A settlement NW of Antigonish.
Named for a war vessel the 'Malignant' bound for Quebec during the American
Revolution
which was driven ashore in a storm in the cove called after her.
Most of the crew managed to
reach the shore but as there were no inhabitants to succour them, many
perished before they
reached Pictou where they were provided for during the winter through
the efforts of Squire
Patterson. In 1915 the name of Malignant Cove was changed to
Milburn but this was not
adopted by popular usage.
The first settlers in the Cove were soldiers who had served in the 82nd
Regiment.
John McNeil (Breac), John McNeil (Brown), Roderick McNeil, Robert Stewart,
Malcolm McLean, John French McNeil, Angus MacDonald and Alexander Chisholm.
John McNeil (Breac) and John McNeil (Brown) moved there in 1789.
In 1793 a small log chapel was built near the shore where the Indians
also came to worship
and here Rev. Father James McDonald said mass.
A school was held in October, 1815 with William Keating as schoolmaster;
in 1848,
Alex. McNeil was teaching twenty-seven children at the cove.
The school section formerly
extended east and southward consisting of a large part of what later
became Maryvale.
It was while teaching at the cove in 1850 that John Boyd made the first
real start at his printing
business which two years later resulted in the first issue of "The
Casket" at Antigonish.
At Malignant cove John Boyd printed a twenty page pamphlet titled 'A
Short Memoir
of the Mission of Strathglass.'
There was a postal way office at Malignant Cove from 1838 to 1867 and
Donald McLean
was the keeper there in 1868.
A grist mill was built at the Cove about 1800 for wheat, the miller's
name probably being Taylor.
In 1839 the farmers were raising oats and barley and the miller John
McDonald had provided
a pair of shelling stones and a kiln.
In 1898 there was one store, one saw mill, one grist mill and one lobster
factory and a
population of 200.
The Maritime Rock Products Crushing Plant opened in 1960
The population in 1956 was 59.