Historic Bed and Breakfasts
What better way to experience Canada's heritage than by staying
in a historic bed and breakfast? Canada has a vast network of
heritage homes in rural and urban settings that have been converted
to bed and breakfasts. For a traveller, they are a relatively
cheap and probably far more interesting lodging alternative to the
more standard hotel and motel chains. In fact, historic bed
and breakfasts give the traveller a chance to experience up close
interactions with owners who not only care about the history of
their homes but who also have intimate knowledge of the attractions
of their local communities. Very often, a bed and breakfast
will be located in a neighbourhood that provides opportunities to
walk to nearby sites of interest.
One good example of a historic house that is now a bed and
breakfast is Minto Manor in Revelstoke, British Columbia.
Also known as Birch Lodge, this house was built over a
century ago in 1905, and has been an integral part of the history
of Revelstoke. Constructed for the prominent businessman
Robert Howson - who had formerly worked at laying tracks through
the Rocky Mountains for the Canadian Pacific Railway - the house
will captivate the visitor with its neoclassical revival design
which was set to fit into the picturesque local mountain
landscape. One might want to take note of the stained glass
windows, or the second floor windows which help frame the mountains
in the background, or the large wraparound veranda which has given
previous owners - and now guests - the perfect setting to gaze out
at the nearby breathtaking scenery of Mt. Revelstoke National Park
and the Columbia River valley.
In Winnipeg, a traveller
might be interested in staying at a charming historic house that
was built in 1882. The Beechmount Bed and Breakfast, also
known as the J. B. Monk Residence, is a large brick
mansion constructed in the appealing and whimsical Queen Anne
Revival architectural style. It displays Winnipeg's
optimism during a speculative land boom in the late 19th
century. One of the oldest homes in the city, and located in
a wooded setting on Armstrong's Point along the Assiniboine River,
this is an attractive Victorian home with ornate chimneys,
patterned brick, numerous dormers and large veranda. If you
are someone interested in Winnipeg's local history, or someone
who wants to be within walking distance of the historic provincial
legislative buildings and downtown's Exchange District, or if
you are interested in the peaceful and natural surroundings of
the Assiniboine River, this is the place for you! 
On the East Coast, there is a wonderful historic place
where you can stay while in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia: the
Bread and Roses Inn. This is a
beautiful mansion built in an appealing Queen Anne Revival style,
and in this particular case, the architectural design is considered
very rare for Nova Scotia. The property on which it sits was
purchased in 1888 for $2,400 - almost $60,000 by today's
standards. The name "Bread and Roses" comes from James
Oppenheim's poem about a female textile workers' strike in
Massachusetts. According to the poem, some women carried a
banner which read: "We want bread and roses, too." Part of
this inn's charm comes from its rich and varied interior
woodwork which is certainly worth a look.
Another charming Maritime bed and
breakfast is located in Victoria Cross, Prince Edward Island and is
called Knox's Dam Bed and Breakfast.
Built in 1901 in a Colonial Revival style of architecture, the
wood-shingled home was once a farmhouse. In 1907, it was sold
to Montague Electric Company, and became the lodging for the
hydroelectric supervisor Robert Clements and his family. It
is worth noting that Robert's son Gilbert later served as PEI's
Lieutenant Governor. In 1939, William Knox became the
electric company's supervisor, and after the dam stopped playing a
role in generating electricity in 1955, Knox bought the
house. It remains in the Knox family to this day, and they
operate it as a bed and breakfast with three rooms available for
visitors. With the same family continuously
occupying this dwelling since the 1930s, the public
accommodation this inn provides is a fantastic way of
experiencing the heritage of the community of Victoria
Cross.
One of the more unusual bed and breakfasts on the East Coast is
Newfoundland and Labrador's Cape Anguille Light Tower. Located
on the most westerly point of Cape Codroy, the landmark octagonal
tower is complete with a red glass lantern. The lighthouse
has been 
used to guide Canadian and
international vessels through treacherous waters, and its light
could be seen out to a range of 15 nautical miles. Built in
1907, the lightkeeper's residence has withstood the test of
time as well as the extreme weather conditions of Newfoundland, and
now you can experience the beauty of the Atlantic coast by
staying in this home which is now an inn. For those who
enjoy a non-conventional bed and breakfast experience in a rugged,
remote location, Cape Anguille Light Tower
is certainly a good choice. With the new Heritage
Lighthouse Act now in effect, there will be more opportunities for
this kind of travel experience as more communities decide to
protect their historic lighthouses and give them new functions.
The historic bed and breakfasts of Canada are ideal for both
weary travellers and heritage enthusiasts - there are many places
to choose from when planning the next Canadian adventure.
Many heritage bed and breakfasts are registered with BBCanada, a
directory of over 10,000 listings across Canada. BBCanada
gives online access to maps, images, amenity information, and even
reservations. If you prefer the intimate setting of a house
while travelling, then the bed and breakfasts in BBCanada's
catalogue are an excellent choice. If you want to find a
historic bed and breakfast in which to stay, then you can also
search the Canadian
Register of Historic Places, and you will find that there are
numerous historic homes across the country that are also bed and
breakfasts! Combining comfort with culture, historic bed and
breakfasts offer experiences you will never forget!
