Hubbards was first settled by French-speaking Protestants, brothers John and Frederick Dauphinee. As with all those who first settled the east side of the Aspotogan Peninsula, the brothers arrived from across St. Margaret's Bay at French Village, Nova Scotia. Their father emigrated from Montbéliard, France to Halifax and then to Lunenburg. Captain John Dauphinee settled on what became known as Dauphinee's Point. In 1820, John Dauphinee began a lumber mill on Mill Lake. The origin of the name Hubbard's is likely a corruption of the name Hibbard, Hubert or Hibbert. The Village was Hubbards Cove until the word "Cove" was dropped. The Fitzroy River which runs through Hubbards may have been named after British Prime MinisterAugustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton. In the earlier part of the 20th century, Hubbards was a successful fishing community. During the Cold War, the Canadian Forces established a naval radio station at Mill Cove in 1967. CFS Mill Cove was a major employer in the Hubbards area until its automation in the 1990s when it was downgraded to Naval Radio Station Mill Cove.
Tourism
Hubbards is a popular summer vacation destination. Numerous cottages, inns, campgrounds, restaurants and the Shore Club contribute to a healthy summer economy. The Hubbards and Area Business Association works to sustain a "shop local" economy. Hubbards features a picturesque locale, especially on Hubbards Cove, with a yacht club, Nova Scotia's smallest provincial park, campground and 10 beaches within "driving distance" of one another. The CBCtelevision seriesBlack Harbour was shot on location in Hubbards between 1996 and 1999. The movie Relative Happiness was filmed on location in Hubbards.
Shatford Trust Fund
Oil magnate Jefferson Davis Shatford was born in Hubbards in 1862, died 5 September 1955 in Daytona Beach, Florida, and is buried in Hubbards' Pine Hill Cemetery. His will established the J.D. Shatford Memorial Trust, "for the benefit of the people of Hubbards community". Local residents graduating from high school receive bursaries from the trust for post-secondary education. The Shatford Trust Fund also built the J.D. Shatford Memorial Library, the Hubbards firehall, and supplied funding to churches and other community facilities.
