Yarmouth

Yarmouth, like most of the towns I plan to visit this summer, is a place I've never been before. My preconceived impressions of this community are based on a few friends who grew up there. These are guys who rocked in garage bands in the eighties, who were hip before being hip was cool. The kind of people who love a good craft brew, and are just as comfortable discussing obscure independent films as they were the finer points of baiting lobster traps. So based on this, I figured Yarmouth must be an interesting and laid back place. And I was not disappointed.

The Mi'kmaq called this area "Malikiaq," meaning "winding and turning every which way" (referring to the river). It is believed Vikings stopped by this area a thousand years ago, and it was later visited by Samuel de Champlain in 1604. The town was founded in 1761 and incorporated in 1890. With 6518 residents, today Yarmouth is the heart of the lobster industry, a major service centre for sothern Nova Scotia, and the only place in this province where you can drive through to another country, courtesy of The Cat ferry to Portland, Maine.

I visited Yarmouth between May 31st and June 1st. Here's how I did:

1. Selfie – Okay, I have questions. My greeting to Yarmouth was just a sad little sign posted at the town limits, but I did find a much more impressive welcome at the waterfront awaiting our American visitors.

Welcome to Yarmouth America!

2. Visitor's Centre...is closed until June 8th (when The Cat ferry starts running). I guess only Americans are curious about Yarmouth?

3. Museum – Okay Yarmouth, you've redeemed yourself. Big time. I checked out the Yarmouth County Museum & Archives, located in an old granite church built in 1893. Like much of the Victorian architecture in this town, it's gorgeous. Stunning. And this place has everything - artifacts from Mi'kmaq, Vikings, Acadians and Loyalists, antique musical and medical instruments, a tribute to Maud Lewis, stagecoaches and an antique car, art, clothing, boats – and so much more. I could have easily spent the entire day there.

Cheers from Rudders!

4. & 5. Restaurant/Spirits – Thanks to Rudder's Brew Pub & Seafood Restaurant I could accomplish both the food and drink requirements of my journey. I had their lovely “Old” Light Keeper's Lager and a fantastic feed of haddock. All while enjoying the views outside (the harbour) and in (lobster fishermen celebrating the end of the season).

6. Public Space – Took the Yarmouth Rail Trail from Water Street until we got distracted after spotting some geese at Sealed Lander's Park that required stalking (from a respectable distance, because geese are mean).

Stalking geese (from a safe distance) at Sealed Lander's Park

Corner of Chestnut and Main

7. Art – Art is big in Yarmouth, which is home to the western branch of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. The Yarmouth County Museum & Archives had a number of interesting pieces, and on my journeys I discovered a magnificent horse statue at the corner of Chestnut and Main.

8. Swag – Picked up some groovy postcards at the Yarmouth County Museum. One of the beautiful museum itself, and one of Frost Park, believed to have been the park noted in Meredith Willson's 1951 hit “It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” after his stay at Yarmouth's Grand Hotel.

Some events you might want to check out: Seafest (July 11-15), The Yarmouth Seafood and Wine Extravaganza (August 10-12) and Coal Shed Music Festival (August 10-12, 17-19 and 24-26).

A little bit of trivia: Molly Kool was North America's first registered female sea captain, she received her master's papers from the Merchant Marine Institution in Yarmouth in 1939.

Next up – The town with the mildest winters in Nova Scotia. Find out where on Sunday!