Small Town Canada Spotlight: The Pirates of Hall’s Harbour, Nova Scotia
In the newest edition of Small Town Canada Spotlight, we’ll be digging into the history of pirates in Hall’s Harbour, Nova Scotia. Hall’s Harbour has quite a fascinating past, marked by pirates pillaging the surrounding community on numerous occasions.
A Pirating Past
Hall’s Harbour was named after Samuel Hall, an American privateer during the American Revolution who used the cove and the surrounding Bay of Fundy to raid settlements in the Annapolis Valley. Hall was the pilot and guide for an expedition of 17 men on the ship, the MM Jane, under Captain Gow. The crew made several expeditions into the valley, taking cattle and robbing houses and stores along the way. Previously, the Mi’kmaq had helped pirates, but on this occasion, they warned the settlers of Hall’s arrival. In 1779, Hall and his men were forced to flee and abandon their ship in the harbour by the pursuing militia. Hall was separated from the others, but managed to find his way back to the Revolutionary Colonies.
The militia was forced to deal with pirates on numerous occasions. A force of 40 men led by Abraham Newcomb made their way to the harbour, which is how the militia discovered only three men guarding the ship and fired on them, injuring two, while the third man escaped. The militia learned from the wounded prisoners that the privateers had gone to the valley to rob Mr. Sherman’s house and store at the Cornwallis Town Plot. The claim was investigated, only to find the place already pillaged and the robbers nowhere to be seen.
Many legends claim that Hall left a treasure buried nearby, attracting countless treasure hunters to the area. These seekers have reportedly abandoned pits deep in the woods surrounding the harbour in their quest for gold. It is said that Sylvanus Whitney, who owned the first store in Hall’s Harbour, discovered this pirate treasure. He later moved to North Dakota and, upon his death, left behind $60,000 in gold coins.
Hall’s Harbour’s Settlers
The harbour was first settled in 1826 by the Bucknam and Parker families, who crossed the Bay of Fundy from New Brunswick. Many of the first settlers came by sea rather than land from the valley. Samuel Bucknam built the first house in the region. Shortly after that, a lumber mill was in operation, which was built by the Cross brothers at the head of the dam, above the present bridge. This was followed by a store built by the Whitney family in 1830. A school was started in 1831, and the first wharf was completed in 1836.
The community quickly grew around the sheltered tidal harbour, which shipped out timber and agricultural products from the Annapolis Valley. By the 1850s, a dozen more houses and two more stores had been constructed to keep up with the growing population.
The first vessel was built at the harbour in 1835, a five-ton ship named Dove, while the biggest one was the barque Jenny Bertaux, built in 1864. The harbour became known as a fishing port and small coastal shipping centre for coastal schooners and small steamers. The first lighthouse was built about 1880, but was replaced in 1911 by a 29-foot-tall version built by Captain Dewis. The Canadian federal government took over operation of the wharves in the early 1900s.
Growth in the village slowed in the 1870s as timber reserves were depleted, ending the lumber trade, and as the arrival of the Windsor and Annapolis Railway diverted agricultural shipments. Shipbuilding also declined due to a lack of timber and the introduction of steamships.
The Mi’kmaq remained in the area as late as the 1920s. They would camp near Cove Road during the summer in an area once known as the Indian Reserve. They would use the harbour for fishing before settlers arrived.
Today, Hall’s Harbour flourishes as a tourist destination, known for its stunning displays of the Bay of Fundy’s dramatic tidal changes. The harbour is home to a popular seafood restaurant, several shops, and numerous artist studios, all set in a location that was once a pirate’s paradise.
A big thank you to the Town of Hall’s Harbour and the Nova Scotia Archives for the wonderful photos provided on their websites.
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