Bailey House (Annapolis Royal)

The Bailey House in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada is a historic house built around 1770, making it one of the oldest wood frame houses in Canada. It has been operating as a lodging, with interruptions, since at least 1837. The building is a Georgian style and is largely unaltered since its original construction. The house is part of the Annapolis Royal Historic District.

History
According to local historian, Charlotte Isabella Perkins, the house was built by local Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, William Robertson, around 1770, although other sources indicate the builder was John Easson, an early Nova Scotia settler. Records show that Loyalist settler Joseph Totten obtained the property in 1783.

In 1816, the property was obtained by James Robertson, a justice of the peace.

By 1837, Elizabeth "Marm" Bailey was living at the house. Elizabeth was the daughter-in-law of the prominent author and Loyalist, Reverend Jacob Bailey. She operated the Bailey House as an "aristocratic boarding house". It was during this time that she served her renowned "Moose Muffle Soup", a fusion of Mi'kmaq and European cuisine. After her death, her daughters continued to operate the boarding house until 1910.

After 1910, the house was rented as a tenement and became dilapidated until restored by then owner, Suzanne Halliburton. Ruth Eisenhauer, a local historian, acquired the house in 1962 and lived there until her death in 1997. At that time, the house and contents were offered to the Nova Scotia Museum. The museum declined the offer and the house later opened as a bed and breakfast.

Notable Guests
According to local tradition, Prince Edward, the father of Queen Victoria and namesake of Prince Edward Island, attended a ball at the Bailey House in 1794.

Thomas Chandler Haliburton, a Nova Scotia politician and first international best-selling author from what is now Canada, was a regular guest at the Bailey House.

Also, according to local tradition, John Campbell, the Marquis of Lorne and Governor General of Canada, visited the Bailey House during an 1880 visit to Nova Scotia