Mahone Bay

Mahone Bay is a small town (population 1,036) with a rich ship building history. This picturesque Lunenburg County town is best known for the iconic image of its three churches along Edgewater Street - St. James' Anglican, St John's Evangelical Lutheran and Trinity United, seen on many Nova Scotia postcards.

Main Street

Founded in 1754 by the British, “immigrant protestants” (German and Swiss) were brought in to ensure the Catholic French, who were in conflict with the British, were kept at bay. During the “Golden Age of Sail” in the nineteenth century Mahone Bay ship building was a booming industry. The town was incorporated in 1919, so look forward to celebrations next year to mark Mahone Bay's 100th birthday.

I visited Mahone Bay on August 4th, and here's what I found:

Mahone Bay Visitor's Centre

1. Selfie – Nabbed a pic at the town's entrance, just before the first of the "three churches."

2. Visitor’s Centre - The town has a bright and beautiful little visitor's centre located near the town's entrance. Lots of info and some free cold water for thirsty tourists.

3. Museum – Checked out the Mahone Bay Museum – a little museum in a older home on Main Street. Although modest, it contains some ingenious ideas for conveying the history of the town to old and young alike.

Saltbox Brewing Company on Main Street

4. Food – Went to the Mug and Anchor Pub on Main, an English style pub, for a feed of chicken.

5. Drink – Picked a few beers to sample at Saltbox Brewing Company on Main Street. “Nun on the Run” Cream Ale was my personal favorite.

6. Public Space – There is a trail running through the town, but due to the heat I choose a little park near the water off of Main Street near the "Oh My Cod!" restaurant (love the name), featuring a bandstand and several happy ducks.

7. Art – Despite the fact that there is art everywhere you turn in this town, from the colourful houses to the decorative business signs, there was very little public art. I did find a a colourful "tiny library" in a park near the water, so we'll use that.

8. Swag – While at the Mahone Bay Museum I picked up a Mahone Bay pin depicting the town's iconic three churches.

When should you go? Check out the Heritage Boatyard Co-op Weekend (first weekend in August), Music in the Three Churches (all summer) or the Great Scarecrow Festival & Antique Fair. (September 28 – September 29).

A little bit of trivia: During the War of 1812, the American privateer schooner, Young Teazer, became trapped by British boats in Mahone Bay. To avoid capture, a crew member blew the boat up, killing most of the crew.

Up next: Every Canadian is familiar with a symbol of this to town, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Find out where on Wednesday!