This is a pretty white painted cottage with dark green trim on a grassy bank above the river surrounded by fruit trees. There is a large barn which was used to store hay for the winter, a few sheep and a small wooden shed containing an earth closet. The half moon carved in the door meant it was for use by the women; a full moon indicated use by the men, but there was no closet provided for them here.
The house was built in 1857 and was the home of Ervin and Ethelda Myers and their 13 daughters. Ervin fished in the summer and worked in the woods during the winter months. The family grew root crops and preserved food.
A coach tour was just leaving as we arrived and there were four costumed interpreters on duty that morning, sitting chatting in the summer kitchen and drinking tea. This had been built on at the side of the house and had a wood burning stove for cooking. Staff had been baking biscuits in the oven and, when we left, their lunch was being put to cook in the oven.
There was a smaller winter kitchen in the main house and a best parlour which had a pump organ. There were handmade hooked rugs on the floors with hand crocheted items and patchwork quilts on the beds. An extra room had been built on the back of the house with a large window for one of the daughter’s who was recovering from tuberculosis.
We dropped down the path to the wharf with its fishing stage, which had a collection of nets, eel traps and other fishing equipment.
This was an interesting and informative visit. We were taken round the house by one of the guides and then sat talking in the kitchen, drinking tea and eating biscuits. Topics ranged form life of the Myers to how the English celebrate Christmas Day.
It was obvious the staff had a great affection for the place and loved their work. This place sparkled with life unlike Sherbrooke Village.
Website for Fisherman’s Life Museum: http://museum.gov.ns.ca/flm/
Website of Pictures from our visit can be found here.
