Nova Scotia's Historic Harbours: The Seaports that Shaped the Province

by Joan Dawson

Overview

The cities, towns, and villages along Nova Scotia's coastlines have witnessed battles, shipwrecks, celebrations, and tragedies. They have been home to Indigenous peoples and havens for explorers, fishers, and traders. These harbour towns have provided refuge to people escaping intolerable social or political conditions, and joy to those seeking adventure, or love, or a better life. Some communities have blossomed and others have merely survived, but all evolved out of the bard work of the people who have called these seaside places home. With dozens of historical photos, and featuring profiles of more than fifty harbours-from the Bedford Basin to Shelburne Harbour to Cobequid Bay Louisbourg, and Canso-Nova Scotia's Historic Harbours explores each harbour's historical significance and transports readers back in time as trusted historian Joan Dawson looks at how these communities have been shaped by the sea, and how Nova Scotia's growth has been driven by its harbours.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771088589
Publisher:	Nimbus Publishing
Publication date:	07/09/2020
Pages:	232
Sales rank:	665,993
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Joan Dawson is a fellow of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society and a member of the Lunenburg County Historical Society, the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Archaeology Society, and the Antiquarian Club of Halifax. She is the author of Nova Scotia's Historic Rivers, Nova Scotia's Lost Highways, The Mapmakers' Legacy, A History of Nova Scotia in 50 Objects, and Nova Scotia's Lost Communities, and many articles on maps and local history.

Table of Contents

Preface 1

Introduction 3

Bays and Harbours 6

Comings and Goings 8

The Fishery 12

Shipbuilding 16

Halifax's Harbours 19

"The Harbour of Chebucto" 19

Harbour Islands 27

Sambro and Devils Islands

McNabs, Lawlor, and Georges Islands

Bedford Basin 32

The Northwest Arm 35

Melville and Deadmans Islands

South Shore 39

St. Margarets Bay 39

Peggys Cove

Little Harbours on the Bay

Mahone Bay 42

Chester

Town of Mahone Bay

The Tancooks

East Ironbound

Oak Island

Lunenburg Bay and LaHave River 48

Lunenburg

LaHave River

LaHave, Riverport, and Bridgewater

LaHave Islands

Westward to Shelburne 59

Liverpool Bay and Harbour

Coffin Island

Port Mouton

Shelburne Harbour

Birchtown

McNutts Island

Cape Sable Area 69

Port LaTour

Barrington Bay

Cape Sable Island

Shag Harbour

Acadian Shore 76

Pubnico Harbour 76

Township of Argyle 79

Tusket

Wedgeport

Chebogue Harbour 82

Yarmouth 83

St. Marys Bay 86

Cape St. Marys

Meteghan

Weymouth Harbour

Bay of Fundy 91

Digby Neck, Long Island, and Brier Island 91

Sandy Cove

Annapolis Basin 95

The Port Royal Habitation

Port Royal and Annapolis Royal

Digby

Clementsport

Minas Basin 102

Grand Pré, Horton, Mud Creek, and Port Williams

Avon River Estuary: Windsor, Hantsport, and Avondale

Cobequid Bay

Maitland and Truro

Chignecto Shore 114

Parrsboro

Advocate Harbour

Cumberland Basin 118

Beaubassin and Minudie

Northumberland Shore 121

Pugwash, Wallace, and Tatamagouche Harbours 121

Pictou Harbour 124

St. Georges Bay 130

Antigonish and Pomquet

Tracadie

Havre Boucher

Cape Breton Island 134

Harbours on the Strait of Canso 135

Sydney Harbour 135

Glace Bay and Morien Bay 139

Louisbourg

St. Peters Bay 145

Harbours on Bras d'Or Lake 147

Eskasoni

Big Harbour

Baddeck

St. Anns Harbour 150

Chéticamp 152

Eastern Shore 157

Chedabucto Bay 157

Canso

Guysborough

Tor Bay 162

Country Harbour and Isaacs Harbour 164

St. Marys River 166

Liscomb Harbour 167

Tangier Harbour 170

Cole Harbour, Lawrencetown, and Chezzetcook 171

Afterword 176

Acknowledgements 176

Bibliography 179

Image Credits 183