In many ways it is a step back in time. Old Town Lunenburg is a Unesco World Heritage Site on the south shore of Nova Scotia. It is colourful, with some unique architecture, art galleries, museums, tall ships, including the Bluenose II and a huge variety of seafood.
We took the horse drawn carriage
around the Old Town to learn the history and see the sites with a local guide. The town is an example of British colonial urban planning, with straight streets and square corners.
People who settled the area were involved in the off-shore Atlantic fishery which is still part of the life of the community today, though to a much less extent. It was settled in 1753 and the oldest homes still sit proudly on the narrow streets today.
The Lunenburg bump is a unique architectural feature on many homes in Lunenburg. The dormer, often five sided, is above the door of the house and was an indication of the wealth of the home owner.
The homes and buildings are brightly coloured and well maintained.
While we were there, filming of a movie, starring Danny Glover was underway. While in the horse drawn carriage, we passed a vehicle rigged for a street scene. The photo is poor quality.
Lunenburg passes for New England towns in many movies and tv series.
The Fisheries Museum had closed the previous weekend but we saw the Bluenose II tied up by the dock behind the museum.
It is a replica of the original Bluenose, the fishing and racing schooner which was built in Lunenburg and launched in 1921.
The vessel competed in the Fisherman’s Trophy Race that same year and for many years after, winning numerous races which had formerly been dominated by the Americans. The Bluenose is depicted on the Canadian ten cent piece.
There were several tall ships in the harbour at Lunenburg besides the Bluenose II, including the Picton Castle,
which was in Summerside, Prince Edward Island this past July.
We stayed at The Rumrunner Inn and had dinner at a nearby seafood restaurant. The ample platter of varied seafood was delicious.
My husband and I enjoyed our time in Lunenburg and intend to visit again next spring to take in more of the history and charm of this seaport treasure.
