Reflection 5 – Settlement of Shelburne Nova Scotia

… or lack there of

Since we starting covering how early settlements throughout Canada developed and their process, I have been really intrigued. I am from a very small coastal town on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. The nearest town to mine has a very rich history and I decided to look into this and what survey systems/settlement techniques were used and how the land was settled in general.

Shelburne Nova Scotia is a town that went from nothing, to the fourth largest city in North America at the time, to a present population of just above 1700 people. There are many factors that are to blame for this – land use planning and surveying efforts are partially to blame.

The History

Shelburne Nova Scotia was built on what is one of todays biggest natural harbours, which would bring its own pros and cons to the development of the town. During the time of the early 1780’s Britain was trying to settle people in Nova Scotia who would be loyal to them. Thus the name Loyalists. These people where assured beautiful farming land, free of charge and a place to call home if they would assist in developing this community. Now, pretend it is 1782 when 100 families of Loyalists from New York City land in Shelburne to organize and settle this land. This group was call the Port Roseway Associates. (“The Loyalist Experiment of Shelburne, Nova Scotia”, 2004)The Roseway is the extremely long river system that connects to the ocean at the head of the harbour.

Move ahead a year to early 1783. The Roseway Associates still havent been granted their land and barely any efforts in clearing, surveying or preparing the land for the incoming families had been completed. In Autumn of this year the first mass amount of people from the Boston and the middle colonies arrive to the undeveloped town they were promised. 5000 people arrived and were forced to spend the winter on the ships they arrived in. (Town of, Shelburne. (2019))

Survey and Development Efforts

The land is granted to the Loyalists eventually, however, at a later date then promised. Here is a map of the loyalist grants in the area in 1784.

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In any area, a very organized and structured layout and plan must be in place to ensure prosperity and successfulness. The goal of this development was to replace Boston and become the trading centre between Britain and the West Indies. The associates had great expectations but lacked in making them happen.

Many of the new comers were merchants, service people (i.e. barbers), and traders to help support the upcoming trading hub. Issues arose because there weren’t enough people that knew how to live off the land and farm it. Also, the land that was made out to be “great farming land’ was extremely populated with rock and lacking nutrient rich soil.

More people came to the town of Shelburne and it very quickly became an urban centre but as mentioned, the town wasn’t ready. At its peak, after more waves of settlers, Shelburne had roughly 10,000 people. In an effort too late, the Roseway Associates and surveyors followed the Pro-English settlement survey techniques and used the Township system to develop their settlements core. Below is a picture of the town in 1894.

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Accessed from: “Nova Scotia Archives – Gideon White Family Papers”, 2019

As you can see they followed the urban centre style with blocks and many intersections. This was too late and should have been completed before the influx of people. By 1816 the population of the town dwindled to under 400 people. This happened for serval reasons:

• Racial issues which led to many Black Loyalists going to Sierra Leone.
• Government distribution of provisions was terminated in 1787.
• Hunger became an issue as well as the town is 9 miles inside the harbour which froze solid during the winters.
  
• Lack of land planning and organization

Once they realized the town needed to be developed they did little to no development in regards to the farm land so food became an issue in that regard as well. As you can see, the town of Shelburne is an extreme example of how land development, government and planning is crucial to the successful development of a settlement.

The Roseway Associates had great aspirations but failed to make them happen. Perhaps, if they had prepared the land and made it ready for the mass influx in population, the people could have sustained them selves and Shelburne could have been the capital of Nova Scotia.

References

Nova Scotia Archives – Gideon White Family Papers. (2019). Retrieved from https://novascotia.ca/archives/white/results.asp?Intro=more

The Loyalist Experiment of Shelburne, Nova Scotia. (2004). Retrieved from http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~ab443/shelburne.htm

Town of, Shelburne. (2019). Shelburne’s History – Town of Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Retrieved from https://www.town.shelburne.ns.ca/shelburnes-history.html

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