It was created as part of the British North America Act, 1867.

The county was legally defined in 1852 as: The boundaries were not changed during the 1872 electoral redistribution, but now the riding would return two members to Parliament.

This riding was dissolved and redistributed into the ridings of Cape Breton South and North Cape Breton and Victoria in the 1903 electoral redistribution.

On Mr. MacKeen's resignation to provide a seat for Sir Charles Tupper, 18 December 1895

On Mr. McDonald being called to the Senate On Mr. McLeod's death, 5 August 1879