Annapolis Royal is one of the most popular summer tourist destinations in the Annapolis Valley. There are several historic sites, a farmers market, an amusement park, Acadian heritage tours, golf clubs, various events on the river, Canada Day celebrations, and many naturally beautiful sites to see in and around this historic part of the Annapolis Valley.
The name Annapolis Royal comes from the honouring of Queen Anne (1665-1714) and the Greek word for city ‘polis’. It combines the former French name for the area of Port Royal with the above to become ‘Annapolis Royal’ as we know it today.
Annapolis Royal along with Port Royal is the oldest continuous European settlement in North America north of Florida. It was settled by Samuel Champlain and Pierre Dugua in 1605. In it’s early days, the area was constantly under siege by British and New England colonists, but each time the French managed to recapture control. The French kept control throughout most of the 17th century.
In 1710, British forces occupied what is now Annapolis Royal after Port Royal was abandoned by the French. It served as the capital of the Colony of Nova Scotia from 1710 until 1749 when Halifax was founded. Annapolis Royal was a very important location for the British as they built Fort Anne to defend the capital from seaward attacks. Some of Fort Anne remains to this day and is preserved for the public to visit and tour. This town has the Annapolis Basin, the Annapolis River, the Annapolis Valley, and Annapolis County all named after it. As of 2006 the population was 444.
As with most areas of the Annapolis Valley, First Nations were here long before European settlers. There is evidence of First Nations inhabitants in the area dating back as far as 11,000 years. They are believed to have followed caribou to the region after the last glaciers retreated. Mi’kmaq were the people who occupied the area when European settlers first came to the area in 1605. It is believed they settled in the Annapolis Valley along rivers to take advantage of the fish, shell fish, and waterfowl that they could catch in the summer months, and the moose, deer, and beaver that they could catch year round. There is evidence of trade happening between the European settlers and the Mi’kmaq people during the 17th century.