Annapolis Royal Port-Royal (French) | |
|---|---|
Town andcounty seat | |
.jpg) Waterfront of Annapolis Royal .jpg) View fromFort Anne looking south overAnnapolis Basin  View ofGranville Ferry from Annapolis Royal | |
 Flag | |
| Nickname: Cradle of the Nation | |
  Annapolis Royal Location of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia | |
| Coordinates:44°44′30″N65°30′55″W / 44.74167°N 65.51528°W /44.74167; -65.51528 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Nova Scotia |
| Municipality | Annapolis County |
| Founded | 1605; 420 years ago (1605) as Port Royal |
| Incorporated | 1892; 133 years ago (1892) |
| Named after | Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
| Electoral Districts Federal | West Nova |
| Provincial | Annapolis |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Amery Boyer |
| • Governing Body | Annapolis Royal Town Council |
| • MLA | David Bowlby(C) |
| • MP | Chris d'Entremont(C) |
| Area (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 1.98 km2 (0.76 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 530 |
| • Density | 268.3/km2 (695/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Annapolitan |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (AST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (Atlantic Daylight Saving Time) |
| Postal code | B0S1A0 |
| Area code | 902 |
| Telephone Exchange | 526, 532 |
| Official name | Annapolis Royal Historic District National Historic Site of Canada |
| Designated | 1994 |
| Website | annapolisroyal |
Annapolis Royal is a town in and the county seat ofAnnapolis County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Originally established by the French asPort Royal in 1605, the community is historically significant as one of the oldest European settlements in North America.[2] Its founding predates the English settlement atJamestown (1607), the French settlement atQuebec City (1608), and the Pilgrims' arrival atPlymouth (1620).[3]
Renamed as Annapolis Royal in honour of Queen Anne following theSiege of Port Royal in 1710, the town served as capital ofAcadia and subsequentlyNova Scotia, until the capital was transferred toHalifax in 1749.[2][4]
While the original 1605 French settlement was centred at the nearbyHabitation,[5] the modern town developed around the site ofCharles Fort, established by Scottish settlers in 1629.[6] Situated on the boundary between rival French and British colonial empires, the strategic settlement changed hands seven times and withstood thirteen military sieges—more than any other location in North America.[7]
In 1994, the town's core was designated theAnnapolis Royal Historic District National Historic Site of Canada.[8] This district anchors a significant heritage landscape that includes Canada's oldest National Historic Site,Fort Anne, six provincially recognized heritage properties, and over 135 municipal heritage properties[9][10]. The town is also situated within theSouthwest Nova Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-designated region.[11]
Historically driven by military command and shipping, the town’s economy has since transitioned to a focus on tourism, heritage preservation, and the service sector.[2]
"Port Royal" originally referred to the Annapolis Basin and was named by French cartographerSamuel de Champlain in 1604.[12] The French settlement on the Annapolis Basin was named "Annapolis Royal" in honour ofQueen Anne following thesiege of Port Royal in 1710 by Great Britain.[13]
The location of the present town was named Nme'juaqnek meaning "the place of bountiful fish" by theMi'kmaq. The area served as a strategic hub for seasonal migration and governance, functioning for generations as a primary gathering place for Chiefs and leaders. The flat, elevated escarpment at the confluence of the Annapolis and Allain rivers provided an ideal campsite for travellers navigating the canoe routes connecting theBay of Fundy to Nova Scotia's South Shore via the interior waterways of Kejimkujik.[14]
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The original French settlement of Port Royal was centred on thehabitation and was founded in 1605 byPierre Dugua,François Gravé Du Pont andSamuel de Champlain.[13] The habitation was 10 km (6.2 mi) west of present-day Annapolis Royal and was abandoned after being destroyed by attackers from Virginia in 1613.[13] The Port Royal settlement, which included the habitation, mill and surrounding agricultural land, comprised the first year-round European settlement in Canada.[3] It was also likely the site of the introduction of apples to Canada in 1606.[15]
In August 1629, Scottish settlers, under the auspices ofSir William Alexander, established a settlement known as Charles Fort, at the site of present-dayFort Anne. Charles Fort was established under the Royal Charter of Nova Scotia, granted by King James I to Alexander in 1621 and was the only Scottish settlement of any permanence in Nova Scotia granted under the charter.[16]
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The French had been actively farming the land that Charles Fort occupied from as early as 1606, but it was in 1629 that the Scottish made the Fort and the adjacent lands the centre of their activity. The nascent Scottish settlement was transferred to the French under the terms of theTreaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1632 and 47 Scottish settlers, including men, women and children were removed, although some settlers remained.[17]
After 1632, Charles Fort, known again by its French name, Port Royal, soon became self-sufficient under the French and grew modestly for nearly a century. It was subject to frequent attacks and capture by English military forces or those of itsNew England colonists, only to be restored each time to French control by subsequent recapture or treaty stipulations. By 1671, thepopulation grew to around 400. Port Royal and Acadia remained in French hands throughout most of the 17th century.
