Heather Harris

2026 Governors Awards

Heather Harris has been awarded a National Trust Governors Award for promoting the built heritage of Prince Edward Island through her social media profile, Old Island Homes. 

Heather Harris is a heritage carpenter and graduate of Holland College’s Heritage Retrofit Carpentry Program. She established her public Instagram and Facebook accounts, Old Island Homes, to share significant homes, churches, lighthouses, and other buildings from across Prince Edward Island with the public.  

As a guest on the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation’s Hidden Island Podcast and video series, she discussed the Island’s architectural marvels, including the work of Island architect William Critchlow Harris. In her public education work, Harris previously served as a guest speaker at the Foundation’s 2025 Annual General Meeting, presenting on the loss of built heritage in the province.  

Heather Harris is dedicated to making information about historic buildings accessible, interesting, and entertaining for her audience, leveraging technology as a teaching tool to educate the next generation about Canada’s built heritage. 

The National Trust Board of Governors chose to highlight this project as a prime example of promoting heritage to a broad public and sharing Canadian stories through digital media.