truly connected
Living Here
Common reasons why owners choose to have their properties listed on the register include pride in their property as well as the links to our past. Rebate incentives are sometimes offered by Provincial/ Federal Governments when repairs are made.
View the request for registration as a municipal heritage property form here.
What Does Registration Mean?
There are 3 types of Heritage Designation in our province: Municipal, Provincial and Federal. You have expressed interest in Municipal Designation. If approved, the Municipality of Yarmouth would formally recognize your property’s significance to the history of the Municipality of Yarmouth.
Applications are reviewed with regards with the following criteria in mind:
- Its construction predates 1934. (This includes buildings, monuments or burial grounds). However, any building, regardless of its age, can be considered for registration.
- It is associated with one or more persons of local significance.
- It is associated with groups, organizations or institutions of local significance.
- It is associated with a theme or event in local history or is typical of an era.
- It provides an example of a particular architectural style of building technique.
- It is associated with a notable architect, master builder or engineer.
- It is an outstanding landmark fundamentally inseparable from the public's perception of Yarmouth's heritage.
- Other as specified by the owner
Note: A property may be considered worthy of registration even though it does not meet the above selection criteria.
Registration Process
- When the Municipal office receives an application for registration, the Heritage Coordinator will assist you in gathering all required items to make your application complete.
- Your application will be presented to the Heritage Advisory Committee for consideration which will make a recommendation to Council.
- If approved by Council, you will be sent a notice informing you that the property has been recommended by Council to be registered in the Municipal Registry.
- After you are served with the notice there is a waiting period of 30 days, then at a future Council Meeting, the Council will either designate the property or not.
- If designation proceeds, a form of registration is sent to the Land Registration Office and also to you, the building owner.
What Does the Registration Affect?
The registration affects the character-defining elements of your home. Alterations that would not be affected would be items such as repainting your home, re-shingling your roof, or spot replacing some wooden shingles that are in poor condition. If at any time you have any questions regarding whether or not you would be required to make an application you can contact the Heritage Coordinator for verification.
If you wish to make alterations to the character-defining elements of your home, you would be required to make an application to the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee which would then make a recommendation to council on the matter.
Council would then either accept or deny the committee’s recommendation at which time you would be notified by letter of your application status.
For more information please contact:
Jenny Porter
Heritage Coordinator
Municipality of the District of Yarmouth
932, Highway 1
Hebron, NS B5A 5Z5
Phone: 902-742-7159
Contact by email
Our heritage program is established to conserve properties that hold significant value to the owner or the community. pdf Click here to download our Self-Guided Heritage Property Tour Brochure(3.02 MB) .
The program also protects any registered heritage properties from unnecessary demolition and substantial alterations to the exterior structure.
There are many benefits to having a designated heritage property, such as:
Recognition
A plaque is installed to identify the property's heritage significance to the community.
Pride & Connection
Designation provides a homeowner with a sense of pride and knowing they are contributing to the conservation of the community's heritage culture.
Support & Incentives
Grants and funding are available from the Province of Nova Scotia and a program through MODY to assist with the conservation and maintenance of your heritage property. View and apply for the Heritage Incentive Rebate Program HERE.
View a list of current Registered Heritage Properies.
Download our pdf Heritage Brochure(1.27 MB) .
History of the Yarmouth Area
Settlement in what is now Yarmouth County began 5000 years ago. Archaeological findings at the Bain site in Cheggogin, named after Nate Bain, include stone wood-working tools, highlighting its significance as a fishing site for Indigenous Peoples.
European exploration of South West Nova Scotia began in the early 17th century, with De Monts and Champlain surveying the coast and naming Cape Forchu in 1604. Few Acadians settled initially in this part of Acadia.
The Township of Yarmouth was proclaimed in 1759, attracting the first New England Planters to Chebogue in 1761, establishing permanent settlement. The Planters brought local government traditions and their Congregationalist religion.
Acadians deported in 1755 began returning around 1766, settling in Clare, Argyle, and gradually in Yarmouth's fishing communities like Pinkney's Point and Little River Harbour.
United Empire Loyalists arrived in 1785, settling initially in Argyle Township and spreading across the county, including indentured servants who formed Greenville's black community.
Yarmouth County was established in 1836, comprising Yarmouth and Argyle Townships. By 1838, its population reached 6500, with 930 houses and vessels capable of carrying 17,000 tons of cargo. The county's economy historically centered on the sea. In the 18th century, fishing was prominent, while shipbuilding and shipping prospered in the 19th century. Yarmouth's ships traded globally, carrying fish, lumber, and other goods, returning with rum, sugar, and textiles. This era's prosperity is reflected in the Victorian architecture of merchants' residences, sea captains' homes, churches, and Main St. commercial blocks throughout the town and county.
