Annapolis Royal is a town in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, Canada. The community, known as
Port Royal before 1710,
is recognised as having one of the longest histories in North America, preceding the settlements at
Plymouth
Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
,
Jamestown and
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
. For nearly 150 years, it served as the capital of
Acadia
Acadia (; ) was a colony of New France in northeastern North America which included parts of what are now the The Maritimes, Maritime provinces, the Gaspé Peninsula and Maine to the Kennebec River. The population of Acadia included the various ...
and subsequently Nova Scotia until the establishment of
Halifax in 1749.
In 1605,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
established a settlement on the
Annapolis Basin, centred on the
habitation at Port Royal. By 1629,
British colonization of the Americas
The British colonization of the Americas is the history of establishment of control, settlement, and colonization of the continents of the Americas by Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, and, after 1707, Kingdom of Grea ...
renewed the settlement, this time centred around
Charles Fort
Charles Hoy Fort (August 6, 1874 – May 3, 1932) was an American writer and researcher who specialized in anomalous phenomena. The terms "Fortean" and "Forteana" are sometimes used to characterize various such phenomena. Fort's books sold w ...
, which is the site of the modern town.
The settlement of Port Royal passed several times between France, England and Great Britain until it was finally ceded to Great Britain in
1713
Events
January–March
* January 17 – Tuscarora War: Colonel James Moore leads the Carolina militia out of Albemarle County, North Carolina, in a second offensive against the Tuscarora. Heavy snows force the troops to take ...
. Due to its location on the boundary between the colonial powers of France and Great Britain, it encountered a grand total of thirteen assaults, surpassing all other locations in North America.
In 1994, the
historic heart of Annapolis Royal, having been the site of critical moments in North America's development, was officially named a
National Historic Site of Canada
National Historic Sites of Canada () are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being of national historic significance. Parks C ...
. The historic district is part of a rich heritage landscape that includes 10 National Historic Sites, 6 provincially recognized Nova Scotia Heritage Properties, and over 100 Municipal Heritage Properties in and around Annapolis Royal. The town resides within the working landscape of the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
designated,
Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve.
Formerly centred around military affairs and shipping, the town's primary economic focus has shifted to tourism.
Toponymy
"Port Royal" originally referred to the Annapolis Basin and was named by cartographer
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain (; 13 August 1574#Fichier]For a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see #Ritch, RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December ...
in 1604, writing, "we entered a harbour which is two leagues in length and one in breadth, which I have named Port Royal."
The French settlement on the Annapolis Basin was named "Annapolis Royal" in honour of
Anne, Queen of Great Britain, Queen Anne following the
siege of Port Royal in 1710 by Great Britain.
History
Early history
The confluence of the Annapolis River and Allains Creek, the site of the modern town, was named Nme'juaqnek meaning "the place of bountiful fish" by the
Mi'kmaq
The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Mi'kmaw'' or ''Mi'gmaw''; ; , and formerly Micmac) are an Indigenous group of people of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces, primarily Nova Scotia, New Bru ...
, who have lived in the area for thousands of years. A stone point excavated at Fort Anne was dated to two to three thousand years old.
Port Royal
The original French year-round settlement, centred on the habitation at Port-Royal, was established in 1605 by
François Gravé Du Pont,
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain (; 13 August 1574#Fichier]For a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see #Ritch, RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December ...
,
with and for
Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons
Pierre Dugua de Mons (or Du Gua de Monts; – 1628) was a French merchant, explorer and colonizer. A Calvinist, he was born in the Château de Mons, in Royan, Saintonge (southwestern France) and founded the first permanent French settlement ...
. The habitation is approximately west of present-day Annapolis Royal on the Annapolis Basin. It was abandoned after being destroyed by attackers from Virginia in 1613,
but was, significantly, the first year-round European settlement in Canada. It was also likely to have been the site of the introduction of apples to Canada in 1606.
In 1629, Scottish settlers, under the auspices of
Sir William Alexander, established their settlement, known as Charles Fort, at the mouth of the Annapolis River. The settlement was transferred to the French under the terms of the
Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1632 and 47 Scottish settlers, including men, women and children were removed, although some settlers remained. The settlement, under the French, soon became self-sufficient and grew modestly for nearly a century, though it was subject to frequent attacks and capture by English military forces or those of its
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
colonists, only to be restored each time to French control by subsequent recapture or treaty stipulations. Acadia remained in French hands throughout most of the 17th century.
