The Municipality of the District of Barrington forms the southernmost part of the province and contains Cape Sable, the eastern boundary between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine.

Acadia University owns Bon Portage Island in the municipality, which is protected by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust; there is a field biology research station present for students to study various local birds.

During the Anglo-French War (1627–1629), under Charles I, by 1629 the Kirkes took Quebec City, Sir James Stewart of Killeith, Lord Ochiltree planted a colony on Cape Breton Island at Baleine, and Alexander’s son, William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling established the first incarnation of “New Scotland” at Port Royal.

King Charles’ haste to make peace with France on the terms most beneficial to him meant that the new North American gains would be bargained away in the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1632).

[12] As a result, La Tour appealed to the King of France for assistance and was appointed lieutenant-general in Acadia in 1631.

[14] La Tour retired to Cap de Sable with his third wife Jeanne Motin, wed in 1653, and died in 1666.

During this time period Acadians participated in various militia operations against the British and maintained vital supply lines to the French Fortress of Louisbourg and Fort Beausejour.

[17] The Acadians and Mi'kmaq from Cape Sable Island raided the Protestants at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia numerous times.

[18] In April 1756, Major Preble and his New England troops, on their return to Boston, raided a settlement near Port La Tour and captured 72 men, women, and children.

Major Henry Fletcher led the 35th regiment and a company of Joseph Gorham's Rangers to Cape Sable Island.

Barrington's White inhabitants are mostly descendants of the first settlers from Chatham and Harwich on Cape Cod, Massachusetts who emigrated to the area during the 1760s.

[21] During the American Revolution, on September 4, 1778, the light infantry company of the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants), under the command of Cpt.

American Privateers were threatening Cape Sable Island when the 84th Regiment arrived; they surprised the ship in the night and destroyed it.

MacDonald, wrote to Major John Small, "McKinnon was embarrassed by the praise of the General and requested it not be inserted in the record since he only did his duty.

The Shag Harbour UFO incident occurred in the area in 1967, attracting national and international attention.

[25][26] The response to the fire included widespread evacuation orders of the surrounding area, displacing around 5000 people.

[29][30] Efforts to stop the fire included the use of American water bombers and additional firefighters from the U.S. and Costa Rica.