Driving through Lunenburg the other day, we couldn’t help but notice that some of the tourists seem to be back in town. They’re easy to spot: cameras slung around their necks, open maps in hand, and looks of confusion or distraction on their faces as they pause on the street corners and in the crosswalks (where they are often surprised to find that cars actually give pedestrians the right of way). It may seem to some that this is an odd time to visit the Maritimes, when cool winds still blow off the Atlantic and spring snowstorms still occasionally pay unwelcome visits. But the town of Lunenburg is interesting year-round, especially for those with an eye for beautiful architecture, and on these early spring days, when the sun is shining warmly but it’s too cool for a walk on the beach, a walking tour of Lunenburg is the perfect way to spend a day or two of your Nova Scotia family vacation.
The history of Lunenburg and its architecture is well documented, but in brief, the same master skills that built large sea-going wooden vessels were used onshore to build grand, solid, eye-catching homes that still exist today. As a matter of fact, two-thirds of the buildings that currently remain in Old Town Lunenburg date from the nineteenth century. A handful (about 8) date back to the eighteenth century.
There are lots of outstanding architectural features to notice on these buildings, but the detail that literally stands out on many of the homes is the Lunenburg Bump, a modification of the Scottish five-sided dormer. Master builders of the nineteenth century, many of whom were also master shipwrights, incorporated innovative versions of this architectural feature to add grandeur and space to new and remodeled homes. As a matter of fact, there seems to have been some competition involved to see who could design and build the grandest and finest Lunenburg Bump.
Today, many of these fine homes are being renovated, and the same care and craftsmanship that was used in their original construction is on display today. And not coincidentally, the last names of many of the modern ship builders and house builders are the same as those in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries - skills and surnames have been passed down from generation to generation.
A walk along Lunenburg’s waterfront will show that there’s still a strong ship to shore connection in this community. A heritage carpentry shop is located right on the waterfront, boats are still being built in a number of businesses, and high school and college students are still being given a chance to learn the crafts that will serve them well at sea, on shore, and in life.
So this spring we invite you to use our Nova Scotia vacation rentals as a base camp while you explore the town of Lunenburg, its famous Bumps, and its active waterfront.