The
seigneury
A seigneur () or lord is an originally feudal system, feudal title in Ancien Régime, France before the French Revolution, Revolution, in New France and British North America until 1854, and in the Channel Islands to this day. The seigneur owne ...
of Port Royal was granted to
Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt in 1604, although it was not exercised until 1605. This semi-feudal status of Port Royal and Annapolis Royal was in effect until 1733, but
Seigneur
A seigneur () or lord is an originally feudal title in France before the Revolution, in New France and British North America until 1854, and in the Channel Islands to this day. The seigneur owned a seigneurie, seigneury, or lordship—a form of ...
esse Marie de Saint-Étienne de La Tour probably maintained the social status until her death in 1739. In 1733, Alexandre Le Borgne (1679-1744), the eldest surviving son of Seigneuresse Marie, petitoned to have the Seigenury restored to him, but was refused.
Creation of Annapolis Royal
In 1710, Port Royal was captured a final time from the French at the
siege of Port Royal during
Queen Anne's War, marking the British conquest of peninsular Nova Scotia.
Queen Anne's War was the North American theatre the larger
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...
(1701–1714), fought between France and the
Grand Alliance. The British named the town Annapolis Royal and
Fort Anne after Queen Anne (1665–1714), the reigning monarch.
Previously, under the French, the Annapolis River had been known as "Rivière Dauphin".
Siege of Annapolis Royal (1711)
After success in the local
Battle of Bloody Creek, 600 Acadians and native warriors attempted to retake the Acadian capital. Under the leadership of
Bernard-Anselme d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin they descended on Annapolis Royal and laid siege to Fort Anne. The garrison had fewer than 200 men, but the attackers had no artillery and were thus unable to make an impression on the fort.
They eventually dispersed, and Annapolis Royal remained in British hands for the remainder of Queen Anne's War.
Under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, Acadia was formally granted to Great Britain;
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 in Acadia and in North America more generally. The indigenous Mi'kmaq were not a party to the treaty.
Father Rale's War
Father Rale's War (1722–1725) was a series of battles between the New England Colonies and the
Wabanaki Confederacy
The Wabanaki Confederacy (''Wabenaki, Wobanaki'', translated to "People of the Dawn" or "Easterner"; also: Wabanakia, "Dawnland") is a North American First Nations and Native American confederation of five principal Eastern Algonquian nations ...
, including the
Mi'kmaq
The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Mi'kmaw'' or ''Mi'gmaw''; ; , and formerly Micmac) are an Indigenous group of people of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces, primarily Nova Scotia, New Bru ...
, who were allied with France.
Blockade of Annapolis Royal (1722)
During
Father Rale's War, in July 1722 the
Abenaki
The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pred ...
and Miꞌkmaq attempted to create a blockade of Annapolis Royal, with the intent of starving the capital.
The natives captured 18 fishing vessels and prisoners from present-day Yarmouth to Canso. They also seized prisoners and vessels from the Bay of Fundy.
In response to the New England attack on Father Rale at Norridgewock in March 1722, 165 Mi'kmaq and Maliseet troops gathered at Minas to lay siege to the Lt. Governor of Nova Scotia at Annapolis Royal.
Under potential siege, in May 1722, Lieutenant Governor
John Doucett took 22 Mi'kmaq hostage at Annapolis Royal to prevent the capital from being attacked.
Massachusetts Governor
Samuel Shute declared war on the Abenaki.
New Englanders retrieved some of the vessels and prisoners after the
Battle at Winnepang in which thirty-five natives and five New-Englanders were killed. Other vessels and prisoners were retrieved at Malagash Harbour after a ransom was paid.
Raid on Annapolis Royal (1724)
A key event of Father Rale's War was in early July 1724 when a group of sixty Mi'kmaq and Maliseets raided Annapolis Royal. They killed and scalped a sergeant and a private, wounded four more soldiers, and terrorized the village. They also burned houses and took prisoners.
The British responded on July 8 by executing one of the Mi'kmaq hostages on the same spot the sergeant was killed. They also burned three Acadian houses in retaliation.
As a result of the raid, three blockhouses were built to protect the town. The Acadian church was moved closer to the fort so that it could be more easily monitored.
