Named after Lord John Cartaret, who became Earl Granville in 1744, Granville Ferry is located on the north side of the Annapolis River, directly across from Annapolis Royal (formerly Port Royal). Granville Ferry was a major shipbuilding centre during the Golden Age of Sail.
On June 9, 1960, an entire section of the bridge connecting Annapolis Royal and Granville Ferry collapsed. Here in this photo displayed on the Annapolis Heritage Society Facebook page (where you can find may other fascinating historical photos), you can see the section of the bridge floating in the water! I believe they switched to a new site so check out this Facebook page too: Annapolis Heritage Society: Making Connections.
Looking for a place to stay in Granville Ferry? A Seafaring Maiden is an 1881 registered heritage property that was home to Sea Captain, Ship Builder and Merchant, Captain Joseph Hall and named after his daughter, Elizabeth Pritchard Hall. In March of 1870, then 20-year-old Elizabeth sailed with her father on the 1444 ton full-rigged ship Rothesay out of Saint John, New Brunswick. Four days after docking in New Orleans, Louisana to load up with a cargo of cotton destined for Liverpool, England, the first mate came down with smallpox, followed five days later by Captain Hall. With the head crew members out of commission, and squally weather threatening the voyage, Captain Hall placed Bessie in command and the ships' carpenter became her first mate. Bessie lead the crew on a successful sail across the Atlantic Ocean, arriving safely in Liverpool on May 11. A unique feat in nautical history, Bessie lives on forever as The Seafaring Maiden of Granville.
Prefer camping? Granville Ferry has you covered. Stay at Dunromin Campground - voted top 300 RV Parks in North America and one of the 25 best family campgrounds in Canada.
Another Granville Ferry home with character and history is North Hills Museum. A retired banker, Robert Patterson, bought a small wood-framed house which was once Rumsey farm and then the Amberman house. He named it North Hills and filled it with his own collection of Georgian glass and English furniture, ceramics and silver.
Hungry? Eat at Vicki’s Restaurant. Granville Ferry is one of its three locations across the province. There are also restaurants in Coldbrook and Dartmouth. What started out 18 years ago as roadside takeout in Annapolis Valley by Rick and Vicki Hudson, Vicki's has grown into an iconic fish and chip chain. Unfortunately Vicki Hudson passed away in September 2017. To celebrate her legacy, the family decided to open their first ever restaurant outside of Annapolis Valley in Dartmouth (January 2020 - read article linked at the bottom of this page).
A one-of-a-kind attraction is the Annapolis Tidal Station. Located at the Annapolis River Causeway, visitors are treated to a one of a kind view of the basin overlooking Granville Ferry and Annapolis Royal, often seeing osprey and other birds and sometimes lucky enough to see dolphins playing in the basin. The Annapolis Tidal Station is the first and only moderan tidal generating plant in North America and one of only a small number that exist in the world.
If you have any more information or pictures of Granville Ferry please email me or message me through Bluenoser on Facebook.
Nearby Attractions:
Fort Anne National Historic Site - Annapolis Royal
Port Royal - Port Royal
Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens - Annapolis Royal
Learn more about Granville Ferry:
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