Sherbrooke Village, Nova Scotia July 15, 2019

It is our last full day in Nova Scotia, and it looks to be a lovely day at that. We decided it was too far to head to Cape Bretton this trip, gives us a reason to return to this wonderful area again, so we got into the car and decided to head to Sherbrooke Village. 

 On the way, we passed by a group getting ready for the weekend regatta. 

 I know some people are opposed to them, but I personally love the look of wind turbines. We found them along the highway. 

 We saw this train and clock and had to stop for a photo op. 

We finally arrived in Sherbrooke Village. Sherbrooke Village is Nova Scotia’s largest Provincial Museum.  Sherbrooke Village depicts a Nova Scotian village from 1860 to pre-WW1. The village contains 80 buildings, over 25 open to the public.  One of the homes in the village is still under private ownership. 

In the 1860s, timber tall ships and gold ruled life along the St. Mary’s River, turning the community of Sherbrooke into a prosperous boom town. Today, the picturesque village still stands proud, just as it did more than 100 years ago.

At Sherbrooke Village, you travel back in time as Nova Scotia’s 19th century heritage is brought to life by costumed interpreters, including blacksmiths, potters, weavers, wood turners and printers. What makes this place a bit different from other living museums I have been to is that you can rent costumes here and dress up for the day and “Step Into 1867” and become a part of the Village story.  We did not do that, but other visitors that were there that day did. 

(click to be taken to a larger view)

 We decided to start our tour with a bite to eat at the hotel and restaurant. 

The food was reasonably priced and good. 

The Blacksmith Shop was undergoing renovations, so we were not allowed in, but they did come out and chat with us. They also gave us a demonstration on how to ride a bicycle. 

The Post Office and St. Mary's Printery

We are now inside the Sherbrooke Drug Store.

They make and sell their own rose water hand lotion here. 

Here we are at the town jail. The Sherbrooke Jail was built in 1862 and was used for 100 years.  The jailer and his family lived in the house as well as those who were put in jail. The men were housed downstairs in rooms with bars on them, and the women were placed in nicer rooms upstairs. If there were women in custody, it was usually because they were serving their husband's sentences so they could go and work the farms. 

                                          a men's cell

 a woman's cell

 the family sewing room

The Temperance Hall was built in 1892. Following the decline of the Temperance movement, the building was used as an elementary school from 1905 to 1953, after which it became the Legion Hall and
is still used by the Canadian Legion for meetings. It’s interesting to note that this is one of the few “dry” legions in Canada. 

The Tailor Shop has been restored to around 1900. 

 We are now at Renova Cottage, built around 1850, the home of the town doctor. 

         

The Telephone Exchange is headquarters for the turn-of-the-century telephone system used within the Village.

Greenwood Cottage is one of the homes that reflects how the wealthy of the times would have lived. 

St. James Presbyterian Church was
constructed in 1854-55.

 

The Schoolhouse was built in 1867 using plans issued in a report by the provincial Superintendent of Education. One room has been restored to represent the period.

As you can see, it is about to storm. Luckily, we are just about finished with our tour, nothing left but the gift shop!

For those who love history, here is your history lesson: The town of Sherbrooke owes its existence to the nearby St. Mary’s River, one of Nova Scotia’s longest and most powerful rivers. When French explorer Samuel de Champlain discovered the river in the early 1600s, he named it Rivère Isle Verte because of the green island at its mouth. Years later, a French trader by the name of La Giraudiere assumed settling rights to the area and renamed the river Sainte Marie – St. Mary’s River. La Giraudiere would build his settlement on a point of land where the river became impassable for ships – the same site that would eventually become the town of Sherbrooke.

At this time, Nova Scotia was a battleground between the French and English empires, with lands changing hands by both force and treaty. In 1669, an English expedition overtook La Giraudiere’s fortified settlement, burning it to the ground and establishing an English fort in its place. By 1815, a burgeoning settlement had sprung up along the river and the English named it Sherbrooke, in honour of Sir John Coape Sherbrooke, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia at the time.
Through farming, fishing and lumber mills, the village flourished and became a trading port for goods that were shipped to British and West Indian markets. Then, in 1861, gold was discovered nearby and Sherbrooke’s fortunes flushed with gold fever. For two decades, the town swelled with those looking to make their fortune, and Sherbrooke entered what would quite literally be its golden years.
By the time the rush was over, the Age of Sail was drawing to a close and Sherbrooke’s lumber mills began to fall silent. Throughout the 20th century, Sherbrooke’s economy became even more closely tied to the St. Mary’s River, drawing anglers from far and wide as they sought to land a record-breaking salmon.
Today, the town’s golden age might be long past but it is certainly not forgotten. Historic Sherbrooke Village – carefully preserved homes and businesses from the mid-19th century that are now a village-sized part of the Nova Scotia Museum – gives visitors from around the world the opportunity to experience life during the town’s heyday and literally walk through a vibrant time in the province’s history.