"Manan" is a corruption of MUN AN OOK or MAN AN OOK - meaning "island place" or "the island" from the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy-Penobscot Indians who visited the island from spring until fall when the treacherous waters were navigable in their canoes. Most believe that they fished, harvested dulse and birds' eggs, hunted seals, seabirds and harbour porpoises, and returned to the mainland in winter since no large game was on the island and there were few opportunities to fish or hunt marine life. The Norse are probably the first Europeans to visit Grand Manan, possibly as a headquarters while exploring both Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine. Other important events were as follows:

• 1000 - Norse explorers probably visited the island. 
• 1498 - Sebastien Cabot and 1501 - Gaspar Cortereal likely saw Grand Manan. 
• 1504 - Breton fishermen probably fished bounteous waters around Grand Manan. 
• 1558 - Portuguese map of North America shows cape of many islands including those of Passamaquoddy and Grand Manan. 
• 1583 - Trading voyage to the "Bay of Menan" by Stephen Bellinger. 
• 1606 - Samuel Champlain sheltered on White Head Island during March storm. 
• 1613 - Champlain produced map calling island Manthane which he later corrected to Menane or Menasne; Grand was added later. 
• 1693 - Grand Manan granted to Paul Dailleboust, Sieur de Perigny as part of New France but he did not take possession and it reverted to the Crown. 
• 1713 - Island granted to British in Treaty of Utrecht, but still claimed by United States for nearly a century afterwards. 
• 1779 - First white child born to Joel Bonney and his wife but family remained only a year before leaving with two other families. 
• 1784 - First permanent settlement of 50 United Empire Loyalist families, led by Moses Gerrish, and settling on small island forming eastern side of Grand Harbour, later named Ross Island in honour of settler Thomas Ross. Community had little capital and interest from the outside. 
• 1803 - Seal Cove settled. 
• 1817 - U.S. gave Grand Manan to the British in exchange for islands Dudley, Frederick and Moose (now site of Eastport, Maine). 
• 1851 - Population of 1,187 mostly working in efficient, prosperous fishery. 
• 1854 - Grand Manan incorporated as a Parish. 
• 1880s- Population peaked at 2,616 but began decline as herring stocks were depleted. Communities were North Head, Centreville, Woodward's Cove, Grand Harbour, Ingalls Head, Seal Cove, Deep Cove, White Head, Wood Island, Dark Harbour. 
• 1899 - Centreville (previously Sinclairville) renamed Castalia. 
• 1944 - Board of Trade was founded with the prime goal of improving the ferry service. 
• 1950s- Residents moved from Wood Island, some floating their homes to Seal Cove. 
• 1966 - North Head and Seal Cove/Deep Cove incorporated as villages. 
• 1967 - Woodward's Cove became Local Service District. Grand Manan Museum completed in Grand Harbour as a Canada Bicentennial Project.  Grand Manan Curling Club opened. 
• 1968 - Grand Harbour/Ingalls Head incorporated as village. 
• 1969 - Castalia which includes Dark Harbour became Local Service District. 
• 1978 - Grand Manan Tourism Association founded. 
• 1979 - The Grand Manan Rotary Club was organized and remains the only active service club on the island. Board of Trade reactivated after a brief lapse as the Chamber of Commerce. 
• 1984 - 200th anniversary and celebration of the United Empire Loyalist settlement. 
• 1995 - Five communities amalgamated into Municipality of Grand Manan, excluding White Head. 
• 1996 - All buildings given individual addresses and streets named as part of the provincial 911 emergency service. 
• 1998 - Grand Manan Museum addition completed. 

LIGHTHOUSES AND FOG ALARM STATIONS: (Dates established): It was quickly realized that lighthouses and fog stations were essential to protect shipping in and out of the Bay of Fundy due to the treacherous shoals, tidal action and thick fogs. The Saint John Board of Trade paid to have the first lighthouse built at Gannet Rock. Locations of the lighthouse can be found on the Map page.

• 1831 - GANNET ROCK, automated, original tower. 
• 1832 - MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND, still staffed, seabird sanctuary. 
• 1860 - SWALLOWTAIL, automated, original tower, partly owned by island. 
• 1873 - LONG EDDY POINT started as fog station then converted to lighthouse. 
• 1897 - FISH FLUKE POINT (GRAND HARBOUR LIGHT) abandoned 1964. Now decribed as the most endangered lighthouse in North America! 
• 1880 - SOUTHWEST HEAD, automated, concrete tower replaced original. 
• 1887 - GREAT DUCK ISLAND, fog station converted to lighthouse. 
• 1902 - GULL COVE, discontinued and moved in the early 1980's. 
• 1908-1909 - LIFE SAVING SERVICE, an arm of Marine and Fisheries, built a boat house in Seal Cove and in 1909-1910 a Life Saving Station at Shag Head, Outer Wood Island. Between 1912-1931 a rescue boat operated from Shag Head. Only the foundation remains. 
• 1929 - LONG POINT fog station, converted to lighthouse in 1966. 

