Ben's Holsum Fresh 100% Whole Wheat Bread
The bread preferred by Raccoons
throughout Nova Scotia!

Just as we arrived at Shelburne we stopped at the Shelburne mall and went to Sobes for a few items. Then made sandwiches on the waterfront.

Shelburne is nestled on the third finest natural harbor in the world and was once the fourth largest community in North America when, in 1783 about 3000 United Empire Loyalists arrived in ships from New York City and the population quickly grew to more than 10,000. As a result of this migration, nearby Birchtown became the first free black settlement in Canada.
The United Empire Loyalists, who maintained allegiance to the British Crown during the American Revolution, created an instant boom town in the wilderness. The population, which had grown so quickly, then decreased within twenty years to a few hundreds as the Loyalists moved to other destinations.

The Coopers Shop

Shelburne Waterfront Walk

The buildings along the waterfront have been restored to the appearance of the late 1700s-1800s. There are three museums which give insight to the history of the town once named Roseway.

The Coopers Inn

The Shelburne County Museum tells the story how the town grew from a port-in-a-storm, then to being flooded by British Loyalist fleeing the Colonies, to becoming a shipbuilding town.

Downstairs there were some local items of interest.

Working toy sewing machine

Newsham Fire Pumper
Built 1740 by Richard Newsham, London
The oldest fire pumper in Canada

Employee time clock

Fireman's gear

One section displayed ...

Upstairs were displays on shipbuilding and local life.

Shipbuilders Name Plate Templates

Half-hull models were made by ship designers
and used as blueprints in the building of the ship

Ships Log
Towed behind the ship the
spinning log would show the speed.

Mi'kamiq Artifacts

Mi'kamiq baskets and cradle

Fashion for a Lady of Means

Fashion for the Common Lady

The Ross-Thompson House and Store was not a store as we use the term, but more of a warehouse for bulk items. In those days you would go to a “shoppe” for everyday purchases. By 1784 Loyalists on the run from the American Revolution had swelled Shelburne's small population grew to twice as many as Halifax, and more than Montreal or Quebec.
Today the Ross-Thomson House, the only original store building remaining in Shelburne, is restored as it was in the 1820s.

The new settlers included George and Robert Ross, sons of a Scottish merchant, who opened a store on Charlotte Lane, adjoining their house.
They traded Shelburne's pine boards, codfish and pickled herring in foreign ports for salt, tobacco, molasses and dry goods which they then sold to the new settlers. The store eventually closed in the 1880s. In addition to the store the Ross' owned three schooners to import and export goods.

Candle Safe. Candles were made of animal fat.
The safe would keep the rats from eating them

The original 1700s lock.
It still functions and has only one key.

Incents burner from the 12th Century

Ladies of means wore the latest fashions

One or the Ross brothers felt education
was important and held classes in an upstairs room

Costumes for living history events

The J. C. Williams Dory Shop

For almost one hundred years the dory was one of the most important small boats in the Atlantic Provinces and parts of New England.

When John Williams' dory shop was established in 1880, it was part of a dory-building industry which, at its peak, included at least seven shops along the Shelburne waterfront. During the early part of this century the Williams Shop employed five to seven men and produced 350 dories per year.
Most of these dories were sold to Nova Scotian and American fishing captains who called at Shelburne to outfit their schooners before sailing to the offshore fishing grounds.

Sydney Mahaney built dories here for over 70 years he estimates he has built over 2,000 of them. He started building dories at age 17 and continued to build dories until he passed away at the age of 96.

Three-in-one
Circular Saw, Band Saw and Jointer

Milford Buchanan

Milford Buchanan, who possesses an official Wooden Boat Building Certificate is also a Master Dory Builder. He still is building dories in the Dory Shop.