Travel to Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia (Canada)

After spending some time wandering through Pictou, I got onto highway 6 and drove west to Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia. This small town is in the midst of a major re-haul of its main museum and cultural centre.

What was once the Sunrise Trail Museum and Fraser Cultural Centre is now the stunning new complex, Creamery Square. The ambitions are high for this project and, when complete, it will encompass a farmer’s market (already in full swing), a heritage centre (just opened to the public) and a performing arts centre (possibly ready for next year).

When I stopped by, the Creamery Square Heritage Centre was about to open later that week, but was still in need of lots of work (I noticed that the official opening went well, so I’m sure they got everything finished just in time!).

I saw the beginning of the Giantess Anna Swan gallery (the story of an 18-pound baby who grew up to be 7’11” when she was only 16), a smattering of the displays for the revived Sunraise Trail Museum (covers the history of the area, including the Mi’kmaq First Nations people, Acadians and DesBarres and the first settlers), Brule fossils (a neat exhibit with sound effects and interpretive panels), archives, and the creamery exhibit (did you know Tatamagouche is famous for its butter?).

Station Inn Tatamagouche
Not to outdo the ambitious Creamery Square is the popular Train Station Inn hotel. This accommodation combines railway history with fun accommodations. In fact, there are seven cabooses to choose from (recently I went to Footloose Caboose Lodge in Alberta; same concept but they only have two cabooses to stay overnight in) plus rooms in the Stationmaster’s residence.

The 1905 Alexandra dining car is neat for dining out and there is a new lounge that caters to those just looking for a drink and finger food (or a warm up before dinner). Inside the station is an extensive gift shop for all things trains, which is a good place for railway buffs to go!

What I Liked:

• Tatamagouche seems to be in the middle of a growth spurt, with Creamery Square being the central showpiece.
• The Train Station Inn is a lovely accommodation with lots of options and a great atmosphere.
• Beside the Train Station Inn is Big Al’s Acadian Restaurant and Lounge, a super casual eatery serving pizza, burgers, sandwiches and wraps.

UPDATE: I just got an email about the Tatamagouche Grain Elevator Village and thought I would post the link. Looks neat!

Tags: Brule fossils, caboose, canada, Creamery Square, farmer’s market, Fraser Cultural Centre, Giantess Anna Swan, Mi’kmaq First Nations, Nova Scotia, ns, performing arts centre, railway, Station inn tatamagouche, stationmaster, Sunrise Trail Museum, Tatamagouche, Tatamagouche butter, Tatamagouche nova scotia, Travel to