The basis of land settlement by the French was through theSeigneury of Port Royal, which was granted toJean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt in 1604.[18] This semi-feudal status of Port Royal, and later Annapolis Royal, remained in effect until 1733.[19]
In 1710, Port Royal was captured a final time from the French at thesiege of Port Royal duringQueen Anne's War, marking the British conquest of peninsular Nova Scotia.[20] The British named the town Annapolis Royal after Queen Anne (1665–1714), the reigning monarch.[13]
In 1711, despite asuccessful skirmish at Bloody Creek (near modern-dayBridgetown, Nova Scotia), a combined force of Acadians and Indigenous warriors led byBernard-Anselme d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin failed to recapture Annapolis Royal and Fort Anne during a siege because they lacked artillery.
Under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, Acadia was formally granted to Great Britain;[20] however, the vague boundary definitions saw only the peninsular part of Nova Scotia granted to Great Britain. The next half-century would see great turbulence as Britain and France vied for dominance.
From 1710 to 1749, theGovernor of Nova Scotia was based at Annapolis Royal. In 1720, theNova Scotia Council, the forerunner of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, was formed at Annapolis Royal byGovernor Richard Phillips.[7] The Governor and Council would continue to govern from Annapolis Royal until the founding of Halifax in 1749.
In July 1722, during theDrummer's War,Abenaki and Mi'kmaq forces attempted a blockade of Annapolis Royal in an attempt to starve the capital,[21] which was countered by Lieutenant GovernorJohn Doucett taking Mi'kmaq hostages.[22] A key event of the war was the raid on Annapolis Royal in July 1724, where Mi'kmaq and Maliseets killed soldiers, burned houses, and took prisoners, prompting the British to retaliate by executing a Mi'kmaq hostage and burning three Acadian houses.[7] Consequently, the town built blockhouses and moved the Acadian church nearer to the fort for better security.[7]
DuringKing George's War (1740–1748), French forces, Acadians, and Mi'kmaq launched four attempts to retake Annapolis Royal.[23]
The first attempt was theSiege of Annapolis Royal in July 1744, whenJean-Louis Le Loutre led 300 Mi'kmaq warriors, outnumbering the New England regulars three-to-one. After four days, the assault failed when the fort received reinforcements from New England.[23]
The second siege occurred in September 1744, when French officerFrançois Dupont Duvivier gathered 200 men to attack the fort. The week-long siege ended when a New England ship carrying RangerJohn Gorham and Indigenous allies arrived from Boston, forcing Duvivier to retreat.[23]
InMay 1745,Paul Marin de la Malgue led a large French force, allied with hundreds of Mi'kmaq, in a third siege, during which the English destroyed nearby buildings to deny the attackers cover. This siege was abandoned when Marin was recalled to aid in the defense of Louisbourg.
The final attempt, the1746 siege, was led byRamezay, whose French land forces waited twenty-three days for naval support from the ill-fated Duc d'Anville Expedition. As no naval aid arrived, Ramezay was forced to retreat.[23]
The main effect of theSeven Years' War (1756–1763) on Annapolis Royal was theexpulsion of the Acadian population. In December 1755, from the wharf at Fort Anne, 251 men, 263 women and 1,150 children were loaded onto seven ships to be forcibly removed from the land they had lived in for six generations. They were to be taken to Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and North Carolina. The deportations, which had started at the Minas Basin about seven weeks earlier, had finally descended into the historic Acadian heartland.[7]
By one account, 48 Acadian families fled the Annapolis Royal area while the rest waited to be deported. The general British plan was forced assimilation of the Acadians by separating the families throughout the American colonies. In one exception, the Le Blanc family of Annapolis Royal, sent to Massachusetts, was permitted to stay together.[7]
In a daring and successful attempt at escape, the Acadians aboard the ship "Pembroke" overpowered the crew and sailed the ship to the Saint John River where 232 passengers escaped. It was not until 1764 that Acadians were legally allowed to live again in the Annapolis Royal area, and then, only with restricted liberties - very few returned.[7]
In 1759,Governor Lawrence invitedplanters from New England to come to Nova Scotia and settle the empty farms. From 1759 to 1768, 8,000 New Englanders moved into the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia and Saint John River Valley of New Brunswick.[24]
Although invited to take part in the revolution by theContinental Congress, Nova Scotia remained largely loyal to Great Britain.
