This wharf, also known as Archibald's Wharf, located near Cape Breton—named after brothers Thomas and Blowers Archibald for their development of the wharf and industry—was once Canada's fourth largest seaport. The historic site has since been sold to private marine industry. MacDonald's light-filled depiction preserves the history and life of the town and marine industry relied upon by the East Coast and greater Canada. A personal postcard (circa 1925) included with the painting shows the wharf from the opposite side of MacDonald's vantage, giving visual insight into the setting of the period.
