New England Planters (1760s)
After the Acadian expulsion, the fertile lands of the Annapolis Valley were left largely empty, and the British government sought to repopulate the area to prevent French reoccupation and to boost the economy. In the late 1750s, they issued a call to settlers from New England, offering them land grants in the Annapolis Valley. This led to the migration of thousands of New Englanders, who became known as the New England Planters.
The Planters were largely Protestant, and they brought with them agricultural practices that were well-suited to the fertile lands of the Annapolis Valley. They took over land developed by the Acadians and quickly established new farms and communities, transforming the region into a prosperous agricultural area. The arrival of the New England Planters marked the beginning of a significant cultural shift in the region, as the predominantly French Catholic population was replaced by English-speaking Protestants.
The Loyalists (1780s)
A second wave of migration to the Annapolis Valley occurred after the American Revolution. Following the British defeat in 1783, many Loyalists—colonists in America who had remained loyal to the British Crown—found themselves unwelcome in the newly independent United States. Seeking refuge, tens of thousands of Loyalists fled to British North America (present-day Canada), including Nova Scotia.
Black Loyalists
Some of these Loyalists who had fought for the British were Black slaves who had been promised their freedom if they fought on their side. At the end of the war the Americans wanted these individuals returned but the British agreed that the American owners would be given financial compensation and these Loyalists their freedom. At least 3000 Black Loyalists came to Nova Scotia between 1783 and 1785. Along with their freedom these Loyalists were promised land and provisions. However, the government was slow to meet their obligations and much of the land awarded was not suitable for farming. Despite this many stayed, and in the western part of the Annapolis Valley, they made the area around Digby their home.
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Impact and Legacy
The arrival of the New England Planters and the Loyalists had a lasting impact on the Annapolis Valley. The region became known for its agricultural productivity, particularly in apple orchards, dairy farming, and later, vineyards.
The cultural legacy of these settlers is still evident in the Annapolis Valley today, with many communities tracing their roots back to the Planters and Loyalists. The region's architecture, place names, and cultural practices reflect this rich history of settlement and resettlement.
While the Planters and Loyalists helped build a new society in the Annapolis Valley, the trauma of the Acadian expulsion and the displacement of the original inhabitants is still remembered and commemorated, particularly within the Acadian communities that eventually resettled in other parts of Nova Scotia and the Maritime Provinces.
Overall, the story of the Annapolis Valley is one of transformation, resilience, and the complex interactions between different cultural groups in the context of colonial expansion and conflict.