MEDICAL: At least 25 doctors have served the island communities since 1785, often also serving as dentists. Additionally, there have been two full time dentists, as well as school clinics and part-time dentists. As well, optometrists, veterinarians and others come to the island, setting up shop in local houses or inns for the length of their stay. In 1941 the Grand Manan Hospital opened as a Red Cross Society Outpost in North Head, and later operated by an island board of directors. A new building replaced the old house in 1971, and a nursing home was built just down the road in 1974 with a spectacular view of Flaggs Cove. An extra-mural hospital was added in 1993. In the fall of 1999 an emergency bay, new ambulance garage and other renovations were undertaken at the hospital, completed in 2000. An ambulance service and a well trained volunteer Fire Department respond to any emergencies through the 911 emergency system.

RELIGION: The Anglican Church was organized by the Rev. John Dunn, sent here in 1832 by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. The Baptist Churches were also established at an early date, largely through the efforts of Rev. Joshua N. Barnes. A variety of other religions have also found a home on the island (Advent Christian, Baha'i, Jehovah Witness, Pentecostal, Roman Catholic, and Wesleyan).

EDUCATION: The first schools were organized by an Anglican minister. As more schools were built, grades offered varied from school to school and teachers were sometimes shared between schools, travelling in all weather conditions. Before the highway was paved, when the roads were muddy, teachers had to leave their vehicles on one side of a bad spot and transfer to other vehicles on the other side to continue on to school. There were at least eight small school houses in the archipelago.

• 1832 - first schools organized by Reverend John Dunn, an Anglican minister; more schools were added as needed. 
• 1948 - Central high school built in Grand Harbour, offering grades 10-12. 
• 1967 - New high school built, old building became junior high and village school for Grand Harbour and Ingalls Head. 
• 1978 - Small schools for grades 1-4 operated in other communities were amalgamated and moved to Grand Harbour, except for White Head Island which still operates a school for grades K-6 (children in higher grades must come by ferry and bus each morning to Grand Harbour to go to school). 
• 1992 - Kindergarten was added to school system. 
• 1994 - School districts amalgamated but community school board remained. 
• 1996 - School library opened to community, as part of new community school plan. School boards eliminated, replaced with parent boards. 
• 1997 - Community Access Centre opened providing computer and Internet training and accessibility. 
• 1998 - 50^th anniversary of the opening of the High School - used since 1967 as the elementary school.  New elementary wing attached to High School opened. 
• 1999 - Old high school, most recently elementary school, torn down. Construction of new gymnasium/auditorium/entrance linked to community school commenced where old school had been. 

• 1867 - Kerosene lanterns introduced from the U.S. 
• 1880 - Telegraphic cables to the mainland were laid. 
• 1905 - Bank of New Brunswick opened North Head branch. 
• 1906 - Telephone service available by Grand Manan Telephone Co. Ltd. 
• 1909 - Land purchased and bank building constructed in North Head, but in 1912 building burned down, new building completed in 1913, and Bank of New Brunswick and Bank of Nova Scotia amalgamated. 
• 1910-1920 - First automobiles brought to the island, used mostly in summer. 
• 1920s - Pressurized gas lamps became popular. 
• 1920 - 1931 - Sub-branch of bank operated in Grand Harbour 
• 1929 - Electricity produced by diesel-generated plant in Grand Harbour. 
• 1932 - New building constructed by Bank in North Head. 
• 1934 - Radio-telephone links with lighthouses and later fishing boats. 
• 1935 - Credit Union and Fishermen's Co-operative established. 
• 1949 - Paved highway the length of the island completed. 
• 1951 - Radiotelephone system replaced old submarine cables. 
• 1966 - Microwave tower for telecommunications constructed. 
• 1967 - Generating plant built in Ingalls Head to replace Grand Harbour plant. 
• 1979 - Submarine power cable laid to Campobello Is. to connect with mainland. 
• 1982 - New bank constructed in Grand Harbour; North Head branch closed. 
• 1983 - Highway (route 776) repaved. 
• 1989 - Gas turbine generator (28 megawatts) installed in Ingalls Head, as a backup to the submarine cable and possible export to Maine. 
• 1993 - Telephone system updated to touch-tone service. 
• 1994 - Two automated banking machines added to bank facility. 
• 1999 - Landfill transfer station opened and municipal dumps closed.