Devil's Island is located at the northeast entrance to Halifax Harbour, off the shore of Eastern Passage. It was first mentioned in 1711 on an early French map depicting what is now Nova Scotia.
The island's name evolved from Deville's or Duval's Island to its anglicized form, Devil's Island. By 1830, European settlers had established a community that grew to include at least 20 families, a school, and a general store. The island once had two lighthouses and a lifesaving station; today, only the southeast lighthouse and a later keeper's residence remain.
Paranormal activity has been reported since the first settlers arrived. One former lighthouse keeper found unexplained footsteps in freshly painted stairs. After a party, resident Caspar Henneberry claimed to have seen a talking halibut he believed was the devil; he was found drowned the next day, which some link to the island's name.
A house on the island was plagued by poltergeist activity: mysterious fires, knockings, moving objects, disembodied voices, foul odors, and apparitions. It was eventually demolished, but visitors still report seeing mysterious lights and fires at its former site.
In the mid-1990s, a camper testing the island's haunted reputation saw a light in the keeper's house window. Investigating, he found a recently blown-out, still-warm candle on the windowsill—notable as the island has no electricity and he had confirmed he was alone.