King George's War
During
King George's War
King George's War (1744–1748) is the name given to the military operations in North America that formed part of the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748). It was the third of the four French and Indian Wars. It took place primarily in ...
there were four attempts by the French, Acadians and Mi'kmaq to retake the capital of Acadia.
King George's War was the North American theatre of the
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession was a European conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italian Peninsula, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Related conflicts include King Ge ...
(1740–1748), predominantly fought between France and the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
, with whom Great Britain was allied.
Siege of Annapolis Royal (July 1744)
Jean-Louis Le Loutre, the
Vicar General
A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop or archbishop of a diocese or an archdiocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vica ...
for Acadia, gathered 300 Mi'kmaq warriors together, and they began their assault on Annapolis Royal on 12 July 1744. This was the largest gathering of Mi'kmaq warriors till then to take arms against the British. The Mi'kmaq outnumbered the New Englanders regulars by three to one. Two New England regulars were captured and scalped.
The assault lasted for four days, when the fort was rescued on 16 July by seventy New England soldiers arriving on board the ship Prince of Orange.
Siege of Annapolis Royal (September 1744)
After spending the summer trying to recruit the assistance of Acadians,
François Dupont Duvivier, officer of the French colonial troupes de la marine, attacked Annapolis Royal on 8 September 1744. His force of 200 was up against 250 soldiers at the fort. The siege raged on for a week, and then Duvivier demanded the surrender of the fort. Both sides awaited reinforcements by sea. The fighting continued for a week and then two ships did arrive – from Boston, not Louisbourg. On board the ship was New England Ranger
John Gorham and 70 natives. Duvivier retreated.
1745 Siege of Annapolis Royal
In May 1745,
Paul Marin de la Malgue led 200 troops, together with hundreds of Mi'kmaq in another siege against Annapolis Royal. This force was twice the size of Duvivier's expedition. During this siege the English destroyed their own officers' fences, houses, and buildings that the attackers might be able to use.
The siege ended quickly when Marin was recalled to assist with defending the French during the
siege of Louisbourg in 1745.
During the 1745 siege, the Mi'kmaq and Maliseet took prisoner
William Pote and some of Gorham's (Mohawk) Rangers. During his captivity, Pote wrote one of the most important
captivity narratives from Acadia and Nova Scotia. While at Cobequid, Pote reported that an Acadian had remarked that the French soldiers should have "left their
he Englishcarcasses behind and brought their skins." The following year, among other places, Pote was taken to the Maliseet village
Aukpaque on the Saint John River. While at the village, Mi'kmaq from Nova Scotia arrived and, on July 6, 1745, tortured him together with a Mohawk ranger from Gorham's company named Jacob, as retribution for the killing of their family members by Gorham.
On July 10, Pote witnessed another act of revenge when the Mi'kmaq tortured a Mohawk ranger from Gorham's company at
Meductic.
1746 siege of Annapolis Royal
Led by Ramesay, the French land forces laid siege to Annapolis Royal for twenty-three days, awaiting naval reinforcements. They never received the assistance they required from the Duc d'Anville Expedition and were forced to retreat.
Seven Years' War
The
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
(1756–1763), which was related to the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
, was primarily fought between France and Great Britain, in addition to their various allies.
1755 Deportation of the Acadians
During the
expulsion of the Acadians, on December 8, 1755, 32 Acadian families, a total of 225, were deported from Annapolis Royal on the British ship Pembroke. The ship was headed for North Carolina. During the voyage, the Acadians took over the vessel. On 8 February 1756, the Acadians sailed up the Saint-John River as far as they could. They there disembarked and burned their ship. A group of Maliseet met them and directed them up stream, where they joined an expanding Acadian community. The Maliseet took them to one of
Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot's refugee camps for the fleeing Acadians, which was at
Beaubears Island.
In December 1757, while cutting firewood near Fort Anne, John Weatherspoon was captured by Indians, presumably Mi'kmaq, and carried away to the mouth of the Miramichi River. From there he was eventually sold or traded to the French and taken to Quebec, where he was held until late in
1759.
American Revolutionary War
Although invited to take part in the revolution by the
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...
, Nova Scotia remained largely loyal to Great Britain.
