The Hunter River Women’s Institute was formed on 16 February 1948 in Hunter River, Prince Edward Island. Starting out as the Riverview Women’s Institute, the Institute changed their name to the Hunter River Women’s Institute on 2 June 1958 after learning that there was another of the same name. The first executive consisted of: Mrs. Cyril Smith, President; Mrs. James L. LePage, Vice President; Marion I. Gillis, Secretary-Treasurer; Lynetta Brown, Mrs. Clarence MacGuigan, and Mrs. Dan MacLeod, Directors; Mrs. James E. Andrews and Mrs. J. R. Murchison, Auditors; Mrs. Cyril Smith, Press Secretary; Mrs. Perry Boyle, Mrs. C. B. Matheson, and Mrs. J. I. Morrison, Convenors. Meeting on the first Monday of every month, the Institute focused its energy throughout the years on the local school and community and also supported the Red Cross, March of Dimes, Cancer Fund, Korean War effort, and local music festivals.

The North Shore Queens No. 1 District Convention area included the Sterling, Bayview, St. Anne's Avonlea, Mayfield, St. Ignatius, New Glasgow, Anglo-Rustico, Rennie's Road, Wheatley River, Oyster Bed Bridge, and Ebenezer Women's Institutes. District Conventions were initiated on Prince Edward Island by the Cardigan Institute Branch in 1925 to bring together all the Women's Institute branches in the same general region on a regular basis. District Conventions were viewed as an "Institute Forum" where the various branches conferred on Institute problems and obtained new ideas and inspiration. District Conventions had fewer numbers in attendance than the Annual Conventions, which resulted in the former having a slightly more informal atmosphere and had varied and well planned programs and lectures from individuals in the agricultural, educational, and public health sector.