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Difference between revisions of "Annapolis Royal"

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==Description & History==
 
==Description & History==
Originally known as Port Royal, the port served as the capital of Acadia until captured by the British in 1710 and renamed Annapolis Royal. The capital of Nova Scotia was shifted to [[Halifax]] in 1749 leaving Annapolis Royal as a garrison town and shipping point for western Nova Scotia. Wooden shipbuilding grew in the 1850s. The arrival of regional steamships in the 1860s made the town an important steamship connection point and coaling station between Saint John and Boston. The town boomed in 1869 when it became the terminus of the [[Windsor and Annapolis Railway]]. The railway built extensive terminal facilities at Annapolis Royal centred around [[Annapolis Royal Wharf|a large railway wharf]]. The railway stimulated several factories and population grew to over 1,500 in the 1870s. Annapolis Royal incorporated as a town in 1893. However, with the completion of the railway to [[Digby]] in 1893, Annapolis Royal ceased to be a terminus as most traffic bypassed the town. The the new Dominion Atlantic Railway shifted shifted most of the steamship commerce to Digby and [[Yarmouth]] where larger steel-hulled vessels required deeper waters. Annapolis Royal became a small country town with some lumber and apple exports. However, a growing tourism industry in the 20th century drew on the long and colourful colonial history of the town and it featured prominently in DAR tourism promotion.
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Originally known as Port Royal, the port served as the capital of Acadia until captured by the British in 1710 and renamed Annapolis Royal. The capital of Nova Scotia was shifted to [[Halifax]] in 1749 leaving Annapolis Royal as a garrison town and shipping point for western Nova Scotia. Wooden shipbuilding grew in the 1850s. The arrival of regional steamships in the 1860s made the town an important steamship connection point and coaling station between Saint John and Boston.
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The town boomed in 1869 when it became the terminus of the [[Windsor and Annapolis Railway]]. The railway built extensive terminal facilities at Annapolis Royal centred around [[Annapolis Royal Wharf|a large railway wharf]]. The railway stimulated several factories and population grew to over 1,500 in the 1870s. Annapolis Royal incorporated as a town in 1893.  
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Construction of the "missing link" between Annapolis Royal and [[Digby]] began by the federal government in 1889 and brought over 400 workers to the town. The first train to travel westward of Annapolis Royal was a [[Windsor & Atlantic Railway]] work train from [[Annapolis Royal]] driven by Robert Stewart with conductor David Cook carrying a load of ballast and rails for the construction of the missing link.<ref>[[Clarke, William Wylie|W. W. Clarke]], [[Clarke's History of the Earliest Railways in Nova Scotia]] (c. 1925) p. 11.</ref>
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However, with the completion of the railway to [[Digby]] in 1893, Annapolis Royal ceased to be a terminus as most traffic bypassed the town. The the new Dominion Atlantic Railway shifted shifted most of the steamship commerce to Digby and [[Yarmouth]] where larger steel-hulled vessels required deeper waters. Annapolis Royal became a small country town with some lumber and apple exports. However, a growing tourism industry in the 20th century drew on the long and colourful colonial history of the town and it featured prominently in DAR tourism promotion.
  
 
The DAR's Observation-Parlour car [[DARANNAPOLISROYAL|"Annapolis Royal"]] was named after the town as well as two locomotives, [[DAR0015|No. 15]], & [[DAR0029|No. 29]].
 
The DAR's Observation-Parlour car [[DARANNAPOLISROYAL|"Annapolis Royal"]] was named after the town as well as two locomotives, [[DAR0015|No. 15]], & [[DAR0029|No. 29]].

Revision as of 17:10, 30 July 2025

Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Bird's Eye view of Annapolis Royal & Granville Nova Scotia 1878, showing the town in its golden years as railway terminus with the Annapolis Royal Station, wharf, railyard and enginehouse

Facilities & Features

Commerce & Industry

Description & History

Originally known as Port Royal, the port served as the capital of Acadia until captured by the British in 1710 and renamed Annapolis Royal. The capital of Nova Scotia was shifted to Halifax in 1749 leaving Annapolis Royal as a garrison town and shipping point for western Nova Scotia. Wooden shipbuilding grew in the 1850s. The arrival of regional steamships in the 1860s made the town an important steamship connection point and coaling station between Saint John and Boston.

The town boomed in 1869 when it became the terminus of the Windsor and Annapolis Railway. The railway built extensive terminal facilities at Annapolis Royal centred around a large railway wharf. The railway stimulated several factories and population grew to over 1,500 in the 1870s. Annapolis Royal incorporated as a town in 1893.

Construction of the "missing link" between Annapolis Royal and Digby began by the federal government in 1889 and brought over 400 workers to the town. The first train to travel westward of Annapolis Royal was a Windsor & Atlantic Railway work train from Annapolis Royal driven by Robert Stewart with conductor David Cook carrying a load of ballast and rails for the construction of the missing link.[1]

However, with the completion of the railway to Digby in 1893, Annapolis Royal ceased to be a terminus as most traffic bypassed the town. The the new Dominion Atlantic Railway shifted shifted most of the steamship commerce to Digby and Yarmouth where larger steel-hulled vessels required deeper waters. Annapolis Royal became a small country town with some lumber and apple exports. However, a growing tourism industry in the 20th century drew on the long and colourful colonial history of the town and it featured prominently in DAR tourism promotion.

The DAR's Observation-Parlour car "Annapolis Royal" was named after the town as well as two locomotives, No. 15, & No. 29.

Gallery

References & Footnotes

External Links