Suggested Reading
To learn more about the history of the County of Yarmouth, we recommend reading:
- Rev. J. R. Campbell, History of the County of Yarmouth, N.S (1871)
- George S. Brown, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia: a Sequel to Campbell's History (1888)
- J. Murray Lawson, Yarmouth Past and Present: a Book of Reminiscences (1903)
These books have long been out of print but have been reprinted and are available from The Masthead Bookshop at the Yarmouth County Museum, 22 Collins St., Yarmouth and at The Cell Bookshop in the Argyle Township Courthouse and Gaol in Tusket, NS., which will mail copies. Visit Argyle Courthouse.
Also recommended: Yarmouth County (1998) by the late, distinguished photojournalist from Yarmouth, Bob Brooks. Available from the shops above.
Are you or someone you know celebrating a milestone wedding anniversary or birthday? The Municipality of Yarmouth will present a Certificate of Recognition to commemorate the celebration of the occasion.
The Municipality of Yarmouth is interested in receiving information on upcoming milestone wedding anniversaries and birthdays of current residents of the Municipality. We are interested in 50th, 60th and 70th wedding anniversaries and 80th, 90th and 100th birthdays.
For wedding anniversaries, please submit the names of the married couple, the community they live in, the date of their anniversary, and which anniversary they are celebrating.
For birthdays, please submit the name of the individual, the community they live in, the date of their birthday, and which birthday they are celebrating.
Information can be emailed to the Administration Office or you can telephone us at 902-742-7159.
Don't forget to include your name and how we may contact you!
The Municipality of Yarmouth has a wealth of built infrastructure for residents, businesses and visitors. Browse below to see a sampling of what we have to offer.
Mariners Centre
View the
pdf
Mariners Centre Expansion Feasibility Study(4.31 MB)
Final Report of January 2017 prepared by dmA Planning & Management Services.
Western Counties Regional Library
The Isaak Walton Killam Memorial Library is located at 405 Main Street in Yarmouth. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Library opened in June 1963 with funding from a bequest given by sisters Constance Killam and Elizabeth Rogers. The library was expanded in 1991 to the facility we have today.
More information can be found including an events calendar and list of services by going to Western Counties Regional Library.
The Nova Scotia - Maine Ferry
The CAT travels between Portland, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in only 5.5 hours. Passenger capacity is at least 700 passengers and vehicle capacity is in excess of 200 regular passenger vehicles. The distance between Portland, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia is 185 nautical miles, which is equivalent to 212 statute miles or 341 kilometres. There is no commercial truck traffic service aboard The CAT. However, The CAT does carry motor coaches, which have a separate inventory and tariff.
Hospitals and Medical Centres
Our community is home to a regional health centre, namely the Yarmouth Regional Hospital, and two community health centres. The A.M. Clark Health Centre in Pubnico and the Harbour South Medical Clinic in Yarmouth are jointly owned by the Municipality of Yarmouth, the Municipality of Argyle and the Town of Yarmouth.
The A.M. Clark Health Centre, which opened its doors on August 30th, 2010, is located at 3010 Hwy 3 in Pubnico. The centre has three healthcare providers and blood collection.
The Harbour South Medical Clinic, which opened in December 2017, is located at 235 Main Street in Yarmouth. Currently, there are five physicians and one nurse practitioner. Harbour South Medical Clinic is a family practice seeing just their patients. They are not a drop-in clinic.
Yarmouth International Airport (YQI)
The Yarmouth International Airport is located in beautiful Southwestern Nova Scotia. The facilities include a modern airport terminal building and a combined services building which houses a maintenance garage and vehicles used for clearing runways. The airport has two runways, two taxiways and separate parking aprons for both commercial and general aviation. There are 4 RNAV GNSS instrument approaches, a VHF omnidirectional range/distance measuring equipment (VOR/DME) and a non-directional beacon (NDB). The airport is actively seeking investment opportunities. For more information, contact Alain Muise at 902-648-3293 or go to Yarmouth Airport.
Cape Forchu Lighthouse
The Cape Forchu Lighthouse is the Beacon to Canada. The Cape has been welcoming visitors since 1604, when Samuel de Champlain landed and named the area "Cap Forchu", meaning forked tongue of land. By the mid-nineteenth century, the Town of Yarmouth was a booming seaport with vessels coming in and out of the harbour and therefore the Cape was the ideal position for a lighthouse and foghorn.
