The Nova Scotia Historic Places Initiative

Points In Time Series:
Bird's Eye Views of Nova Scotia's Historic Places

In the late nineteenth century, most major Nova Scotian towns and villages were part of a growing trend – panoramic maps – that was popular across North America. These ‘bird’s eye view’ map provide an intimate snap shot of Nova Scotian communities as they include street patterns and names, harbours, waterways and rail lines. Most importantly for this project, these maps show buildings and structures of all types; houses, churches, schools, industrial buildings, out buildings, and commercial buildings. Details such as smoke billowing from smoke stacks, people on the streets and horse drawn carriages grab our attention and transport us back in time.

This project seeks to unite these snapshots in time with the modern heritage conservation movement. Interactive versions of these maps have been linked to our historic places. Zoom into the map; travel along a nineteenth century street; click on a highlighted building or place and see what it looks like today and learn about its heritage value and preservation history from the Nova Scotia Register of Historic Places.

Presently interactive maps of Annapolis Royal , Digby County , Truro , Lunenburg and Halifax are available.

Adobe Flash is required to view the maps.