Granville Ferry brings together several layers of history: an Acadian settlement dating from before the Deportation, as well as churches, houses, and a museum collection with varied architectural influences. Visitors interested in history and architectural styles will find a cultural focus here that spans from the settlement’s founding through the 19th century.
Acadian Settlement and Local History
Melanson Settlement is the site of an Acadian settlement dating from before the Deportation. It was founded around 1664 by Charles Melanson dit La Ramée and Marie Dugas. This early settlement provides a starting point for the area’s history; the later churches and houses represent different eras and uses. Granville Ferry’s history thus spans from the founding of the settlement to buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Church and Historic Architecture
Emmanuel United Church was built around 1878 in the Gothic Revival style. It sits close to the road in Granville Ferry, on a small rise on the north side of the road that runs from east to west. Its history also includes a long period of adaptive reuse. Its construction date, Gothic Revival style, and later uses each offer a different way to understand the building.
In architectural contrast, Captain Joseph Hall House makes a different impression: it is a two-and-a-half-storey wooden building with a brick foundation in the Greek Revival style. An elaborately designed carriage house stands offset behind the house. The building contributes significantly to Granville Ferry’s streetscape and to views of the town from across the water in Annapolis Royal. Both its architectural form and its carriage house are characteristic details of the property.
Entertainment House was built around 1827 in the New England Colonial style and operated as an inn. Its long use as an inn is considered significant to Granville Ferry’s historical development. This building therefore connects its architectural history with an important former use, without implying that it still operates as an inn today.
North Hills Museum is housed in a farmhouse built in the 1760s. Its collection of artworks and furnishings evokes an atmosphere of Georgian elegance. The house and its collection add another architectural and cultural point of interest from the 18th century to the area’s history.
Further highlights in the wider destination of Annapolis County
The wider destination of Annapolis County also has nature trails. The Delaps Cove Wilderness Trail system includes the Bohaker Trail, a 2.2-kilometre loop with an approximate walking time of one hour, and the 1.9-kilometre Charlies Trail. The 2.7-kilometre Shore Road Trail connects the two in one direction. These details make it possible to compare two trails of different lengths and the walking time for the Bohaker Trail.
A 43-foot-high waterfall is located on the Bohaker Trail near Bohaker Cove. From a viewing platform, visitors can see basalt lava rocks along the cliff. The trail also offers opportunities for birdwatching and photography and passes through 130 acres of forest along the wind-swept coast of the Bay of Fundy.
Another regional option is the Harvest Moon Trailway. It is approximately 115 kilometres long and connects communities in the Annapolis Valley between Annapolis Royal in Annapolis County and Grand Pré in Kings County. Large sections are multi-use trails for walking and cycling. The trail officially opened in 2017; its historic predecessor route was known as the Dominion Atlantic Railway (CP).
Discover more destinations: Annapolis Royal, Deep Brook, Bridgetown, West Springhill
See the overview of the wider destination: Annapolis County.
