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Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site of Canada

Chebucto Street (Route 205), Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1952/05/27

General view of the setting of the Alexander Graham Bell museum in Baddeck Nova Scotia.; Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, n.d.
General view.
General view of the Alexander Graham Bell site and courtyard, 1981.; Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, J. Steeves. 1981
General view
General view of the Alexander Graham Bell site, 1981; Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, J. Steeves, 1981
General view

Other Name(s)

Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site of Canada
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander-Graham-Bell
Alexander Graham Bell

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1954/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2004/06/08

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site consists of a 20th-century museum building containing Bell memorabilia, set on a 10 hectare property overlooking Baddeck Bay, part of Bras d'Or Lake, and Beinn Bhreagh, Alexander Graham Bell's summer home.

Heritage Value

Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site was established as a historic museum in 1954 to house Alexander Graham Bell memorabilia. The reason for national significance is that the memorabilia are associated with Alexander Graham Bell, teacher, scientist and inventor, a person of national historic significance.

The heritage value of this site resides in the associations of the artifacts with Alexander Graham Bell and in the site's proximity to Bell's summer home which he established in Baddeck, Nova Scotia in 1886 and occupied it for a regular part of every year until his death in 1922. There, he conducted scientific experiments in sound transmission, medicine, aeronautics, marine engineering and space-frame construction.

The HSMBC has also commemorated- Frederick Walker ''Casey'' Baldwin and Douglas McCurdy for their flight experiments in Baddeck in association with Bell.

Source: HSMBC Minutes, April 1952 and June 1977, Commemorative Integrity Statement

Character-Defining Elements

Bell memorabilia, including:
- artifacts donated by the Bell family in 1955 from Kite House , the family's personal museum on the estate of A.G.Bell established in 1910 (including various items of furniture, clothing and photographs),
- memorabilia donated to the Government of Canada by the Bell family (including items associated with Bell's scientific experiments in Baddeck such as the tetrahedral shelter, the original HD-4 hull, and a hydrofoil towing target as well as various awards and certificates),
- memorabilia associated with Bell on permanent loan to the Government of Canada by members of the Bell family (largely honours received by Bell),
- artifacts directly associated with Bell that have been donated by non-family members (unlisted),
- the contents of Bell's library (1500 books and periodicals) donated by the Bell family in the 1970s.
- the setting of the museum in Baddeck Nova Scotia

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Federal

Recognition Authority

Government of Canada

Recognition Statute

Historic Sites and Monuments Act

Recognition Type

National Historic Site of Canada

Recognition Date

1952/05/27

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

1886/01/01 to 1922/01/01

Theme - Category and Type

Developing Economies
Communications and Transportation
Developing Economies
Labour

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Leisure
Museum
Industry
Communications Facility

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

National Historic Sites Directorate, Documentation Centre, 5th Floor, Room 89, 25 Eddy Street, Gatineau, Quebec

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

257

Status

Published

Related Places

Façade

Alexander Graham Bell Museum

The Alexander Graham Bell Museum, located at the edge of the village of Baddeck, is a modern, double, A-framed, structure with rustic overtones. Based on a tetrahedral geometric…

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