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During theAmerican Revolutionary War (1775–1783), the84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) were stationed at Annapolis Royal to guard Nova Scotia against American Privateers. On October 2, 1778, the 84th Regiment was involved in the defeat of an American privateer at Annapolis Royal. Captain MacDonald sailed into the town only to find a large privateer ship raiding the port, which he destrtoyed.
On August 29, 1781, two large American privateer schoonersattacked the undefended town. They imprisoned the men of the community in the fort and systematically looted houses in the town, even stealing window-glass from the church. The privateers fled when reports arrived that the militia was assembling outside the town. The only death took place when the privateers accidentally shot their own pilot. Two town residents were taken as hostages and later released on parole on promise of exchange for an American prisoner at Halifax.[7][25]
After the American Revolution, more than 30,000United Empire Loyalists migrated to the maritimes,[26] many of them arriving in Annapolis Royal, severely taxing the resources of the town. Many later moved to found settlements such asDigby andClementsport.
Some Loyalists, such as Anglican ministerJacob Bailey, remained in Annapolis Royal and became members of the town's elite. Many escaped slaves who fought for the British known asBlack Loyalists were also part of the migration, includingThomas Peters, a member of theBlack Pioneers regiment and an important Black Loyalist leader who later took land near Digby. Another notable Black Loyalist,Rose Fortune, founded a freight business and policed the Annapolis Royal waterfront.[27] The Loyalists remaining in Annapolis Royal brought an injection of professions and capital that strengthened the town as a regional centre beyond its status as a military outpost.
Owing to the extreme tidal range, relatively shallow waters of the Annapolis Basin, and the small population of its hinterland, the port of Annapolis Royal, despite having a good harbour, carried on only a small trade through the 19th century.[20] Along with Granville Ferry across the river, however, it was a local centre forshipbuilding. Among the notable local mariners wasBessie Hall. Following the replacement of sailing ships by steam in the 1880s, Annapolis Royal served as a coaling station betweenSaint John andBoston.
The fort, to which the town largely owed its existence in the first place, ceased to be an active military post in 1854. In that year, the British Garrison departed and moved to the new citadel in Halifax.[3]
The town had a minor boom in 1869 when theWindsor and Annapolis Railway arrived, with two large railway piers built along the waterfront and several factories constructed in the area. The population reached 1,500 in the 1870s.[20] Incorporation as a town under the Nova Scotia Municipalities Act took place in 1893. However, the completion of the railway to Digby in 1893, followed by the creation of theDominion Atlantic Railway toYarmouth, shifted most of the steamship commerce to those cities as steel-hulled vessels began to require deeper and deeper waters. By 1901, Annapolis Royal's population had shrunk to 1,019[28] and it became a small country town whose principal export was apples.[28]
A ferry service ran from Lower Saint George Street across the river to Granville Ferry from the early 19th century, but a bridge was built in 1921 to link the two sides of the estuary. This bridge collapsed in 1961 and was replaced by a causeway, already under construction.
TheAnnapolis Royal Generating Station, near Annapolis Royal on the Annapolis River, was North America's only tidal power station, producing up to 20 MW twice daily using the Annapolis Basin's tides. It operated from 1984 until 2019.
In 1984, Annapolis Royal elected the first female black mayor in Canada,Daurene Lewis.[29]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 758 | — |
| 1976 | 738 | −2.6% |
| 1981 | 631 | −14.5% |
| 1986 | 631 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 633 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 583 | −7.9% |
| 2001 | 550 | −5.7% |
| 2006 | 444 | −19.3% |
| 2011 | 481 | +8.3% |
| 2016 | 491 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 530 | +7.9% |
| [30][31] | ||
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Annapolis Royal had a population of530 living in322 of its364 total private dwellings, a change of7.9% from its 2016 population of491. With a land area of 1.98 km2 (0.76 sq mi), it had a population density of267.7/km2 (693.3/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
Annapolis Royal is situated in a good but shallow harbour[20] at the western end of the fertileAnnapolis Valley, nestled between the North and South mountains which define the valley. The town is on south bank of theAnnapolis River facing the heavily tidal Annapolis Basin. The riverside forms the waterfront for this historic town. Directly opposite Annapolis Royal on the northern bank of the river is the community ofGranville Ferry. Allains Creek joins the Annapolis River at the town, defining the western side of the community. TheBay of Fundy, on the other side of the North Mountain, is 10 kilometres north of the town.
