors that Peggy’s Cove is not just a scenic destination but a living community with generations of stories connected to the sea. The carvings preserve the memory of the people whose labor, sacrifice and daily lives shaped the coastline long before it became an international tourist destination.