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The Annapolis Heritage Society dates back to 1965
when a number of local residents organized under the name Historic Restoration
Enterprises for the purpose of "leasing, purchasing, demolishing, building
and otherwise acquiring for preservation and display to the general public fine
examples of the historic past of Nova Scotia."
The group's focus was "one of
the oldest streets in Canada, a section of Lower Saint George Street in
downtown Annapolis Royal…Dauphin Street, as it was originally
called." Nine years later, in 1974, the group signed the documents
incorporating the Historic Restoration Enterprises of Annapolis County Society.
They had among their objectives to:
- foster and encourage interest in and
restoration of buildings and sites of an historic and cultural nature within
Annapolis County
- acquire and restore buildings, sites,
artifacts and records which are appropriate to this end.
While the intent remained the
same, the name of the Society was changed in 1977 to the Historic Restoration
Society of Annapolis County.
In the 1960s and 70s, the Society
purchased what is now the O'Dell House Museum and acquired additional
properties on Lower St. George Street (originally rue Dauphin) as an interim
measure to preserve as much as possible of the early streetscape.
The buildings
included the late 18th century Robertson, Bonnett and Murray houses and the
Victorian Pickels and Mills ships' chandlery. With the exception of the O'Dell
House, those properties are now privately owned. The Society continues its
innovative development of the Sinclair Inn Museum, a National Historic
Site…an active commercial and hotel presence in Port Royal/Annapolis Royal
from the 17th to the 20th centuries.
Recognizing the wealth of heritage
resources resulting from 400 years of European settlement and the pre-dating
Mi'kmaq occupation, the Society has continued to broaden its activities and now
includes artifacts, genealogical and archival holdings, photo and costume
collections and active heritage programming. In 2004, in recognition that the
Society was now engaged in a range of activities far beyond the ownership and
restoration of buildings, the name was changed once more - to the Annapolis
Heritage Society.
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This photo was taken at the official opening of
the O'Dell House Museum. Among those in attendance were Dr. Jack Kerr (standing
at right of the door, giving a speech), Dr. Barry Moody (standing at left of
the door) and Marguerite Wagner (standing with her back to the camera, wearing
period costume).
Click on the picture to enlarge |
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