The O'Dell House Museum

At the O'Dell House Museum you can step back in time, to a Victorian time in the busy port of Annapolis Royal. The house used to serve as a tavern and stagecoach inn located at the head of the Ferry Slip so it was a focal point in town. The inn was operated by Corey O'Dell who at one time rode for the Nova Scotia Pony Express.

If you are interested in genealogy or local history this is the place to go also. The large archives of the Annapolis Heritage Society are located in this building plus the genealogy association for Annapolis Royal.

The O'Dell House was built in 1860 by Mr. Corey O'Dell who came here from Saint John, NB. The first records of Corey O’Dell in this area were in 1848 when he was a dispatch rider for the Pony Express, which was the first international news link. Corey rode the section between Kentville and Victoria Beach. The Pony Express only lasted a year when it gave rise in 1849 to the founding of the Associate Press in New York.

Corey returned to Saint John after the fall of the Pony Express but moved his wife and two sons back to this area. He worked for several years at the Commercial House Tavern & Inn on Lower St. George Street. Then he purchased this double lot property and buildings just to the east.

Corey moved the existing house, except for the kitchen ell to the back of the property and built his 2 1/2 story, fourteen room Victorian house and business onto the ell. When he opened up his Inn and tavern it became the center of the waterfront commerce. Just across the road was the Ferry Slip linking St. John, Boston and Granville Ferry to Annapolis Royal. This also became the stagecoach stop in town which linked him to several land ports in Nova Scotia.

Corey eventually turned his tavern/inn into a general

Old Postcard Showing The Waterfront of    
Lower St Geroge Street, Annapolis Royal    

merchandise business and at the time of his death in March, 1887 he was a fairly wealthy man.

The house was owned by Corey's daughter-in-law, Mrs. Sarah O'Dell after Corey's death who it is said still rented out the odd room or two. Sarah passed away in 1957 and the house was sold to new owners who turned it into four apartments. Much of it's original features were hidden by layers of beaverboard and masonite.

Then in the winter of 1967 Ralph & Marquerite Wagner purchased the building and began the job of restoring it. With each layer taken off something new was discovered. Some of these discoveries were the bake oven in the kitchen and the hanging chimney in the tavern.

With the visitors who stopped in to take a look an idea began to appear, that of a museum. It didn't take long for word to get around and artifacts and family memorabilia started coming in from residents far and near.

Mrs. Joe Ternan set the stage for the famous costume collection when she donated the Whitman collection. Another big donation came when Walter Morrison from Lawrencetown volunteered his time and talent to develop the Frederick Harris glass negative collection and mounted them for display.

The Historic Restoration Enterprises, (now the Annapolis Heritage Society) had been started in 1967 and Ralph & Marquerite Wagner were two of it's founding members, thence the O'Dell House Museum was to be their first dream come true.

In 1969 Mayor Jack Kerr cut the ribbon proclaiming the O'Dell Inn & Tavern Museum officially open to visitors. Since then there have been many visitors from all over stopping in to view the museum. Donations are still coming in and the display is changing a little each year, so even the locals keep coming back.

Today the O'Dell House Museum houses not only the museum but the headquarters for the Annapolis Heritage Society where they run their Genealogy Centre and Archives. They are also very busy planning and executing the exhibits for all three of the museums in the area from here.

Their archives includes an extensive collection of old photos of the area and it's people plus numerous other documents, ledges, scrapbooks and files from local businesses and families. The genealogy center is ever growing and has a large family history collection along with church records, graveyard inscriptions, census records plus much more.

In the little gift shop you may purchase local history books and local family histories along with other items of interest from the area.

When you enter the ground floor of the museum you will find it much as it was when it was run as a stagecoach inn & tavern. You will really feel like you stepped back in time as you view the parlour, dining room, kitchen and small office.

Upstairs you will find several rooms all set up with different themes. There is one room dedicated to the seafaring and ship-building era in Annapolis Royal. There are lots of old pictures and artifacts showing some of the large sailing ships that visited this port or were built here. Interpretive signs will explain the displays and tell you some of the history.

In other rooms you will find different displays set up all covering different areas of life in the old seaport town. Some of these displays are changed yearly as new acquisitions are acquired and new themes are thought of to keep the museum interesting.

Every year as it approaches the holiday season in Annapolis Royal several volunteers from the area start making holiday crafts and exploring the woods for unique decorations.

They then bring all of this to the O'Dell House Museum and decorate the downstairs in traditional Victorian Christmas decor.

Then several volunteers dress up in

  Christmas Carrolling at the Victorian Christmas,
                O'Dell House Museum

old Victorian costumes and they open their doors to the public to come and enjoy a traditional Victorian Christmas.

This has become an annual event and every year it just seems to get better and better. Tons of people from near and far come every year to share the experience.

In today’s world of hustle and bustle and artificial trees and decorations it is so nice to step into the inn with it's real tree boughs, candles and hand made decorations. The fantastic smells add much to the quiet and serenity of this fabulous display.

During the festivities the old Inn is decorated in 19th century finery. The decorations are all home made and and era-authentic include boughs, bows and wreaths. The only lighting is from candles, lamps and lanterns making the atmosphere warm and cosy.

You will see women dressed in period costumes in the kitchen baking up treats to have with your tea in the parlour. Gentlemen in their black top hats and coats will be engaged in conversation about the running of the town. Other women and children might be settled in knitting or crocheting gifts to be wrapped and put under the tree. Everything in here takes you back to a much simpler time of life and is well worth the visit.

The O'Dell House Museum is located at 136 St. George Street in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. This is the lower part of the main business street in Annapolis, just continue it down past the wharf and Farmer's Market and you will find the O'Dell on your right before the sharp turn.

The museum is open daily all during the summer months and on week days during the winter, weather permitting. It is advised that you call ahead during the winter months.

There is a small admission to enter the museum.

You will find a small gift shop in the building featuring local history books and genealogies of local people along with other interesting local items.

For more information visit the O'Dell House Museum website.

Leave O'Dell House Museum and return to see other Annapolis Valley Museums