By 1878, Yarmouth was at its peak and was the second-largest port of registry in Canada. Here the lighthouse could protect vessels both approaching and entering the harbour. The Cape Forchu Light, also commonly known as the Yarmouth Light, was constructed in 1839. The light itself stood 38.4 metres (126 feet) above sea level and 27.7 metres (91 feet) above ground.
Today, the Cape Forchu Lighthouse is a significant tourism drawn. The light itself, its 19 acres of well-groomed rounds, the view of Yarmouth's working harbour and the drive to the Cape through the very heart of an active fishing community, are all emblematic of Nova Scotia's coastal heritage. The tower stands as a proud symbol of dedication and service and maintains a 175-year-old tradition of guiding vessels in and out of Yarmouth Harbour. It is truly a historic landmark. As the light shines way across the water, we are reminded of our historic and economic ties to the sea.
Small Scale Community Wind Turbines
The Small Scale Community Wind Turbine Project falls under the Community Feed-in Tariff Program (COMFIT) and is facilitated by the Province of Nova Scotia. The Green Energy Committee, a partnership of the Municipality of Yarmouth, the Municipality of Argyle and the Town of Yarmouth, are the owners of this project. All costs and revenue are shared equally between the municipal partners.
The project intends to generate renewable and sustainable energy for the benefit of the residents of Yarmouth County and the province of Nova Scotia. The project location is 1806 Highway #1 in Wellington, NS.
Municipal Streetlights
By carrying out a conversion process during the summer of 2016 of approximately 1,700 of the High Pressure Sodium (HPS) streetlights throughout our Municipality and taking ownership, (they were formerly owned by NSPI), to new Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, we have reduced our Streetlight Energy Costs by approximately $240,000.00 per year.
Energy savings are just as impressive with a reduction in kWh output in the range of 50-65%. Put another way, we have reduced our theoretical annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 200 metric tonnes per year; which in turn is equivalent, theoretically, to the electricity used by 29 homes in a year or the consumption of 448 barrels of oil.
These annual savings are significant to a Municipality of our size and help our Council achieve priorities and operational objectives. On top of that, from an operational point of view, this new technology has delivered better performance in light quality, broadcast area, maintenance requirements and contributions to GHG emissions reductions.
Hebron Recreation Complex
The Hebron Recreation Complex is located at 107 Cemetery Road in Hebron, ideally situated near Maple Grove Educational Centre. Within the complex are three ball fields, tennis courts, a playground, the Forchu River Trail, the Rotary Centre Community Hall and a soccer field. It's a great place to recreate! The Rotary Center Community Hall has fully equipped kitchen facilities. The community hall is used in recreational programming and rentals available to the public through Yarmouth Recreation at 902-742-8868.
Sanford Drawbridge
The Sandford Drawbridge is located on Drawbridge Road which is a small side road near the north end of the Ross Durkee Road in the village of Sandford. The north wharf, which is no longer in existence, was built in 1915 to protect the highway and the entrance to the inner harbour boathole which was accessible only at high tide and sheltered the vessels or boats during storms. It was about this time that the drawbridge was built. When the wharves were constructed, a footbridge spanned the entrance to the boathole. When this entrance was widened to admit larger boats, the footbridge was replaced with a drawbridge. This has been extended several times and in 1984 was relocated at the entrance to the pond.
The Sandford Drawbridge is considered by some to be one of the smallest drawbridges in North America. As a subject for painters, photographers and visitors, it has provided a major attraction to the area.
Port Maitland Cattle Pound
The Port Maitland Cattle Pound, probably built during the spring or summer of 1871, is one of the few intact cattle pounds remaining in the Municipality of Yarmouth. These pounds were used to temporarily hold stray cattle until their owners reclaimed them. The man whose responsibility it was to catch and pen the cattle was called the cattle reeve, an office that was usually filled by appointment of Municipal Council. Most villages had a reeve and a cattle pound which was used until well into the 1900's.
Leif Ericson Trail
The Leif Ericson Trail is located at the tip of scenic Cape Forchu approximately 10 minutes from the Town of Yarmouth. Walk the shorelines in Leif Ericson Park enjoying the views and crisp salty air of the Yarmouth Harbour. Enjoy the view of working fishing boats, the Cat Ferry passing in and out of the Yarmouth Harbour, or become mesmerized by the beauty of the sea.
The trail is also a wonderful place for a picnic. There are over 19 acres of well-groomed grounds surrounding the light allowing visitors to appreciate the magnificent scenery.
The Leif Ericson Park, a new development of walking paths, picnic sites, and benches with views, located at the southern tip of the site, is surrounded by water and affords a great photo opportunity to watch sunsets.
