Bailey House | |
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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 |
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]
According 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.
According 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]