Yarmouth, N.S.

Welcome to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

Located on the southwest shore of Nova Scotia, Yarmouth has one of the most temperate climates in Canada and is a wonderful place to visit any time of the year. Yarmouth is easily accessible to and from the northeastern United States by land and sea, and is only a short drive from Halifax, Moncton and Saint John. Nature lovers will find Yarmouth to be the perfect starting point for hiking, fishing and seafaring adventures, while cultural enthusiasts can discover a bounty of local music, theatre, crafts, museums, galleries and historic architecture.

A Brief History

Yarmouth is a town and major fishing and ferry port located on the Gulf of Maine in Southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located in the heart of the world's largest lobster fishing grounds and has Canada's highest lobster catch. It is sometimes referred to as "The Gateway to Nova Scotia".

The townsite may possibly have been visited by Leif Erikson and his Norsemen in 1007. A Runic Stone was found at the nearby village of Overton in 1812. It is interpreted by some to be carved by Erikkson, while others feel the markings are natural scratches gradually enhanced over the years.

The region was visited in 1604 by Samuel de Champlain, who named it Cap Fourchu, and it became a French fishing settlement. In 1759 settlers came to the townsite from Yarmouth, Massachusetts, and named it Yarmouth after their former home. The town was founded in 1761, when a larger group of settlers came from Sandwich, Massachusetts. They were then followed by Acadians in 1767 from the Grand Pre district and by United Empire Loyalists in 1785.

Initially called Cape Forchu, Yarmouth was first laid out in 1759 and incorporated in 1890. Through the 19th century it was a major shipbuilding centre, at one point making more ships per capita than any other port in the world. Yarmouth was considered the richest small town in the world from 1830 to 1880. Yarmouth ships were found in every major port in the world including ships noted for courageous crews such as the ship Research in 1861 and ships noted for great size such as the ship County of Yarmouth in 1884, one of the largest wooden ships ever built in Canada.

As wooden shipbuilding declined in the late 1800s, Yarmouth's shipowners re-invested into factories, steamships and railways such as the Western Counties Railway which evolved into the Dominion Atlantic Railway. While steamships had led to the decline of Yarmouth's mighty wooden shipbuilding industry, they also made the port a vital connection between the new Nova Scotia rail lines and steamers for Boston and New York,a role which continued with Yarmouth's ferry connections until recent times.

Yarmouth Sights

Yarmouth Firefighters Museum

You don't have to be a firefighter to appreciate the Firefighters' Museum of Nova Scotia in Yarmouth. Antique auto enthusiasts especially enjoy the important collection of vintage equipment.

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia is the gateway to the arts for Atlantic Canada. Located in downtown Yarmouth, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia offers various exhibitions and a variety of programming opportunities.

Yarmouth and the surrounding areas provide a multi-faceted backdrop for life. Whether you are looking for a life nestled on a shoreline with crashing ocean waves, a place sheltered from the wind, cozy in a forest glen of old trees, or just enough urban life to whet an appetite without being overbearing, all three are intertwined; in the center of it all, the Town of Yarmouth.

In the winter, as nature sleeps, life in Yarmouth stays active with sliding, hockey, skating, ice fishing and many other activities. When summer blooms, life in Yarmouth blossoms even more with parades, festivals, and a whole host of things to do which are too numerous to list here.

For those who like quiet activities, there is much to do...hiking/walking trails, cycling, walks on the beach, sailing, or you can look into the past by visiting the local museums. For those who like something a little different, there are classic car and motorcycle shows, air shows, ATV trails, shopping, and the list goes on. Peaceful and serene or busy and active, Yarmouth offers it all to those who call it home.

You can get more information on the area by visiting Southwest Nova Scotia