The Yarmouth Page
Yarmouth is over 250 years old. In the early days it was known world wide for its ship building. It is also noted for its ship's captains who sailed the world from Yarmouth. Many of the early houses remain. They are quite unique in style, especially the ones with the 'Widow's Walk' on the top. It is an area jutting above the roof where captain's wives would go and look out past the harbour to the sea in the hopes of seeing their husbands coming home.

Yarmouth has two ferries that run between Bar Harbour, Maine and Yarmouth and between Portland, Maine and Yarmouth. Bar Harbour to Yarmouth is 100 miles and Portland to Yarmouth is 200 miles. For many years now the Bar Harbour ferry was the Buenose II (the same name as the sailing vessel) and it took six hours to make a one way trip. Recently a private firm took over the Bluenose run from the government. They had purchased a new ferry to replace the Bluenose, which was built in Australia. It is a catamaran type ship and is very fast. It does the trip in two and a half hours. Where the Bluenose did one round trip a day the 'Cat' will do two.

A lot of money has been spent in the last few years making Water Street and the harbour front beautiful. Much more is planned and the work will be spread out over the future years. Annually a sail boat race is held from Bar Harbour to Yarmouth. When the race is over a bit of partying is done. Most entrants remain here for a few days, some more. During the summer months there are usually a number of sailing boats, and small yachts, anchored out in the harbour, or tied alongside.

The Gulf Stream heads north from the Caribean and as it nears Nova Scotia it veers out to the east until it arrives at England. It brings warmer weather to us and because of that we get many beautiful flowering trees and shrubs in our town. Among the most beautiful are the Rhododendron trees and the Azalea bushes. It is a delight to drive around town from spring to fall, just to see the flowers.

Catholic Church ------- Anglican Church------Lions Club

The Roman Catholic church, St. Ambrose, is located on St. Ambrose Street. It is a very large building, made entirely of brick. Just seconds before I took this picture there was a large sea gull perched on top of the cross, on the tower of the building. It flew away just before I focussed.

The Anglican Holy Trinity Church was built in the mid ninteenth century. It replaced the original church made of wood that was built about a hundred years earlier, and burned to the ground. The tower has bells that weigh very heavily. Over the years it has deteriorated and was getting to the position where it was becoming a danger considering the weight of the bells. It was just recently rebuilt.

The Yarmouth Lions Club was formed in 1955. About three years later they were able to purchase the building shown here. This was known as Mrs. Campbell's house in the early days. It is claimed that the house is haunted. A number of members of long standing state that when they have stayed in the building past midnight, they have heard footsteps and other noises upstairs. Some have even seen an apparition.

At the beginning of the war the army took over the building and used it as officer's quarters. They built the section shown to the right of the picture to serve as the dining area. That section is now used for meetings, bingos and hall rentals.

Russian Fishing Plant -------- Elephant Races -------- Mayor Charles Crosby

As many as six Russian ships laid off of the lightouse. They were not allowed to dock anywhere, but could stay off shore and purchase fish from local fisheries. The stock had to be delivered to the ship where it was then canned or dried. About 1996 one ship was allowed in to Yarmouth Harbour to tie alongside because of a seriously ill sailor on board. Since the end of the cold war they have access but because of monetary problems have not been seen in the area for a couple of years.

Back in 1985 a circus came to down. Two elephants, one a large male and the other a smaller female, were brought to the middle of town, a block off of Main Street. Bystanders were allowed to mount the elephants and run a race. It was difficult to get anyone to start but I was first and chose the large male and a young man took the female. The race ran for a short block and the much lighter female won by a mile. It was a very interesting experience. After the first race a number of onlookers jumped on the band wagon and gave it a try. The female won every race, but don't they always?

The third picture was taken during the annual parade. It shows our mayor of 12 years, Charles (Tip) Crosby. Elections are coming up shortly and hopefully he will run again.

Drying Cod Fish -------- Waves Climbing the Rocks -------- Yarmouth Lighthouse

A scene not available for quite a few years in Yarmouth, the drying of fish on stacked screen on a hot, dry summer day. I always thought that this was an interesting part of the fisheries.

The entrance to Yarmouth Harbour is on the other side of the Lighthouse. The water shown in this picture is called False Harbour, because many a sailor over the years came in on the wrong side of the rocks. This was taken on a windy day (not a storm) but you can see how high the waves climb the rocks by comparing to the light and the lighthouse (which is now a museum since the lights became automated). In a bad storm viewing of the water can be dangerous if heed of the warning signs is not taken. They can come up near the top of the rocks.

This lighthouse was built in 1967. The previous one, to the left of the position, was then torn down. This is another scene that is very often photographed and painted. A winding roadway permits cars to drive right up to the back of the house.