During the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
(1775–1783), the
84th 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. He destroyed the privateer vessel, which had mounted ten carriage-guns.
However, in June 1780 the 84th Regiment was transferred to the Carolinas, leaving the town vulnerable to attack. The next year, on August 29, 1781, two large American privateer schooners
attacked 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.
Loyalists

After the American Revolution, more than 30,000
United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalist (UEL; or simply Loyalist) is an honorific title which was first given by Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, the 1st Lord Dorchester, the governor of Province of Quebec (1763–1791), Quebec and Governor General, governor ...
migrated to the maritimes, many of them arriving in Annapolis Royal. The Loyalist migration severely taxed the resources of the town for a time before many moved to found Loyalist settlements such as nearby
Digby and
Clementsport, while others stayed. Some, such as Anglican minister
Jacob Bailey, remained in Annapolis Royal and became members of the town's elite. Many escaped slaves who fought for the British known as
Black Loyalists
Black Loyalists were people of African descent who sided with Loyalist (American Revolution), Loyalists during the American Revolutionary War. In particular, the term referred to men enslaved by Patriot (American Revolution), Patriots who served ...
were also part of the Loyalist migration, including
Thomas Peters, a member of the
Black Pioneers regiment and an important Black Loyalist leader who first arrived in Annapolis Royal before taking land near Digby. Another notable Black Loyalist was
Rose Fortune who founded a freight business and policed the Annapolis Royal waterfront. The Loyalists who remained in Annapolis Royal brought an injection of professions and capital that strengthened the town as a regional centre beyond its status as a garrison outpost.
19th century
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.
Along with Granville Ferry across the river, however, it was a local centre for
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other Watercraft, floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation th ...
. Among the notable local mariners was
Bessie Hall. Following the replacement of sailing ships by steam in the 1880s, Annapolis Royal served as a coaling station between
Saint John and
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
.
The town had a minor boom in 1869 when the
Windsor 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.
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 the
Dominion Atlantic Railway to
Yarmouth, 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
and it became a small country town whose principal export was apples.
20th century and beyond

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.
The
Annapolis Royal Generating Station was a
tidal power
Tidal power or tidal energy is harnessed by converting energy from tides into useful forms of power, mainly electricity using various methods.
Although not yet widely used, tidal energy has the potential for future electricity generation. T ...
station located on the Annapolis River immediately upstream from the town of Annapolis Royal. The only tidal generating station in North America, it was capable of producing up to 20 MW twice daily with the change in tides. The generating station harnessed the tidal difference created by the large tides in the Annapolis Basin, a sub-basin of the Bay of Fundy. It opened in 1984 but has not produced power since 2019.
The town's burgeoning tourism industry in recent decades has driven significant commercial development. Additionally, the extensive availability of broadband internet has attracted entrepreneurial individuals from across Canada and beyond. In 1984, Annapolis Royal elected the first female black mayor in Canada,
Daurene Lewis.
Demographics
In the
2021 Census of Population conducted by
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...
, Annapolis Royal had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
Geography
Annapolis Royal is situated in a good but shallow harbour
at the western end of the fertile
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a Trough (geology), trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the B ...
, nestled between the North and South mountains which define the valley. The town is on south bank of the
Annapolis River
The Annapolis River () is a Canadian river located in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.
Geography
Measuring 120 kilometres in length, the river flows southwest through the western part of the valley from its source in Caribou Bog (50 m 60 ft...
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 of
Granville Ferry. Allains Creek joins the Annapolis River at the town, defining the western side of the community. The
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy () is a bay between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine. It is an arm of the Gulf of Maine. Its tidal range is the highest in the world.
The bay was ...
, 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.
Climate
Annapolis Royal has a
humid continental climate (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Dfb'') and typically has mild summers, cold winters and is wet all year.
Economy
Tourism

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. 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 the
Garrison 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. 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, the
Annapolis County Court House, the site of Charles Fort, the
de Gannes-Cosby House and the
Sinclair Inn.
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.
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.
Other
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. 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.
This enduring tradition underscores the market's significance as a longstanding cultural and commercial hub within the region.
The extensive Annapolis Basin Conference Centre, and an adjoining small businesses park, are located near the town. They occupy the former site of
CFB Cornwallis
Canadian Forces Base Cornwallis (also CFB Cornwallis) is a former Canadian Forces Base located in Deep Brook, Nova Scotia, Deep Brook, Nova Scotia.
