▁good ▁har bour — car ried ▁on ▁only ▁a ▁small ▁trade ▁through ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁Al ong ▁with ▁Gran ville ▁Fer ry ▁across ▁the ▁river , ▁however , ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁local ▁centre ▁for ▁ship building . ▁Among ▁the ▁notable ▁local ▁mar in ers ▁was ▁B ess ie ▁Hall . ▁Following ▁the ▁replacement ▁of ▁sail ing ▁ships ▁by ▁steam ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s , ▁Ann apolis ▁Royal ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁co aling ▁station ▁between ▁Saint ▁John ▁and ▁Boston . ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁had ▁a ▁minor ▁bo om ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁when ▁the ▁W inds or ▁and ▁Ann apolis ▁Railway ▁arrived , ▁with ▁two ▁large ▁railway ▁pi ers ▁built ▁along ▁the ▁water front ▁and ▁several ▁fact ories ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁The ▁population ▁reached ▁ 1 5 0 0 ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s . ▁In cor por ation ▁as ▁a ▁town ▁under ▁the ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁Municipal ities ▁Act ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁However , ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁railway ▁to ▁Dig by ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Domin ion ▁Atlantic ▁Railway ▁to ▁Y arm outh , ▁shift ed ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁steam ship ▁commerce ▁to ▁those ▁cities ▁as ▁steel - h ul led ▁vessels ▁began ▁to ▁require ▁deeper ▁and ▁deeper ▁waters . ▁By ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁Ann apolis ▁Royal ' s ▁population ▁had ▁shr unk ▁to ▁ 1 0 1 9