Heartland of Canadian History
By Bob Fisher

At sunset, the harbour of Lunenburg is suffused with a sense of calm and order. And yet beneath the stillness there is a vibrancy that is palpable. This quintessential maritime view of one of the best known Nova Scotian harbours – also a UNESCO World Heritage site – communicates a quiet purposefulness, depth of feeling, and sense well-being. It is a model for the Nova Scotian experience.

For the bus tour operator, Nova Scotia is an organizational dream destination. As the Doers' & Dreamer's Guide produced by Nova Scotia Tourism and Culture clearly demonstrates, this is a fully integrated tourism experience. You don't travel on the periphery here.

The dreamer's vision of Nova Scotia is no fantasy; it is the enduring vision of a people-oriented province where the aspirations of history blend with contemporary social values emphasizing reciprocal relationships.

The "Scenic Trailways" at the beginning of the Doers' & Dreamer's Guide, makes it immediately apparent how the historic routes of Nova Scotia have been defined with careful thought, detail, and practical considerations, generously fulfilling the needs of the travel industry while anticipating the preferences of the visitor.

This user-friendly resource outlines well-tested, coherent, and highly conceptual itineraries: the Evangeline Trail, the Glooscap Trail, the Sunrise Trail, Cape Breton Island, Marine Drive, Halifax Metro, and the Lighthouse Route. In Nova Scotia all roads lead to an exceptional visual, sensory, and reflective experience for your passengers.

The Guide makes Nova Scotia a fully accessible destination – on many levels. You are never far from the next spectacular view, the next delectable meal, or the next meaningful moment. Distances, tips on access to outstanding sights and sounds, recommended routes, and time management have all been pre-determined for the tour operator, and yet, a high degree of flexibility and choice are inherent in all routes.

Well-organized historical sites harmonize with the surrounding communities, and accommodation, dining, and other amenities that suit the budgetary needs and tastes of all sectors of the travelling public. Because Nova Scotia has always been a province of hospitable communities, the best "interpreters" of its sights and sounds are local residents. A common sense approach to an appreciation of its heritage, its cities, towns, seascapes, and rural areas is also fundamental to Nova Scotia. And as Nova Scotians celebrate some very important historical events in their social, cultural, and historic heritage, substantial new government funding for community-level tourism has made key sites even more accessible and engaging.

Coming Together

In 2003-2005 the tourism industry in Nova Scotia is renewing its efforts to welcome visitors. Much of this is the result of "The 400th" celebrations; commemorating four centuries of history that shaped Canada and the "New World." The year 2004 marks the beginning of a unique festival, Le Congrès mondial acadien. A far-reaching event, it celebrates the founding of Acadie (the original name of this area of the New World) and the start of European settlement of the Americas. It is also a symbolic resolution of one of the darker moments of Canadian history, the Deportation of the Acadians in 1755.

The 250,000 Acadians living today in the Maritime provinces – and elsewhere in the world – trace their heritage to French settlers who came to the New World and established thriving communities, in particular in the fertile Annapolis Valley of present-day Nova Scotia. Noted for their innovative farming methods, industriousness, and abilities to adapt to new environments, tragically they became victims of the struggle between England and France for control of the North American continent east of the Mississippi and the Great Lakes. Despite their promise of neutrality, they were eventually deemed a threat to the British Crown following that nation's victory in the struggle for colonial power. As many as 12,000 of them were subsequently sent into forced exile; entire families were permanently torn apart. Although allowed to return many decades later, the Acadians were marginalized and isolated in small coastal communities away from the fertile farmlands they had come to love. Their intrepid and resourceful nature however led them to develop the other great source of riches of the region – the sea.

During the Congrès, the over 250,000 Acadians and people of Acadian descent will come together in extended family reunions.

In keeping with the events of 2004 and beyond, the Lighthouse Route and the Evangeline Trail in particular underscore a keen sense of "being there," a profound sense of place, and the historical drama and passion that is the legacy of all of Nova Scotia.

