Dear America,
It’s your friends from Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada here.
We wanted to reach out to say that despite everything going on between our two countries right now, you will always have a place here to call your home away from home. We’ve recently welcomed you to our region to experience our rugged coastline, famous Digby scallops and world class whale watching, but our relationship goes much deeper than that.
Nova Scotia has a special relationship with the United States. Such as our annual donation of a Christmas Tree to Boston showing our thanks to you for your help through the Halifax Explosion and us taking in over 7000 Americans in during 9/11.
Even further back, thousands of Acadians relocated to your south during the Great Expulsion and tens of thousands of Americans settled in our region during the American Revolution.
But here in Digby, Nova Scotia, we also have a special shared history together.
Did you know that Thomas Edison’s Dad was born in Digby, Nova Scotia? His great grandfather fled New Jersey for Nova Scotia in 1784. The Edison’s spent a few generations in Nova Scotia before moving back to the United States.
That’s not the only famous connection we share.
Samuel Edgar Langford was born in Weymouth Falls (a small community just west of Digby). Sam Langford is considered to be one the the greatest boxers to ever live. He followed his passion to the United States, where he quickly earned his nickname,”the Boston Bonecrusher”.
Joshua Slocum, who grew up on Brier Island, later moved to various places in the United States. In Massachusetts, he built the boat that would lead him to become the first person to sail solo around the world.
A retired Babe Ruth once visited the Digby Pines Resort. During his visit he broke a golf record, got drunk and then broke into a closed swimming area, where he had to shout for help to be rescued.
The Digby area even has a connection to US Presidents. With Franklin Roosevelt visiting Brier Island (Westport) by sailboat during his Presidency and the Nixon administration ordering some Maud Lewis originals to hang in the White House. President Nixon would even later write a letter to Maud’s husband after she died.
These are just some of the many connections Digby, Nova Scotia has with the United States, through good times and bad.
So no matter what happens next, know that we will always welcome you with our famous Canadian East Coast Hospitality and we can’t wait to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Digby area – Nova Scotia, Canada