Lobster Boat -------- Coming Home -------- Other Fish Boats

This lobster boat is just across the causeway from False Harbour. The reason for the name of the harbour is that it is to the left of the lighthouse coming in, where the Yarmouth harbour is to the right. Many have taken the wrong way in over the years. It is low tide and much work can be done on the boats by using the tides. At high tide the boat would be well afloat. Most fishing boats are named after family members, as in the case, the Donna Lynn. The harbour enters on the other side of the island in the background. At least at high tide it is an island.

The second scene shows a lobster boat just about to dock with a second one coming around the bend. This area is known as John's Cove, just across from the town of Yarmouth.

The third picture is just off of Water Street, at the Lobster Rock Wharf. Shown are groundfish boats and lobster boats. Scallopers are tied alongside further up the harbour.

The Three Buildings of the Yarmouth County Museum

A few years ago a group of Americans toured the United States and Canada, visiting the Maritime Museums. They gave the award of Best to the Yarmouth County Museum, Yarmouth.

The central picture is the museum as it was until a couple of years ago. The building was originally a church but was converted to the museum in 1967. The building on the right is a heritage house that was obtained by the museum two years ago.

The picture on the left shows another heritage home in perfect condition. It was owned by a man and his wife known to just about every North American. At least those who are at least forty. Their name is Fuller, and he was the original Fuller Brush Man. Red Skelton played his part in a move called 'The Fuller Brush Man'. Mr. Fuller died some years ago and Mrs. Fuller died in 1997, leaving her house and everything in it to the museum. All of the pieces of furniture are original antiques.

The Fuller's lived in Maine but maintained their original home in Yarmouth, and Mrs. Fuller came home for the summer months until a few years ago. It is now open to the public in it's original condition and with it's original furnishings.

The center two pictures are of the ex-church. I would not be able to find enough words to describe it, only a visit would do justice. It will be joined to the house on the right (it's left) by a wooden passageway, the central portion of it being built as a carriage house.

I am a volunteer at the front desk (although unable to attend last year) and find it most enjoyable, especially on nice days when a lot of visitors come. I have signed in people from all over Canada and the United States as well as Japan, England and Germany. One American took videos through the building and ended up at the front door. He then took a shot of me and I heard him saying, "This is our museum curator." I told him that actually, I was just a volunteer at the desk. He replied that no one at home would know that.

Three Old Homes That Have Widow's Walks

Three Of The Better Known Old Mansions of Yarmouth

The first mansion from the old sailing days is one of the most beautiful in town. It is now the Bishop's Palace, of the Roman Catholic Church. The second one is of about the same size and another beauty.

The third shot is of another that is at the top of the hill on Vancouver Street. It is large and beautiful, with large grounds and an iron fence around it. Behind the property is Lake Milo, at the north end of Yarmouth.

Another Three Designated Heritage Homes

The left picture is of one of the homes that also has a widow's walk and corner tower on it. The second is a beautiful building that has a different style of widow's walk. This house is now the home for Juniper House, a residence for battered women.

The final picture is of a much smaller house that again has a differenct style of widow's walk. The three story tower in the front is almost all glass, and topped by a dome.

Two Fountains From The Days of The Horse and a Unique Building

The golden horse was built about 200 years ago. It held water for slaking the thirst of the town's horses. The end of Yarmouth Harbour is just behind, forward of the row of trees. A stream enters here from Lake Milo and wends its way into the harbour and thence out to sea. The street crossing in front of the horse is Main Street while the one in line aft is Vancouver Street, which leads up to the hospital. Turning off just behind is Water Street which parallels Main Street to the South end of town.

The second picture is of the South End fountain. It was originally in the center of Argyle Street, at Main Street. It was, of course, built in the days of horses and everything was fine. Then came the cars and some twenty years ago it had been run into so many times that it was finally moved onto the parking area of the food store in the background. The south end of Main Street is in the background.

The third picture is of a unique building at the corner of Main and Brown Streets. It is about one long block up from the ferry in downtown Yarmouth. Our local Lions Club used this building for their meetings prior to obtaining the present building. A few years ago an American couple who were both Lions members, from Massachusets, visited our club at one dinner meeting. He is an architect and did a beautiful drawing of the tower. The club members were discussing a new pin and it was decided to use the drawing, which was donated to us, for the pin. Some years earlier the golden horse was the design used for a pin as well.

The parking lot from which this picture was taken was at one time apartments on Brown Street and a number of stores on Main. In the 60's it caught fire and all were burned to the ground.

Recent Rebuilding of the Waterfront

The left picture shows an area that was built up into a recreational area. Bands may play here and boat races are run from the docks out of sight on the left and behind. The buildings in the background are from the sailing days and have been completely refurbished in the past few years.

The final shot is of another area that was also built for recreation. It is even used for yard sales on Saturdays. The boat seen is a scallop dragger. The building behind is the old Boston Yarmouth Line. Ships brought passengers from Boston to Yarmouth. On an island across the harbour was built a large wooden hotel. Passengers were taken over by boat. The hotel burned to the ground around the turn of the century and not rebuilt.

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