It is situated in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, Annapolis County on the sou ...
, 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.
Historic sites and museums
Annapolis Royal is home to numerous historic sites, both within the town and in the surrounding area
* The Port-Royal National Historic Site is the location of the 1605 habitation and is also the location of a 20th-century reconstruction. It was the first National Historic Site to have a replica structure built.
* Fort Anne, which was also known as Charles Fort when first built in 1629, is Canada's oldest extant fort and its first National Historic Site. A seasonal museum operates on the site giving a history of the fort and the area.
* Although Charles Fort no longer exists above ground, a commemorative plaque indicates the site of the 1629 Scottish fort.
* The Historic District of Annapolis Royal is Canada's largest historic district containing 135 heritage properties spanning the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries.
* At 404 km
2 (156 sq mi) in size,
Kejimkujik National Park is also a National Historic Site. It is a core part of the UNESCO designated Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve. It is also designated a
dark-sky preserve
A dark-sky preserve (DSP) is an area, usually surrounding a park or observatory, that restricts or reduces light pollution or maintains and protects naturally dark night skies. Different terms have been used to describe these areas as national or ...
by the
International Dark Sky Association.
* The De Gannes-Cosby House National Historic Site dates from 1708 and is recognised as the oldest wood-framed building in Canada and the world's oldest building in the Acadian style. The house is a private residence and not open to the public.
* The Annapolis County Court House National Historic Site, built in 1837, is one of the oldest courthouses in Canada that is still in use.
* The
Melanson Settlement, located on the north shore of the Annapolis Basin, is a former Acadian settlement prior to deportation. It is an open archeological site with walking paths.
* The Bloody Creek National Historic Site is the location of both the Battles of Bloody Creek in
1711 and
1757
Events
January–March
* January 2 – Seven Years' War: The British East India Company Army, under the command of Robert Clive, captures Calcutta, India.
* January 5 – Robert-François Damiens makes an unsuccessful assa ...
.
* The Sinclair Inn National Historic Site is an Acadian building and seasonal museum. The focus of the museum is on the unique architecture of the building.
* The
O'Dell House Museum is a seasonal community museum. The house presents a collection of mainly 19th-century items related to the history of Annapolis Royal and the surrounding area.
* The
North Hills Museum, located in Granville Ferry, is a seasonal museum and one of the oldest buildings in Canada. The museum presents a collection of furniture, ceramics, glasses, silverware and paintings.
Arts and culture
The town is known for a thriving music, theatre, art and culture scene. In 2014, it was listed by
MacLean's magazine as "10 Places You've Got to See." The Annapolis Basin and Annapolis Royal are perhaps the location of some of the first theatrical productions in Canada with the ''
Théâtre de Neptune'', written by
Marc Lescarbot (c. 1570–1641), performed in the harbour outside the Port Royal habitation on November 14, 1606. In 1743,
Paul Mascarene, the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, translated Molière's ''
La Misanthrope'' and staged productions that winter in Annapolis Royal.
Annapolis Royal hosts a lively contemporary art scene, with ARTsPLACE, managed by the Annapolis Region Community Arts Council, as its main art collective.
The town has a long-time
town crier, who works closely with the mayor and town council on public events. 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.
These venues host live performances by both local and international groups.
Each year,
Natal Day
Natal Day is a non-statutory holiday in Nova Scotia, Canada, celebrated on the first Monday in August. It coincides with other Civic Holidays across Canada.
History
Natal Day was originally celebrated on June 21, to commemorate the establishmen ...
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 reenactment
Historical reenactment (or re-enactment) is an educational entertainment, educational or entertainment activity in which mainly amateur hobbyists and history enthusiasts dress in historical uniforms and follow a plan to recreate aspects of a histor ...
s and
pipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums, used by military pipe bands is also common.
The most common form of pipe band consists of a section of pipers playing the Great Highland bagpipe, ...
s, culminating in a parade on the final day.
Education
Annapolis Royal is within the
Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education. Champlain Elementary School, in nearby
Granville Ferry, services students from kindergarten to grade 5; while middle and high school students attend the
Annapolis West Education Centre.
Sister cities
Annapolis Royal has two
sister cities
A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there ar ...
