Chances are, you have seen Shelburne even if you haven't been there. The town's gorgeous historic waterfront has been the backdrop of several films, including The Scarlett Letter (starring Demi Moore and Gary Oldman), Wilby Wonderful (starring Sandra Oh and Ellen Page), the Moby Dick miniseries (starring William Hurt and Ethan Hawke), and more recently, The Book of Negroes miniseries (starring Aunjanue Ellis and Cuba Gooding Jr.), where the town of Shelburne was featured as itself.
The Mi'kmaq called this area So’qmkiknuk,meaning at the place where the pole is used to push (instead of paddling). Early Acadians had a fishing settlement here for a short time in the late 1600s, until raids by English colonists drove them out. The town itself was founded in 1783 and incorporated in 1907. For a brief period after the American Revolution a wave of British loyalists flocked to Shelburne and it briefly became the largest city in British North America, and fourth largest on the entire continent (behind New York, Philadelphia and Boston). Many of the buildings built during those years still stand today.
Today the population of Shelburne is 1743. We visited Shelburne on June 1st, here's what we found:
1. Selfie – Shelburne's town sign proudly displays the Union Jack, which can be found in many places throughout the town (even on the crosswalks) reflecting Shelburne's proud Loyalist heritage.
2. Visitor’s Centre – Closed until the following day. Poopie.
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| Historic Dock Street |
Today the population of Shelburne is 1743. We visited Shelburne on June 1st, here's what we found:
1. Selfie – Shelburne's town sign proudly displays the Union Jack, which can be found in many places throughout the town (even on the crosswalks) reflecting Shelburne's proud Loyalist heritage.
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2. Visitor’s Centre – Closed until the following day. Poopie.
3. Museum – Started at The Shelburne County Museum, but then took in The Dory Shop Museum and Ross-Thomson House & Store Museum when we discovered their “Museums by the Sea” deal. All three museums are within a short walk of one another and contain an abundance of information on the town's rich history and craftsmanship. And I can now confidently pick out a Shelburne built dory from the rest.
4. Food – I stopped by Charlotte Lane Cafe & Gift Shop where I enjoyed chicken stuffed with pesto and goat cheese served with a blue cheese sauce with a side of roasted potatoes and veggies. I'm still drooling.
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| Awaiting my meal |
5. Drink – I washed down my delightful meal with Shelburne's own Boxing Rock Honky Dory Pale Ale.
6. Public Space – After a walk along Shelburne's historic Dock Street, we continued up the hill to follow the Shelburne County Rail Trail for a stretch.
7. Art – Found a groovy whale painted on the side of a transformer box downtown.
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8. Swag – Picked up a Shelburne postcard depicting a waterfront sunset at the Shelburne County Museum.
When should you go? Check out Shelburne Founders' Days (July 20th-22nd), Songs at Sea Level Music Festival (August 17th-18th) or the Whirligig and Weathervane Festival (September 15th-16th).
A little bit of trivia: After the American Revolution the British evacuated a large group of African-American slaves to Shelburne and they founded nearby Birchtown, developed as the largest free Black settlement in North America. Facing discrimination from the local population, many left a few years later. Check out the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre for more information.
Up next: A small town that is believed to be the birthplace of hockey. Find out on Sunday!
I think you should turn this into a book!
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