CONNECTIONS

Hand-tinted postcard circa 1900. View from Granville Ferry across the River to Annapolis Royal.

A few hundred yards of tidal river separate these communities but a regular connection was imperative for commerce. So, "the Ferry" distinguished itself from Upper Granville, Granville Centre, Granville Beach, and Lower Granville by its most important service.

Thirteen hundred and sixty four feet: a single lane bridge built in 1921. It would last 40 years. An aerial view from the Annapolis side of the river.

Ships were still important to the economy of this end of the Valley. The bridge had a swing span which allowed vessels to continue up the River to the head of navigation, in Bridgetown.

From the Granville Ferry side of the River: the causeway under construction in 1961.

Hogg Island, in the River, proved a useful, cost-saving asset to this project. The island connected the two arms of the causeway. In the background you see the old bridge. A span dropped into the river while the causeway was being built, and so Granville Ferry once again had a ferry service to the Town until construction was finished.

Closing the gap on the Annapolis side, and putting an end to commercial navigation beyond the causeway.

North America's first tidal power station, a pilot project, would makes its home on the causeway and harness the 27 foot tidal range of the River at this point. The images above came from here, at mapannapolis.ca.