Regional genealogy organizations team up to attract tourists

“The South West Nova Scotia Genealogy Circuit is one of the first serious marketing initiatives designed to promote the wealth of genealogical resources we are blessed with in this part of Nova Scotia,” says Peter Crowell, Municipal Archivist for the Municipality of Argyle, and a certified genealogist. “The initiative includes Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby and Annapolis county archives, libraries, museums and research centres. We have fabulous resources for the genealogist - we just need to get the word out to them.”



The circuit is being promoted through a variety of media and has an extensive web site at www.swnsroots.com.">www.swnsroots.com.">www.swnsroots.com. It is a project promoting the services and materials available at 11 research facilities from Annapolis Royal out to Freeport on Digby Neck and all the way around to Shelburne. The project was made possible through funding from the Strategic Development Initiative program of the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage.



“There is just so much history in this part of the province,” says Trudy Amirault, Western Counties Regional Library Director. “The roots of this region run so deep and include the Mi’kmaq, Acadians, African Nova Scotians, Loyalists and New England Planters.”



The aim of the circuit is to highlight the amount of genealogical information available in the area and attract people interested in tracing their roots to the region.



“I have observed in our own museum and archives that the tourist who is a genealogical researcher often has a more significant economic impact in the community where they conduct their research,” adds Crowell. “While the museum visitor is with us for 20 minutes or a half hour, the researcher often remains several days. They tend to buy our publications, stay in local hotels and bed and breakfasts, frequent our restaurants - and in many cases return year after year.”



The web site contains information about the area and the services provided by the partnering organizations and links to sites covering everything from traveling to the region to finding accommodations.



“For years, the wealth of genealogy material available in this region has been a well-kept secret,” says Amirault. “We plan to change that.”



To help promote the region as a genealogy tourism destination, representatives of the newly formed circuit will be taking promotional materials to a variety of trade shows and fairs, including Destination Southwest Nova Scotia Travel Show at The Cunard Centre in Halifax; the New England Connections show in Hartford, Connecticut; and the American-Canadian Genealogical Society Spring Workshops at American-Canadian Genealogical Society Library in Manchester, New Hampshire.



Organizations making up the South West Nova Scotia Genealogy Circuit are:



1) Admiral Digby Museum/Genealogy Department

95 Montague Row, Digby, NS B0V 1A0

(902) 245-6322 admuseum@ns.sympatico.ca

www.admuseum.ns.ca">www.admuseum.ns.ca">www.admuseum.ns.ca



2) Annapolis Heritage Society – Genealogy Centre

136 St. George Street, Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0

(902) 532-7754 historic@ns.aliantzinc.ca

www.annapolisheritagesociety.com">www.annapolisheritagesociety.com">www.annapolisheritagesociety.com



3) Argyle Township Court House Archives

8162 Highway 3, Tusket, Yarmouth County, NS B0W 3M0

(902) 648-2493 atcha2@ns.aliantzinc.ca

www.argylecourthouse.com">www.argylecourthouse.com">www.argylecourthouse.com



4) Centre acadien, Université Sainte-Anne

1695 Highway 1, Church Point/1695 Route 1, Pointe-de-l'Église

Digby County, NS/Comté Digby, N.É. B0W 1M0

(902) 769-2114, ext./poste 204 centre.acadien@usainteanne.ca

centreacadien.usainteanne.ca/



5) Islands’ Archives

247 Highway 217, Freeport, NS B0V 1B0

(902) 839-2675 islandhistoricalsociety@ns.sympatico.ca



6) Musée acadien et Archives de Pubnico-Ouest

898 Highway 335, West Pubnico/898 Autoroute 335, Pubnico-Ouest

Yarmouth County, NS/Comté Yarmouth , N.É. B0W 3S0

(902) 762-3380 musee.acadien@ns.sympatico.ca

www.museeacadien.ca">www.museeacadien.ca">www.museeacadien.ca



7) Shelburne County Archives and Genealogical Society

168 Water Street, Shelburne, NS B0T 1W0

(902) 875-4299 gencentre@ns.sympatico.ca

nsgna.ednet.ns.ca/shelburne/index.php



8) Shelburne County Museum

20 Dock Street, Shelburne, NS B0T 1W0

(902) 875-3219 shelburne.museum@ns.sympatico.ca

www.historicshelburne.com">www.historicshelburne.com">www.historicshelburne.com



9) Western Counties Regional Library

405 Main Street, Yarmouth, NS B5A 1G3

(902) 742-2486 ansy@nsy.library.ns.ca

www.westerncounties.ca">www.westerncounties.ca">www.westerncounties.ca



10) Yarmouth County Museum and Archives

22 Collins Street, Yarmouth, NS B5A 3C8

(902) 742-5539 ycarchives@eastlink.ca

yarmouthcountymuseum.ednet.ns.ca



11) Yarmouth Family History Centre

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

396 Pleasant Street, Yarmouth, NS