Hello from Nova Scotia – Exploring Annapolis Royal
Still thinking about what I learned about the fate of the Acadians after my visit to the Grand Pré National Historic Site, I got in the car and started driving west through the fertile Annapolis Valley, an area known as the “grand of Nova Scotia.” . The gentle Cordilleras Norte and Sur enclose this agricultural land of orchards and vineyards. The Bay of Fundy is located just on the other side of the northern ridge. A pleasant journey took me along the Evangeline Trail which runs along the north coast of southwestern Nova Scotia.
My destination was Annapolis Royal, a town with more than 400 years of history, located at the mouth of the Annapolis River. Annapolis Royal, founded in 1605, was originally called Port-Royal by Acadian settlers, but after the territory passed to the British in 1713, it was renamed in honor of Queen Anne of England. The word “polis”, which is Greek for “city”, was added to the queen’s name and the original French word “Royal” was kept. A sign of turbulent times, ownership of this area went back and forth seven times between the English and the French. The city was established two years before Jamestown, Virginia, three years before the founding of Quebec, and fifteen years before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Along with present-day Port-Royal across the river, it is the oldest continuous European settlement in North America, north of St. Augustine, Florida. Annapolis Royal is one of Canada’s five cultural capitals and was also recently selected as “The World’s Most Livable Small Community” in an international competition backed by the United Nations. To enter the city, I crossed the causeway that houses the Annapolis Tidal Power Generating Plant and drove slowly into one of Canada’s most historic and picturesque cities.
Annapolis Royal used to be the capital of Nova Scotia from 1710 to 1749 when Halifax became the provincial capital. Its collection of 135 Municipal Heritage Properties makes it the largest National Historic District in Canada. The city is a popular tourist destination and has numerous bed and breakfasts, restaurants, cafes, galleries, and retail stores located on heritage properties.
Fort Anne, the main attraction in the heart of the city, was built by the British to protect the mouth of the Annapolis River and this was my first stop. I went to the visitor’s office at Fort Anne and was greeted by Alan Melanson, a 9th generation Acadian and lead guide at this Parks Canada property. When I told him who I was looking for, he mentioned that my destination was actually the Port-Royal National Historic Site, which was located across the river. I had obviously mixed up the names Annapolis Royal, Fort Anne and Port-Royal and had shown up at the wrong place for my guided tour. That wasn’t a problem though, as Alan indicated that his twin brother, Wayne Melanson, is a lead guide in Port-Royal and would simply make a phone call to the other location to let his twin know of my arrival more late this afternoon.
I would have the opportunity to meet Alan again later tonight to participate in the famous Annapolis Royal Cemetery Candlelight Tour that Alan would lead around 9:00 pm tonight. So with my appointment in Port-Royal due this afternoon, I decided to park the car and explore the city on foot. I walked down Lower St. George Street past City Hall, the lighthouse dating from 1889, and heritage buildings like the Sinclair Inn Museum, a National Historic Site, the Adams-Ritchie House, and the Old Post Office.
I walked back down Church Street and admired all the colorful clapboard houses. One thing about Nova Scotia architecture is the decorative paint finish job that always stands out as a special touch. Since my busy travel schedule had so far prevented me from having lunch, I stopped at the Streetscape Café, a cozy local spot where I had a delicious pureed vegetable soup, followed by a vanilla sponge cake. It was the perfect place to read about the local brochures and tourist information I had picked up. Suitably fortified I was ready to continue my discoveries of Annapolis Royal.
Just steps up the street, directly across from Fort Anne, is the Garrison Graveyard, which was originally a French Catholic cemetery from 1636 to 1710 and is the last resting place for some 2,000 early residents. Directly across from Fort Anne and the cemetery was my bed and breakfast for the night, Garrison House, which I would have a chance to explore a bit later this afternoon after my visit to the Port-Royal Historic Site. I continued my walk past Fort Anne on Upper St. George Street towards the Courthouse. Built in 1837, it is the oldest courthouse in the province still in use. A huge old French willow tree on Court House Lane used to serve as the whipping tree where petty crimes were punished in public.
Just a few steps down Upper St. George Street is the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens, ten full acres of horticultural beauty that just celebrated its 25th anniversary. I entered the gardens through the well-stocked gift shop and began my explorations of various display gardens, levees, and wetland areas. An impressive Victorian garden illustrates the horticultural styles of yesteryear. An Acadian House (“la Maison Acadienne”) is also located on the property and displays tools and utensils used by early French settlers. Although it was already early October, many of the garden areas still offered colorful flower displays and during the summer, the Historic Gardens also feature a café with hot and cold snacks.
My short walking tour of Annapolis Royal had given me a great introduction to a beautiful and very historic city and I was ready to discover even more history at the Port-Royal National Historic Site.
This entire article, including photos, can be found at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/annapolis_royal.htm