Hall's Harbour, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Hall's Harbour is a fishing
community in the Canadian
province of Nova Scotia
, located in Kings County
on the North Mountain
along the shore of the Bay of Fundy
.
in the American Revolution
who used the cove to raid settlements in the Annapolis Valley
but was forced to flee and abandon his ship in the harbour by pursuing militia in 1779. Various legends grew up about the privateer raid, attracting treasure hunters who are said to have left abandoned pits deep in the woods surrounding the harbour. The harbour was first settled in 1826 by the Bucknam and Parker families who crossed the Bay from New Brunswick
. A lumber mill soon went into operation, followed by a store established in 1830 by the Whitney family. A school was started in 1831. The first wharf was built in 1836 and the community quickly grew around the sheltered tidal harbour which served to export timber and agricultural products from the Annapolis Valley. Farms developed along the road the Valley which became an associated community of East Halls Harbour.
A shipyard produced many schooners and some square rigged vessels, the largest being the barque
Jenny Bertaux, built in 1864. A notable early resident was Ramsford Buckman a local mariner whose 19th century career took him all over the world including a post as an admiral in the Turkish Navy
.
Growth of the village slowed in the 1870s as the depletion of timber reserves ended the lumber trade and the arrival in 1869 of the Windsor and Annapolis Railway
in the Annapolis Valley and drew away agricultural shipments. Shipbuilding declined with the lack of timber and introduction of steamships although there was a brief revival in World War I. The harbour continued as an inshore fishing port and small coastal shipping centre for coastal schooners and small steamers. The Canadian federal government took over operation of the wharves in the early 1900s and built a lighthouse on a small breakwater at the eastern harbour entrance in 1911. The larger western breakwater was extended in 1920 and heavily damaged by a storm in 1962. After World War II, coastal shipping ceased but the picturesque harbour drew many local cottagers and became a favoured place to view the dramatic change of the Bay of Fundy tides.
and scallop
boats operating from the wharves in addition to a large lobster pound. The Harbour Authority of Halls Harbour took control of the harbour from the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans in 1996. The West Breakwater, severely damaged by a storm in 1997 was rebuilt in stages and completed in 2003. The other main industry is tourism
. A seafood restaurant and souvenir shop was built with the lobster pound in the 1990s. The community has developed walking trails and small museum. A seasonal store operates beside the wharf. In summer, floating wharves provide mooring for recreational vessels, many of which are owned by summer residents who seasonally swell the village population. Several bed and breakfast
operations cater to tourists and the village is home to several artist studios including David Lacey and the noted marine artist, printmaker and boatbuilder John Neville.
File:Halls Harbour low tide.JPG|Low tide detail
File:Halls Harbour fishing boat.JPG|Fishing boat
File:Halls Harbour low tide view.JPG|Low tide view
File:Halls Harbour Coast.JPG|Hall's Harbour coast
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
community in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, located in Kings County
Kings County, Nova Scotia
Kings County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Kings County is located in central Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bay of Fundy with its northeastern part also forming the western shore of the Minas Basin....
on the North Mountain
North Mountain (Nova Scotia)
North Mountain is a narrow southwest-northeast trending volcanic mountain range on the mainland portion of southwestern Nova Scotia, stretching from Brier Island to Cape Split...
along the shore of the Bay of Fundy
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
.
History
Hall's Harbour is believed to be named after Samuel Hall, an American privateerPrivateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
who used the cove to raid settlements in the Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
but was forced to flee and abandon his ship in the harbour by pursuing militia in 1779. Various legends grew up about the privateer raid, attracting treasure hunters who are said to have left abandoned pits deep in the woods surrounding the harbour. The harbour was first settled in 1826 by the Bucknam and Parker families who crossed the Bay from New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. A lumber mill soon went into operation, followed by a store established in 1830 by the Whitney family. A school was started in 1831. The first wharf was built in 1836 and the community quickly grew around the sheltered tidal harbour which served to export timber and agricultural products from the Annapolis Valley. Farms developed along the road the Valley which became an associated community of East Halls Harbour.
A shipyard produced many schooners and some square rigged vessels, the largest being the barque
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
Jenny Bertaux, built in 1864. A notable early resident was Ramsford Buckman a local mariner whose 19th century career took him all over the world including a post as an admiral in the Turkish Navy
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
.
Growth of the village slowed in the 1870s as the depletion of timber reserves ended the lumber trade and the arrival in 1869 of the Windsor and Annapolis Railway
Windsor and Annapolis Railway
The Windsor and Annapolis Railway was a historic Canadian railway that operated in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.The railway ran from Windsor to Annapolis Royal and leased connections to Nova Scotia's capital of Halifax...
in the Annapolis Valley and drew away agricultural shipments. Shipbuilding declined with the lack of timber and introduction of steamships although there was a brief revival in World War I. The harbour continued as an inshore fishing port and small coastal shipping centre for coastal schooners and small steamers. The Canadian federal government took over operation of the wharves in the early 1900s and built a lighthouse on a small breakwater at the eastern harbour entrance in 1911. The larger western breakwater was extended in 1920 and heavily damaged by a storm in 1962. After World War II, coastal shipping ceased but the picturesque harbour drew many local cottagers and became a favoured place to view the dramatic change of the Bay of Fundy tides.
Economy
Fishing remains the main year round industry with several commercial lobsterLobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
and scallop
Scallop
A scallop is a marine bivalve mollusk of the family Pectinidae. Scallops are a cosmopolitan family, found in all of the world's oceans. Many scallops are highly prized as a food source...
boats operating from the wharves in addition to a large lobster pound. The Harbour Authority of Halls Harbour took control of the harbour from the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans in 1996. The West Breakwater, severely damaged by a storm in 1997 was rebuilt in stages and completed in 2003. The other main industry is tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. A seafood restaurant and souvenir shop was built with the lobster pound in the 1990s. The community has developed walking trails and small museum. A seasonal store operates beside the wharf. In summer, floating wharves provide mooring for recreational vessels, many of which are owned by summer residents who seasonally swell the village population. Several bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
operations cater to tourists and the village is home to several artist studios including David Lacey and the noted marine artist, printmaker and boatbuilder John Neville.
Communications
- The postal CodePostal codeA postal code is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a postal address for the purpose of sorting mail. Once postal codes were introduced, other applications became possible.In February 2005, 117 of the 190 member countries of the Universal Postal Union had postal code systems...
is B0P 1J0. - The Telephone exchangeTelephone exchangeIn the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
is 902Area code 902Area code 902 is the telephone area code in the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, encompassing both provinces. The 902 area code was established in 1947 for all three Maritime provinces, with Newfoundland added shortly after it joined Canada; New Brunswick, along with...
679. - A CAP SiteCommunity Access ProgramThe Community Access Program is an initiative of the Government of Canada which aims to provide Canadians with affordable public access to the Internet and the skills they need to use it effectively. The program is administered by Industry Canada as part of their youth initiative.-History of...
in East Halls Harbour provides computer access and training.
External links
- Hall's Harbour official website
- "Halls Harbour" Land Use Map, Kings County Municipality
- Live Webcam installed August 2009, located in Hall's Harbour
Gallery
File:Halls Harbour low tide.JPG|Low tide detail
File:Halls Harbour fishing boat.JPG|Fishing boat
File:Halls Harbour low tide view.JPG|Low tide view
File:Halls Harbour Coast.JPG|Hall's Harbour coast