A settlement south of Antigonish, situated higher up the South River of Antigonish than
Lower South River.

Among the first settlers were Donald MacDonald who emigrated from Moydart about 1805.
Alexander McNeil (Saor), Roderick MacPherson (Rory Mor) who emigrated from Moydart
in 1802, John Cumming who emigrated from Rannoch, Perthshire in 1803 but lived in Pictou
County before removing to South River, Duncan McGregor, also a native of Rannoch,
Miles MacMillan (Maol Moire) and Angus MacMillan of Lochaber and Dugald Ban McPhee
and John McMillan who came out from Lochaber, Scotland about 1801, William McMillan
from Lochness, Inverness, Scotland, who removed from Pictou to the South River in 1838
and Alexander Kennedy who came out from Scotland in 1810.  Among those taking up land
on the west side of the river were Donald McDonald, John McDonald, Donald McPherson,
Hugh McNeil, Michael Horahan, of Kilkenny, Ireland, Donald Ban McDonald, Donald McMillan,
Allan Cameron and Donald McPhee, Sergeant in the 79th Regiment.

In 1832 Archibald McLellan was teaching school at Upper South River and in 1848
William McHardy, master, had 17 scholars.  The section at one time was called South River Lake
and extends from Fraser's Mills to the Guysborough border.  One of the most distinguished pupils
to receive his schooling here was Alexander Stirling MacMillan (1870-1955), Minister of Highways
from 1925 to 1927 and 1933 to 1945 and Premier of Nova Scotia from 1940 to 1945.

It was a postal way office from 1855 to 1867 and C.A. Cameron was postmaster in 1869.

This is excellent farming land along the river, especially suited for dairying, and in 1898 there
was a cheese factory there.  The population in 1956 was 106