Annapolis Royal

Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Bird's Eye view of Annapolis Royal & Granville Nova Scotia 1878, showing the town in its golden years as railway terminus with the Annapolis Royal Station, wharf, railyard and enginehouse

• Subdivision Kentville, Mile 58.4, Elevation 30'
• Subdivision Yarmouth, Mile 0, Elevation 30'
• Next Station East: Round Hill
• Next Station West: Upper Clements

Facilities & Features

• Annapolis Royal Station D.A.R.scheduled stop from 1894 to 1990
• Annapolis Royal Enginehouse
• Annapolis Royal Water Tower
• Annapolis Royal Freight Shed
• Annapolis Royal Railyard
• Annapolis Royal Railway Wharf
• Annapolis Royal Bridge
• St. George Street Overpass
• Passing track 1167' long (1969).
• Wye at this point (1969).

Commerce & Industry

• Annapolis Royal Texaco Bulk Plant
• Annapolis Royal Esso Bulk Plant

Description & History

Originally known as Port Royal, the port served as the capital of Acadia until captured by the British in 1710 and renamed Annapolis Royal. The capital of Nova Scotia was shifted to Halifax in 1749 leaving Annapolis Royal as a garrison town and shipping point for western Nova Scotia. Wooden shipbuilding grew in the 1850s. The arrival of regional steamships in the 1860s made the town an important steamship connection point and coaling station between Saint John and Boston. The town boomed in 1869 when it became the terminus of the Windsor and Annapolis Railway. The railway built extensive terminal facilities at Annapolis Royal centred around a large railway wharf. The railway stimulated several factories and population grew to over 1,500 in the 1870s. Annapolis Royal incorporated as a town in 1893. However, with the completion of the railway to Digby in 1893, Annapolis Royal ceased to be a terminus as most traffic bypassed the town. The the new Dominion Atlantic Railway shifted shifted most of the steamship commerce to Digby and Yarmouth where larger steel-hulled vessels required deeper waters. Annapolis Royal became a small country town with some lumber and apple exports, although a growing tourism industry in the 20th century drew on the long and colourful colonial history of the town.

Gallery

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  Annapolis Royal circa 1890s.

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  Annapolis Royal circa 1890s.

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  Annapolis Royal circa 1890s.

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  The W & A wharf at Annapolis Royal, circa 1890.

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  SS Evangeline arriving at Annapolis Royal, circa 1890.

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  Windsor & Annapolis Railway engraving of the Annapolis Royal Wharf, 1893.

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  The Annapolis Royal Station, circa 1890-1900.

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  Postcard published by the DAR of Fort Anne historic site, 1903.

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  Postcard of a westbound passenger train at the Annapolis Royal Station with the Annapolis Royal Bridge in background, taken from the St. George Street Overpass looking west, circa 1910.

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  Postcard of Annapolis Royal and Granville Ferry with the Annapolis Royal Enginehouse, wye, the Acadia Steamship Co. Wharf and the Railway Wharf, 1911.

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  Track Schematic for Annapolis Royal, circa 1918.

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  Transferring passengers and mail from wreck of Train No. 95, at Moschelle, near Annapolis Royal, January 25, 1921.

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  Transferring baggage from wreck of Train No. 95, at Moschelle, near Annapolis Royal, January 25, 1921.

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  Derailment in [Annapolis Royal Railyard]] on May 7, 1922.

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  Derailment in Annapolis Royal Railyard on May 7, 1922.

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  Derailment on May 7, 1922 showing the in the Annapolis Royal Railyard, Freight Shed, the enginehouse, DAR boxcar No. 69938, DAR boxcar 1310 and CPR boxcar 106308.

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  Derailment on May 7, 1922 showing the Annapolis Royal Railyard, Freight Shed, DAR boxcar No. 69950 and DAR wrecking crane.

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  Aerial view of Annapolis Royal with the Annapolis Royal Enginehouse, centre right; the Annapolis Royal Fruit Co. warehouse, centre; the Annapolis Royal Railway Wharf, centre left; and the Acadia Steamship Co. wharf and warehouse, far left, July 1931.

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  Fort Anne and the Annapolis Royal Enginehouse, Annapolis Royal Esso Bulk Plant, Annapolis Royal Freight Shed the Annapolis Royal Water Tower, July 1931.

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  DAR Locomotive 552 at the Annapolis Royal Station and St. George Street Overpass with Van No. 97 in passenger train, circa 1940.

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  Princess Margaret Train Eastbound at Annapolis Royal Station, 10th August 1958.

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  Princess Margaret Train passing through Annapolis Royal Area, 10th August 1958.

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  Water tower at left, station in centre and freight shed at right at Annapolis Royal on August 27, 1956.

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  Annapolis Royal Station, looking east with the Annapolis Royal Water Tower and tank car, June 1959.

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  No. 9059 arriving at Annapolis Royal in August 1959.

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  No. 9059, at station in Annapolis Royal departing for Halifax in August 1959.

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  Annapolis Royal Station and Annapolis Royal Freight Shed, early 1970s.

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  Annapolis Royal Station with freight shed and fuel tank cars at the Texaco bulk fuel siding on August 5, 1973.

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  Annapolis Royal Station and Freight Shed with the Texaco bulk fuel plant in the background on August 5, 1973.

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  St. George Street Overpass with the Annapolis Royal Station, June 28, 1975.

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  Dayliner at Annapolis Royal Station with Annapolis Royal Freight Shed in the background on July 18, 1975.

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  Annapolis Royal Station and St. George Street Overpass in 1975.

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  Annapolis Royal Station, Freight Shed and St. George Street Overpass viewed from RDC Train No. 2, May 26, 1977.

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  VIA Rail No. 6221 at the Annapolis Royal Station, July 14, 1986.

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  Annapolis Royal VIA station with Via No. 6128, , November 1988.

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  Eastbound freight passes with No. 434061 at Annapolis Royal Station as seen from St. George Street Overpass on May 18, 1989.

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  VIA Yarmouth - Halifax Train No. 152 pauses at Annapolis Royal Station at 9:05 a.m. on its last run on Saturday, January 13, 1990.

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  Modern day appearance of restored station, 2006.

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  Annapolis Royal Station, facing west, August 30, 2011.

References & Footnotes

• MacNab, List of Annapolis Royal railway facilities in 1873: Windsor and Annapolis Railway, Report of Alexander MacNab Nov 1, 1873, (1873), page 24.
• 1969 Memorandum of General Information, Annapolis Royal details, page 15

External Links

• 1878 Map Showing the W&AR in Annapolis Royal.
• Brochure with more detail on the W&AR wharf in Annapolis Royal.
• Photo showing the W&AR wharf in the background with a train on it meeting a steamer.
• Photo showing the W&AR wharf with a train on it meeting a steamer.
• Photo showing the St. George street bridge over the railway.
• Photo of Acadia Steamship Co. wharf with apple warehouse.
• Lumber at the wharf.