West Dover, is a coastal fishing community located in the Halifax Regional Municipality in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

 on the Chebucto Peninsula

Chebucto Peninsula

The Chebucto Peninsula is a Canadian peninsula located in central Nova Scotia entirely within the Halifax Regional Municipality on the Atlantic coast....

. West Dover is situated between Peggy's Cove and East Dover on Highway 333

Nova Scotia Route 333

Route 333 is a collector road in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.It is located in the Halifax Regional Municipality, connecting Upper Tantallon at Trunk 3 with Beechville at Trunk 3.From Shad Bay to Beechville it is named the "Prospect Road"...

.

The early years

West Dover was created in the 1770s with the Troope, and Scott land grants. Major settlement began in the 1800s when a permanent fishing village was established. The founding family names were: Morash, Zinck, Scott, Publicover, Cleveland, Berringer, Umlah, Taylor, Troop, and Young. These names are still common in the area today. The families were mostly of German descent.

Cod, Mackerel, Pollack, Herring, Haddock, Halibut, Lobster, and Tuna were plentiful in the early years. The fish was salted and dried to preserve them as there was no refrigeration. The fish was sold in Halifax and made its way up and down the East Coast.

1920s - 1930s

Prohibition

Prohibition

Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...

 in the United States created opportunity in West Dover from 1920 - 1933 for rum running. Rum running was something that supplemented fishing income and was risky but highly profitable. The fishermen would set out with a load of alcohol on moonless nights and navigate in the darkness to the coast of Maine. The alcohol was stored in wooden barrels loaded with salt. If the fishermen noticed law enforcement vessels they would dump the barrels overboard. The salt in the barrels would slowly dissolve. A few hours later, after the law enforcement officials had left, the barrels would float back up to the surface and be brought back on board.

1940s - 1950s

This period saw a lot of change occur in West Dover. A new paved highway was built that made Halifax more accessible. The improved roads brought more traffic to the area and saw the first tourists visit the area. Electricity and phone service was added that improved life in the village and reduced the use of oil lamps for lighting. The first TV sets arrived in West Dover in the mid 1950's.

In the 1950s the first government wharf was built at the entrance to Dover Harbour also called Dover Soi. Also in the 1950s the first Post Office was opened by Justin Smeltzer.

1960s - 1970s

In 1961 the Peggy's Cove Preservation Area was created by expropriating the land surrounding Peggy's Cove, West Dover, and Indian Harbour.

The Government wharf was rebuilt in the 1970s on the site of the first wharf.

1980s - 1990s

The Collapse of the Northern Cod Fishery

Collapse of the Northern Cod Fishery

In 1992 the Canadian government declared a moratorium on the Northern Cod fishery that, for the past 500 years, had largely shaped the lives and communities of Canada’s eastern coast...

 in 1992 led to the closure of West Dover's only fish plant and was a major loss of income for the village. Many people left fishing and started working in the construction industry.

After the decline of the Cod stocks, the lobster fishing industry has taken over as one of the most important fishing activities in West Dover.

Present day

West Dover remains, to this day, one of the few villages in the area that carries on a fishing tradition.
West Dover has dozens of small wharfs and fish stages used by the fishers along the shoreline and a large government wharf at the harbour entrance.

In 2008, West Dover connected to high-speed internet through Eastlink Communications.
An influx of new residents and development has occurred in West Dover over the last decade.

Geography

Topography

West Dover was reshaped by glaciers during the last ice age approximately 10,000 years ago. The landscape has large areas of exposed granite and an average of less than 10 inches of soil. The park area around West Dover is known as "The Barrens" and has countless lakes, bogs, and granite hills. Glacial erratics are scattered across the hillsides.

Leisure and entertainment

West Dover is a popular tourist location in the summer and has inns, cottages, and B&Bs

Bed and breakfast

A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...

. Rock climbers visit West Dover for its granite hills and glacially exposed boulders.
During the summer tourism season sailboats and yachts take shelter in West Dover's protected harbour. The government wharf is the usual place for visiting boats to moor.

Film and television

Movies like the Shipping News

The Shipping News (film)

The Shipping News is a 2001 drama film directed by Lasse Hallström, based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by E. Annie Proulx.It stars Kevin Spacey as the protagonist Quoyle, Judi Dench as Agnis Hamm and Julianne Moore as Wavey Prowse...

, and The Weight of Water

The Weight of Water (film)

The Weight of Water is a 2000 film based on the novel of the same name by Anita Shreve. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the film stars Sean Penn, Elizabeth Hurley, Sarah Polley, Josh Lucas and Catherine McCormack...

, and music videos like The Trew's Hope & Ruin

Hope & Ruin (song)

"Hope & Ruin" is the first single and title track from The Trews' fourth studio album, Hope & Ruin.-Charts:...

have filmed in West Dover due to its seaside location, and barren rustic scenery.