Historic jewel of Nova Scotia

By Carolyn Sloan

The Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com

It was a day for the history books.

The 300th anniversary celebration of the deGannes-Cosby house was an event of local, provincial and national significance, as well as a tribute to the citizens of Annapolis Royal as leaders in the preservation of built heritage.

Organized by the Historical Association of Annapolis Royal, the garden party July 12 was inspired by the homeowners Jim and Pauline How, who opened up their home and garden for the public celebration, attended by its guest of honour, Lieutenant Governor Mayann E. Francis. The Historical Association itself was founded in 1919, and has been recognized as one of the top 10 organizations in Canada for the preservation and presentation of history.

Upon welcoming the guests, association chair Alan Melanson remarked on the efforts of local citizens who began a movement to preserve heritage across the country, beginning with the community-led initiative in 1917 to obtain the designation of Fort Anne as a National Historic Site.

“It was a grass roots movement,” Melanson explained. “We are actually the ones who started the historical preservation movement in Canada.”

The oldest inhabited wood frame building in Canada and the oldest home in Nova Scotia, the deGannes-Cosby house was built in 1708 by the French nobleman Major Louis deGannes de Failaise, who was posted to Port Royal in 1696. The structure was built on the site of his previous house, which burned in the unsuccessful siege of 1707.

A rare example of heavy timber frame construction, the house was home to the Cosby family throughout much of the 18th century. Alexander Cosby, an Irish aristocrat and British officer, along with his wife Anne, became the first British family to settle in Annapolis Royal after 1710.

“The deGannes-Cosby house is remarkably unchanged, thanks to its…owners [over the years],” said Parks Canada’s Brenda Dunn at the celebration. “The house is a cultural treasure.”

As one of her predecessors had lived in the house, Lieutenant Governor Mayann E. Francis expressed her gratitude to the historical association for decades of service and to the Hows for allowing the community to share in the celebrations.

“I truly commend the Hows for opening up their home to the public so that you can truly see and appreciate the shared history,” she said. “This house is a jewel.

“Everybody enjoy yourselves today and just embrace this history.”

In turn, the Hows thanked their guests and expressed their delight in the day’s celebrations.

“Thank you for coming,” said Jim How. “This is just what we wanted.”