:
*
Royan
Royan (; in the Saintongeais dialect; ) is a commune and town in the south-west of France, in the Departments of France, department of Charente-Maritime in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Capital of the Côte de Beauté, Royan is one of the mai ...
, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
*
Annapolis
Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
, Maryland, USA
Notable people
*
Chief Henri Membertou (1507–1611),
National Historic Person and Grand Chief of the Mi'kmaq
*
Charles de Menou d'Aulnay (1604–1650), National Historic Person and Governor of Acadia
*
Samuel Vetch (1668–1732), National Historic Person and Royal Governor of Nova Scotia
*
Noel Doiron (1684–1758), a notable Acadian leader
*
Paul Mascarene (1684–1760), National Historic Person and Royal Governor of Nova Scotia
*
Joseph Broussard
Joseph Broussard (1702–1765), also known as Beausoleil (), was a leader of the Acadians, Acadian people in Acadia; later Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. Broussard organized Military history of the Mi’kmaq people, Mi'kma ...
(1702–1765), also known as "Beausoleil", a notable Acadian leader
*
Erasmus James Philipps (1705–1760), member of the Nova Scotia Council
*
John Bradstreet
Major General John Bradstreet, born Jean-Baptiste Bradstreet (21 December 1714 – 25 September 1774) was a British Army officer during King George's War, the French and Indian War, and Pontiac's War. He was born in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia ...
(1714–1774), British army officer
*
Admiral Philipps Cosby (1729–1808), National Historic Person and Officer of Royal Navy
*
Thomas Peters (1738–1792), founding father of Sierra Leone
*
Admiral William Wolseley (1756 – 1842), National Historic Person and Officer of Royal Navy
*
Sir William Winniett (1793–1850), abolitionist, Governor of the
Gold Coast
*
Sir Fenwick Williams (1800–1883), military leader and first
Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
The lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia () is the representative in Nova Scotia of the monarch, who Monarchy in Nova Scotia, operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the Canadian federalism, ten other jurisdictions of ...
born in the province
*
John William Ritchie
John William Ritchie (March 26, 1808 – December 13 or 18, 1890) was a Canadian lawyer and politician from Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia who is one of the Fathers of Confederation.
Appointed to the Nova Scotia legislative council as Solicitor Ge ...
(1808–1890), Father of Confederation
*
Sir William Johnstone Ritchie (1813–1892), second Chief Justice of Canada
*
Robert Knox Sneden (1832–1918), American civil war veteran, landscape painter and map-maker
Eponym
Minor planet
516560 Annapolisroyal was named in honour of the town by
David D. Balam. The official was published by the
Minor Planet Center
The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
Funct ...
on 25 September 2018 ().
See also
*
List of municipalities in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is the Population of Canada by province and territory, seventh-most populous provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada with 969,383 residents as of the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 Census of Population, and the List of Can ...
*
Royal eponyms in Canada
In Canada, a number of sites and structures are named for royal individuals, whether a member of the past French royal family, British royal family, or present Canadian royal family thus reflecting the country's status as a constitutional mona ...
Notes
References
Further reading
* Dunn, Brenda. ''A History of Port-Royal / Annapolis Royal: 1605-1800''. Nimbus Publishing. 2004.
* Grenon, Jean-Yves. ''Pierre Dugua de Mons: Fondateur de l'Acadie (1604-5), Co-Fondateur de Québec (1608); Pierre Dugua de Mons: Founder of Acadie (1604-5), Co-Founder of Québec (1608)'' (English translation by Phil Roberts). Annapolis Royal: Peninsular Press, 2000.
* Moody, Barry. ''A History of Annapolis Royal, A Town with a Memory Volume 2: 1749-2005''. Nimbus Publishing. 2014
* Reid, John, Maurice Basque, Elizabeth Mancke, Barry Moody, Geoffrey Plank, and William Wicken. ''The 'Conquest' of Acadia, 1710: Imperial, Colonial, and Aboriginal Constructions.'' 2004.
External links
Town of Annapolis Royal websiteAnnapolis Heritage Society
{{Authority control
Communities in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia
Towns in Nova Scotia
Acadian history
Populated coastal places in Canada
Conflicts in Nova Scotia
History of Nova Scotia by location
Mi'kmaq in Canada
European colonization of North America