The Bailey House in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada is a historic house built around 1770,[1] making it one of the oldest wood frame houses in Canada. It has been operating as a lodging, with interruptions, since at least 1837.[1] The building is a Georgian style and is largely unaltered since its original construction. The house is part of the Annapolis Royal Historic District.[2]
| Bailey House | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location within Nova Scotia | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Address | 150 Saint George Street |
| Town or city | Annapolis Royal |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 44°44′48″N 65°31′06″W / 44.74675°N 65.51844°W |
| Year(s) built | c. 1770 |
| Designations | |
| Website | |
| https://baileyhouse.ca | |
History
editAccording to local historian, Charlotte Isabella Perkins, the house was built by local Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, William Robertson,[3] around 1770, although other sources indicate the builder was John Easson, an early Nova Scotia settler.[4] Records show that Loyalist settler Joseph Totten obtained the property in 1783.[1]
In 1816, the property was obtained by James Robertson, a justice of the peace.[1]
By 1837, Elizabeth "Marm" Bailey was living at the house. Elizabeth was the daughter-in-law of the prominent author and Loyalist, Reverend Jacob Bailey. She operated the Bailey House as an "aristocratic boarding house".[1][3] It was during this time that she served her renowned "Moose Muffle Soup", a fusion of Mi'kmaq and European cuisine.[5] After her death, her daughters continued to operate the boarding house until 1910.[1]
After 1910, the house was rented as a tenement and became dilapidated until restored by then owner, Suzanne Halliburton.[3] Ruth Eisenhauer, a local historian, acquired the house in 1962 and lived there until her death in 1997.[6] At that time, the house and contents were offered to the Nova Scotia Museum. The museum declined the offer and the house later opened as a bed and breakfast.
Notable Guests
editAccording to local tradition, Prince Edward, the father of Queen Victoria and namesake of Prince Edward Island, attended a ball at the Bailey House in 1794.[1]
Thomas Chandler Haliburton, a Nova Scotia politician and first international best-selling author from what is now Canada, was a regular guest at the Bailey House.[1]
Also, according to local tradition, John Campbell, the Marquis of Lorne and Governor General of Canada, visited the Bailey House during an 1880 visit to Nova Scotia[1]
See also
editExternal links
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i "HistoricPlaces.ca - HistoricPlaces.ca". www.historicplaces.ca. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ^ "Annapolis Royal Historic District National Historic Site of Canada". www.pc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ^ a b c Perkins, Charlotte Isabella (2012). The Romance of Old Annapolis Royal. Boulder Publications. pp. 26–31. ISBN 9781927099117.
- ^ Archives, Nova Scotia (2020-04-20). "Nova Scotia Archives - The Eassons and the Hoyts". Nova Scotia Archives. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
- ^ Parks Canada Agency, Government of Canada (2017-10-18). "Parks Canada Heritage Gourmet - Marm Bailey's Moose Muffle Soup - Parks Canada Heritage Gourmet Recipes". parks.canada.ca. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ^ "Ruth Eisenhauer fonds - MemoryNS". memoryns.ca. Retrieved 2023-06-27.