Do you remember what it was like growing up in the 1940's? Or do you ever wonder what everyday life was like for your parents or grandparents? Well, now you can take a stroll through the Memory Lane Heritage Village and experience fully an era which was less than a lifetime ago, but was drastically different from life today. Located in Lake Charlotte, Nova Scotia, Memory Lane portrays rural life as it was between 1940 and 1950.

The decade from 1940 to 1950 was a period of transition, a time of war and peace, and a time when new technologies would start to change rural life forever. Although Canada was essentially an urban society by this time, some villages, such as Lake Charlotte, were sufficiently distant from the urban areas that changes were slow to arrive, and it was possible to have older ways of life alongside more modern ones.

Located on a four acre site, this living history museum features rescued buildings from the surrounding area, all of which were built before 1950, together with a variety of accurately replicated buildings. The buildings cover most facets of village life during this era including a general store, church, one room schoolhouse, garage, workshop, cookhouse, wooden boat building shop and a homestead with a house, barn, icehouse and outhouse. There is even a small gold mining operation!

Each of the buildings is located in a natural setting and all are within easy walking distance of one another. As you stroll through the village, feel free to ask the appropriately dressed "residents" questions as they go about their dally chores, keeping in mind that they will not know much about television, computers, the internet or even Man landing on the moon.

Upon your arrival at Memory Lane Heritage Village, you will step back in time by entering through Hoskin's Store which is fully stocked with merchandise from the era. Some of the merchandise will be for sale with prices in 1950 dollars as well as current prices. Here you will pay your entrance fee and purchase your meal tickets for the cookhouse.

The Cookhouse will serve traditional meals from the era including soups, stews, chowders, relish, pies, cookies, tea, coffee and of course, delicious homemade bread. The menu will be on a rotational basis with three regular menus and a special Sunday menu.
The Cookhouse is open from 11 am to 8 pm. Please call for off season days and hours.

Wandering around the village you will pass the Imperial Oil garage, complete with pumps, where you may encounter the local mechanic working on a 1945 pick-up truck. If you're lucky, you may get a ride up to the homestead, but don't forget to stop at the one-room schoolhouse and small church.