Accommodations Nova Scotia
Your Guide To Accommodations In Nova Scotia
Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
Annapolis Royal is Canada's birthplace. Two years before the
first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, three
years before the founding of Quebec, and fifteen years before the
Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, a small party of French
explorers established Port Royal. The year was 1605. Samuel de
Champlain and Sieur de Monts built the Habitation to house their
company and so began the 385 year history of Annapolis Royal. This
creative group formed America's first social club, "The Order of
Good Cheer". For its entertainment, Marc Lescarbot, a young Parisian
lawyer, wrote and produced the first drama in North America, "The
Theatre of Neptune". About his experiences in Port Royal, he wrote
one of the first travel books. In 1607, the settlers built the first
water powered grist mills in North America.
Unfortunately, this peaceful beginnings was followed by the 150 year
struggle between the French and English for control of the
continent. In the 1630's the French constructed the original
earthworks at what is now Fort Anne. In 1710 Port Royal was captured
by the British and renamed Annapolis Royal to honour Queen Anne. The
Officers Quarters were reconstructed in 1935 on the site of a
structure originally built by the French. In 1917 the fort became
Canada's first National Historic Park.
As the seat of government in Nova Scotia for part of both the French
and British regimes, Annapolis Royal holds an important place in
Canada's early history. Its enviable location at the sheltered
meeting of valley and bay made it a center of commerce and shipping
for many years.
Today it has become the quietly dignified home of
approximately 600 people who know the value of a great and lasting
community - and the home of one more first - North America's first
tidal power generating station.