Beginning in Halifax, the Lighthouse Route visits such celebrated communities as Peggy's Cove, Mahone Bay, and Lunenburg. The latter's Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic is a superb example of the kind of public institution - in essence interpretative archives - that Nova Scotia does so well. A multimedia testimonial to the fishing industry of Nova Scotia, the Fisheries Museum also creates an awareness of the historic and integral relationship of Nova Scotians with the ocean.

A few kilometres further is LaHave, an exquisite piece of land overlooking the Atlantic. This national historical site was the capital of Acadia until 1636, when the fort was abandoned. Today the small lightkeeper's house is a museum dedicated to the heritage of the region.

Of the many treasures on the Lighthouse Route, the town of Shelburne is especially noteworthy for its charm and architectural authenticity. Founded by 3000 United Empire Loyalists – many of them African-Americans who chose a Canadian way of life over revolution – Shelburne is a tangible witness to North American history.

The French and English heritage of Nova Scotia is an even more resonating theme as you set out on the Evangeline Trail at Yarmouth. The route passes through both English- and French-speaking communities that reflect 400 years of European settlement of the area and the eventual harmonizing of cultures for which Nova Scotia is renowned. The Trail skirts majestic St. Mary's Bay before arriving in Digby – portal to the mighty Bay of Fundy as well as the haven known today as the Annapolis Basin. At the eastern end of this breathtaking body of water is the town of Annapolis Royal.

Established in 1604 three years before Quebec, two years before Jamestown, Virginia, and 15 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, Port Royal is of particular significance. In addition to its precedent-setting settlement, this fur trading post – and what was essentially an agricultural research station in the New World – was also a microcosm of and template for the new way of life being sought by the many settlers who would follow. Annapolis Royal was founded a year later, and after 150 years of struggle between England and France during which it changed hands seven times, it was finally named for the British Queen Anne.

The 400th anniversary in 2005 of Annapolis Royal and surrounding area will be an unparalleled event during which visitors will be able to explore the complex and dramatic events resulting from the struggle between the two great European powers of the day. Travellers will also appreciate that these events collectively led to a turning point in the history of North America and of the world.

Highway 1 meanders eastward through the sublime and photographic Annapolis Valley to Grand Pré, the site of the first wave of deportations in 1755. This deeply poignant site has a beauty, grace, and tranquillity that belies the events that occurred here. Those same attributes however enhance a deep understanding of the whims of history in Nova Scotia. Embellished by its new multi-media visitor centre, Grand Pré epitomizes the in-depth cultural experience awaiting visitors to Nova Scotia – an experience enriched by maritime hospitality.

The American Bus Association has named the Congrès mondial acadien (www.cma2004.com/En/home.cfm) its top 100 event in Canada.

A copy of the Doers' and Dreamers' Guide can be obtained from Nova Scotia Tourism and Culture. The website (www.novascotia.com) is also an excellent resource. Tel: 1-800-565-0000 or write to Nova Scotia Tourism and Culture, World Trade and Convention Centre, 1800 Argyle Street. PO Box 456, Halifax NS B3J 2R5, Canada.

Numerous other recent anniversary celebrations compliment "Nova Scotia Anniversary" itineraries. They include events such as: Lunenburg's 250th Birthday Celebrations; the 75th anniversary of the National Historic Site Pier 21 ("Canada's Historic Soul" in Halifax); the 100th anniversary of the birth of renowned Nova Scotian Folk Artist Maud Lewis (at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax); the 100th anniversary of Marconi's first transatlantic message from Glace Bay, Cape Breton; the 200th anniversary of Halifax's Town Clock (an icon in that city); and the 350th anniversary of the founding of Pubnico. Of course the 400th anniversary in 2005 of the founding of Annapolis Royal will be a focal point for any tour to Nova Scotia.