The Annapolis Basin, Annapolis River, Annapolis County, and the Annapolis Valley all take their name from the town.
Annapolis Royal has ahumid continental climate (KöppenDfb) and typically has mild summers, cold winters and is wet all year.[32]
| Climate data for Annapolis Royal (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.5 (65.3) | 17.5 (63.5) | 21.7 (71.1) | 26.0 (78.8) | 30.0 (86.0) | 34.0 (93.2) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.8 (91.0) | 30.0 (86.0) | 25.6 (78.1) | 22.2 (72.0) | 19.4 (66.9) | 34.0 (93.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.7 (30.7) | 0.1 (32.2) | 3.4 (38.1) | 9.0 (48.2) | 15.8 (60.4) | 20.4 (68.7) | 23.3 (73.9) | 23.3 (73.9) | 19.0 (66.2) | 13.2 (55.8) | 8.0 (46.4) | 2.1 (35.8) | 11.4 (52.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.3 (24.3) | −3.8 (25.2) | −0.3 (31.5) | 5.1 (41.2) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 18.5 (65.3) | 18.6 (65.5) | 14.9 (58.8) | 9.6 (49.3) | 4.9 (40.8) | −1.1 (30.0) | 7.4 (45.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −7.8 (18.0) | −7.6 (18.3) | −4.0 (24.8) | 1.2 (34.2) | 6.2 (43.2) | 10.2 (50.4) | 13.3 (55.9) | 13.4 (56.1) | 10.3 (50.5) | 5.9 (42.6) | 1.7 (35.1) | −4.1 (24.6) | 3.2 (37.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −26.0 (−14.8) | −27.2 (−17.0) | −24.4 (−11.9) | −13.3 (8.1) | −6.1 (21.0) | −3.3 (26.1) | −1.1 (30.0) | 0.0 (32.0) | −2.2 (28.0) | −8.3 (17.1) | −13.3 (8.1) | −23.9 (−11.0) | −27.2 (−17.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 114.4 (4.50) | 85.2 (3.35) | 94.3 (3.71) | 94.7 (3.73) | 86.4 (3.40) | 74.4 (2.93) | 68.7 (2.70) | 68.5 (2.70) | 110.3 (4.34) | 120.4 (4.74) | 125.3 (4.93) | 112.5 (4.43) | 1,155.2 (45.48) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 59.5 (2.34) | 51.6 (2.03) | 67.0 (2.64) | 87.0 (3.43) | 86.0 (3.39) | 74.4 (2.93) | 68.7 (2.70) | 68.5 (2.70) | 110.3 (4.34) | 120.4 (4.74) | 118.0 (4.65) | 80.2 (3.16) | 991.8 (39.05) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 54.9 (21.6) | 33.5 (13.2) | 27.3 (10.7) | 7.7 (3.0) | 0.4 (0.2) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 7.3 (2.9) | 31.2 (12.3) | 162.4 (63.9) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 13.7 | 10.9 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 11.0 | 11.1 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 10.2 | 11.2 | 13.2 | 12.9 | 133.5 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 6.1 | 5.5 | 7.6 | 10.4 | 10.9 | 11.1 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 10.2 | 11.2 | 12.4 | 8.5 | 110.7 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 9.2 | 6.4 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 0.05 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 5.2 | 28.9 |
| Source:Environment Canada[33] | |||||||||||||
Tourism is a significant part of the economy of Annapolis Royal. Fort Anne, contained within the boundaries of the town, was initially designated a National Historic Park in 1917 and a National Historic Site in 1920.[34] The current fort, built around 1703, was designed to defend the capital of Acadia / Nova Scotia from seaward attack. Today, much of the original earthen embankments may be visited, as well as some buildings original to the military facility and theGarrison Cemetery. This is the oldest formal cemetery in Canada, dating back to the French and later the British. The oldest English gravestone in Canada is among the graves, that of Bathiah Douglas who was buried in 1720.[35] Rose Fortune, a Black Loyalist and the first female police officer in what is now Canada is buried here.
