The Acadia Pier

I am going to begin something new today. As I have previously mentioned, the Annapolis Heritage Society Archives have a vast array of photographs which document different elements of the history of our community. Some of these scenes have not changed too much through the years while others have changed dramatically. Through the years, buildings have been built, torn down or burned, trees have grown and the scenery changes.

I suppose that I will refer to these as the "Before and After" images. What I will do when I post one of these images is to start with an archival image and contrast this with an image taken on the day of the post. Whenever possible, I will try to replicate the perspective of the original photographer as closely as possible. I will start with an image of the Acadia Pier on Annapolis Royal's waterfront since this shows such a dramatic change.

In 1881 a group of local businessmen established the Acadia Steamship Company. Locally, this group was fronted by T.S. Whitman and Laurence Delap, two of the community's business leaders of the time. The group worked toward owning a number of small steam vessels but they also constructed the large pier seen in the top image. This pier extended 300 feet into the Annapolis Basin and, unlike other local wharves, could be accessed at all tides. The T at the end of the wharf provided 30 feet of water even at low tide.

The structure located on top of the pier is particularly interesting. This building was an insulated apple warehouse. Filled with sawdust, the walls kept out the majority of the winter winds and allowed barrels of apples to be stored in a somewhat controlled facility while they waited to be shipped around the world. The warehouse itself was supplied by a spur line of the Dominion and Atlantic Railway which ran right to its door. As you can see in the image taken earlier today, time has not been kind to either the Acadia Pier or its warehouse.

All for now,
RGS