A new book compiled by the Admiral Digby Library and Historical Society profiles several of the town’s historic properties, including this large home on Queen Street. Jeanne Whitehead photo
Turn pages to tour historic town sites
With the town celebrating 225 years since the Loyalist settlement, there’s renewed interest in Digby’s history. Admiral Digby Library and Historical Society has anticipated this and published a book that takes its reader to more than 50 historic properties.
If you’re a Digby resident who loves history, you can curl up in a cozy chair and enjoy this little book. If you’re an outdoorsy type, you can use ‘Historic Walking Tour of Digby, Nova Scotia’ as a guide, as you take a stroll around town.
The tour begins in Fishermen’s Memorial Park, where the home of Admiral Digby once stood. It continues along Maiden Lane to Prince William Street to First Avenue and then along Queen. The book offers the history of several of the town’s most impressive homes, as well as its churches.
There are also interesting asides. For instance, 157 Queen was for many years owned by the Bank of Nova Scotia, and the residence of its bank managers.
Major John Daley, who became lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia**, lived at 158 Queen Street. Daley established the first electric light system in Digby and also has been credited with introducing white-tailed deer to the province.
In the old Loyalist Cemetery on Warwick Street are gravestones of some of Digby’s original settlers. The book notes that their epitaphs make interesting reading. Among them is this on the stone of James A. Holdsworth, who died in 1808 at the age of 68: “Behold and see as you pass by, As you are now so once was I, As I am now you soon must be, Prepare to die and follow me.”
Continue left onto Montague Row where number 76, a large white home now being extensively renovated, was once home to Digby’s premier industrialist, H. Tupper Warne, a sawmill owner, lumber producer and owner of Defiance Truck Manufacture.
On Water Street at Sydney where the Bank of Nova Scotia stands, the buildings in this historic little town become products of the twentieth century. In February, 1899, fire leveled at least 25 buildings from Sydney Street to Prince William Street. The town’s business people promptly rebuilt them.
The Digby Courier office is the last stop of the tour. The newspaper has been located in different sites on or near Water Street since it was first published in 1874.
‘Historic Walking Tour of Digby, Nova Scotia’ is available at the Admiral Digby museum.
** CORRECTION: Malachy Daly, not John Daley, served as lieutenant governor.
Elizabeth Taylor
Comment online since May 2nd 2008Your article refers to the fact that Major John Daley was a Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. I don't believe this is correct. I certainly don't see his name on the list of those who have served the province in this capacity.
Perhaps you have confused him with Sir Malachy Bowes Daly: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malachy_Bowes_Daly
Is this an error in the book from the Museum or simply an error made by the author of the article?