The town contains the Historic District of Annapolis Royal, the largest registered Historic District in Canada. Not only is the District itself a National Historic Site, but it also contains numerous individual National Historic Sites. These include Fort Anne, theAnnapolis County Court House, the site of Charles Fort, thede Gannes-Cosby House and theSinclair Inn.[36][37][38][39]
The Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens is a 17-acre tourist attraction that has been operating since 1981. The site is managed by a non-profit registered charity. The attraction displays several periods of Canadian gardening history from the 17th century through to the modern era.[40]
Various historical walking-tours are available in the town, particularly during the summer season; one of the more well-known being the late-night, candlelight Garrison Cemetery tour. The town has numerous art galleries and studios aimed at the tourist market.
The town acts as a significant hub for commerce within the broader Annapolis County, catering to a population exceeding 21,000 residents.
The Annapolis Royal Farmers and Traders Market is situated on the town's waterfront. It convenes each Saturday from May through October, with additional sessions on Wednesdays from July to September. Live entertainment is a regular feature, typically offered on most Saturdays.[41] Established in 1976, the current iteration of the market maintains a rich historical lineage, tracing its origins back to a market instituted by Acadian Governor Brouillan in this vicinity of Port Royal around 1701.[7] This enduring tradition underscores the market's significance as a longstanding cultural and commercial hub within the region.
Annapolis Royal is reputed to be the site of the oldest continuously operatingbarber shop in North America. The establishment has been in operation at the same location since 1827. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1921 and subsequently rebuilt.[42]
The extensive Annapolis Basin Conference Centre, and an adjoining small businesses park, are located near the town. They occupy the former site ofCFB Cornwallis, which closed in the mid-1990s.
The scallop boat fleet based in the Annapolis Basin generates millions of dollars in economic activity annually, supporting numerous businesses in the Annapolis Royal area. The 'haul-up' facility adjacent to the wharf remains a key site for overhauling and refurbishing scallop boats each year.
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Annapolis Royal is home to numerous historic sites, both within the town and in the surrounding area
The Annapolis Basin and Annapolis Royal are perhaps the location of some of the first theatrical productions in Canada with theThéâtre de Neptune, written byMarc Lescarbot (c. 1570–1641), performed in the harbour outside the Port Royal habitation on November 14, 1606.[57] In 1743,Paul Mascarene, the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, translated Molière'sLa Misanthrope and staged productions that winter in Annapolis Royal.[58]
Bowls was invented here in 1734 when a green was laid by the Garrison of Nova Scotia near the site of Fort Anne.[59] There is currently no active lawn bowling club in the town.
ARTsPLACE is an art collective located here.[60]
The town has a long-timetown crier, who works closely with the mayor and town council on public events.[61][62] Annapolis Royal hosted the International Town Criers Competition in 2017.
The two principal venues for theatre and performance in the town are the historic King's Theatre and the recently constructed Oqwa'titek amphitheatre.[60][63] These venues host live performances by both local and international groups.
Each year,Natal Day is celebrated over the weekend of the first Monday in August. Events are held throughout the town and Fort Anne, such as live music, dances,historical reenactments andpipe bands, culminating in a parade on the final day.[64]
Despite its historical role as the capital of Acadia (until 1720) and Nova Scotia (until 1749), Annapolis Royal was formally incorporated as a town in 1892.
The town government is administered by an elected Town Council, comprising a Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and three Councillors. Daily operations are managed by a Chief Administration Officer (CAO).[65]
Annapolis Royal serves as the county seat for theCounty of Annapolis, but it operates as an independent municipal jurisdiction separate from the County government.
The town provides dedicated local services:
Annapolis Royal is within theAnnapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education. Champlain Elementary School, in nearbyGranville Ferry, services students from kindergarten to grade 5; while middle and high school students attend theAnnapolis West Education Centre.[67]
Annapolis Royal has twosister cities:[68]
Minor planet516560 Annapolisroyal was named in honour of the town byDavid D. Balam.[76] The officialnaming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 25 September 2018 (M.P.C. 111804).[77]
The most distinguished native of Annapolis Royal living in the nineteenth century was the Hon Sir William Williams, Bart, known from his distinguished services in the Crimean war as the 'hero of Kars'.
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