Annapolis Royal Station

Annapolis Royal has had four different train stations with distinctly different styles, reflecting the rise and fall of different railway eras in the town. The first and second were located on Church Street at the foot of St. James Street in the centre of town near the wharf, where the Windsor and Annapolis Railway terminated. A third known as the "Frogmore" station dated from 1891, and was located just west of St. George Street, where the railway cut is still evident. It was replaced in 1914 by the final, and still standing station, an 'Arts and Crafts" style brick building at the end of Victoria Street.

First Station 1869 to c. 1885

The first station at Annapolis Royal was a slightly larger version of the typical first generation Windsor & Annapolis Railway stations and measured 50 x 20 feet.^[1] It was built in the centre of town near the present day Farmer's Market parking lot on Church Street at the foot of St. James Street. As a terminal station near the steamship docks, it boasted a two large platforms (12 x 250 feet and 12 x 212 feet) for the interchange of freight.^[2] It was a simple gable roofed building with board and batten walls, similar to the first Wolfville Station, enlivened by some Victorian trim including ornamental bargeboard on the eaves and finials on the roof.

Bird's Eye view of Annapolis Royal & Granville Nova Scotia: Detail of Annapolis Royal Station, 1878.
The first Annapolis Royal Station station, circa 1880.
W&A locomotive No. 2 "Gabriel", later DAR No. 13 at the Annapolis Royal Station, decorated for a wedding, June 1885.
Article about the photo of W&A locomotive No. 2 "Gabriel" at the Annapolis Royal Station, decorated for a wedding, June 1885.

Second Station c. 1885 to c. 1891

A much larger, two and a half story station with an attached freight shed was built in Annapolis Royal by the W&A to replace the original station in the centre of town at Church Street and St. James Street, providing additional offices, larger waiting rooms and a restaurant for W&A passengers in the peak years of the railway in Annapolis Royal. However when the line to Digby was completed in 1891, the mainline was rerouted around the town, leaving the large station stranded on what became a spur to the railway wharf. The old station was converted to a freight shed,^[3] The second station was briefly reactivated in January 1913 when the deteriorating condition of third station at Frogmore forced train service to temporarily divert to the old station until the fourth station was ready.^[4] In January 1914, one wing of the station was detached and moved to new location of the DAR mainline to serve as the Annapolis Royal Freight Shed beside the town's fourth station.^[5] During World War I, the old station building was leased by the DAR to B.B. Hardwick for an apple evaporator and jam factory, employing 13 people.^[6] However, during the celebrations marking the end of the war on November 11, 1918, someone set fire the the old station building and it was destroyed by fire.^[7]

The Annapolis Royal Station, circa 1890-1900.
The second Annapolis Royal Station and attached Freight Shed, Oct. 4, 1910.
Freight shed from second station, moved in January 1914 to mainline to become the Annapolis Royal Freight Shed, photographed in 1980.

Third "Frogmore" Station c. 1891 to 1914

The third station, nicknamed the "Frogmore Station" was built on the south side of town, on the new mainline created when the "missing gap" between Annapolis Royal and Digby was finally completed. Annapolis ceased to be a terminus and instead became a small station stop, served by a small single-story station serving mainly as the passenger stop, while the larger, old station on Church Street continued to handle freight for a few years.^[8] However, by 1913, the small Frogmore station and platform was wearing out and considered too dangerous to use, so it was closed on January 6, 1913 and trains were diverted to the old station by the wharf while plans were made for a new station.^[9] The derelict Frogmore station was burned in the early morning of July 19, 1914, probably by arsonists.^[10]

The Annapolis Royal Station, circa 1900.
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.
Looking east to the St. George Street Overpass near the location of the Frogmore Station, June 28, 1975.

External Links

Frogmore Station at VirtualMuseum.ca

Page 289 of Heckman's Canadian Pacific: A Photographic Journey, a view of the station looking east to the road overpass, dated 4th October 1910

Fourth Station 1914 to present

The fourth and final station was a finely decorated brick passenger station. It was also on the mainline, but located just east of Prince Albert Road at the end of Victoria Street which was extended to connect to the new station site. Reflecting the growing tourism trade to Annapolis Royal, it was a finely decorated arts and craft style station with elaborate woodwork and decorative windows, designed by the CPR’s chief railway architect in Montreal. The new station opened on March 9, 1914.^[11] Often photographed from the convenient viewpoint of the St. George Street overpass to the west, it survived the end of rail service to be restored by its current owner. A separate freight shed, just to the east, handled freight.