This riding was set by the British North America Act, 1867 to consist of Antigonish County. The boundaries were not changed during the electoral redistributions of 1872, 1882, 1892 or 1903. This riding was dissolved into Antigonish—Guysborough during the 1914 redistribution. The county was legally defined in 1828 (as Sydney County) as:
Commencing at a slate rock, on the Eastern side of the falls of the River Ekimsegam, and at a post and pile of stones marked on the west side CH on the Eastern side CS from thence running North twenty five miles and a quarter of a mile to a square post surrounded by a pile of stones marked SC on the east and HC on the west side from thence running south eighty five degrees, east fourteen miles to a square post and pile of stones marked CS on the Eastern side and CH on the western side, thence running north twenty six miles to the shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to a square post surrounded by a pile of stones and marked on the east side CS on the west side CH thence easterly along the shore to the entrance of the Gut of Canso, and by a line drawn through the centre of said Gut southerly to the southern entrance of the same, thence westerly and southerly along the shores of Chedabucto Bay, and easterly along the shore of said bay, and westerly by the southern shore of the province, to Ekimsegum aforenamed comprehending all the Islands in front of the foregoing limits save the Island of Cape Breton, and its appendant Isles.[1]
This electoral district was created by the British North America Act, 1867 from the colonial Province of Nova Scotia's Antigonish electoral district. William Alexander Henry was one of the incumbents, along with John McKinnon.
^The Anti-Confederation Party dissolved in 1869, and Hugh McDonald joined the Liberal–Conservative Party.
^A by-election was called on Hugh McDonald being appointed Minister of Militia and Defence, 1 July 1873. He was acclaimed as the by-election victor on 7 July 1873.
^Hugh McDonald was appointed Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia on 5 November 1873. His successor was elected in a by-election on 20 December 1873.
^Angus McIsaac was appointed as County Court Judge for District No. 6 on 24 September 1885. His successor was elected in a by-election on 16 October 1885.
^John Sparrow David Thompson died in office on 12 December 1894. His successor was elected in a by-election on 17 April 1895.
^Colin Francis McIsaac was appointed as Railway Commissioner on 3 July 1905. His successor was elected in a by-election on 22 November 1905.
Nova Scotia electoral district