Article

Shelburne

Published Online September 24, 2012

Last Edited March 4, 2015

Shelburne, NS, incorporated as a town in 1907, population 1686 (2011c), 1879 (2006c). The Town of Shelburne, the seat of Shelburne County, is located on Shelburne Harbour 208 km southwest of Halifax.

Shelburne, NS, incorporated as a town in 1907, population 1686 (2011c), 1879 (2006c). The Town of Shelburne, the seat of Shelburne County, is located on Shelburne Harbour 208 km southwest of Halifax. Shelburne was named for Lord Shelburne, prime minister of England during the American Revolution. At the close of the American Revolution some 16 000 LOYALISTS, including 2000 black Loyalists, found temporary refuge here, drawn by the magnificent harbour.

Ross-Thompson House
Early 1780s, Shelburne, NS (photo by Hellmut W. Schade--Scholastic Slide Service).

Today, many 18th-century buildings remain, fishing is the mainstay of the economy and most citizens trace their ancestry back to the Loyalist refugees. The historic complex on Dock Street includes 4 Loyalist houses (including Ross-Thompson House) and the John C. Williams Dory Shop, built by the grandson of Loyalist Amos Williams. Donald MCKAY, the famous designer and builder of clipper ships, was born in Jordan Falls, 11 km northeast.