On December 2, 1809 John Taylor, David Archibald 3rd and John K. McKeen had asked Lieutenant-Governor Sir George Prevost for a grant of 100 pounds to build a road along the St. Mary's River to the head of the tide. This request had been granted; however, the problem of a good highway continued to plague the inhabitants of Sherbrooke for over a century.(125) There was no road along the Eastern Shore, so people travelled through the interior by horseback up the valley of St. Mary's River, continuing by the West Branch across to the Musquodoboit; down the valley of the Musquodoboit River and across to the Halifax-Truro highway.(126) The road was also opened to Guysborough, branching off to Country Harbour.(127)
About 1854 the narrow road was improved from Sherbrooke to Antigonish and in 1856 to New Glasgow.(128) It was necessary to lay a corduroy road of tree trunks along a quarter mile on the upper section of Main Street in Sherbrooke. With the old road used as a dyke to keep water out from the lake, the village grew along this section of Main Street, moving away from the waterfront.(129)
At the time of Confederation there was regular communication by stage coach from Sherbrooke to Shubenacadie and to Antigonish. Archibald's Stage (carrying H. M. Mails) left the Shubenacadie railway station after the arrival of the morning train from Halifax, on Monday and Thursday for Middle and Upper Musquodoboit, Guysborough, St. Mary's, Country Harbour and Port Mulgrave. The stage left Mulgrave on Monday and Thursday and arrived at Shubenacadie on Tuesday and Saturday.(130) McAmes' Mail coach left Antigonish for Sherbrooke and Wine Harbour after the arrival of the mail from Cape Breton on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, returning on the same days.(131)
But conditions of travel could be appalling in winter as the Rev. F. J. H. Axford discovered at Christmas in 1867. He had recently come to Nova Scotia from England to take charge of the Anglican mission in the St. Mary's River District and was stationed at Liscomb. This is his description:
Christmas Day's duty -
Morning frosty and windy. Family prayer. Endeavoured to dwell in thought upon the blessing secured to man, which we commemorate today. Was rowed over in a boat to the main land by Mr. (Unknown) saw Mr. (H unknown) before Divine Service, which was held at 10 am. After service, I expected a walk of seven miles to St. Mary's River, but an old horse was lent me, which, however, I could not make go faster than a walk for nearly the whole way. Called on Mr. Alexander, and his horse and sleigh were got ready for me. Then hastened on to Sherbrooke, to hold Divine Service; after which - the congregation numbering twelve persons - I hurried off to walk to Goldenville, to get to which place I have to cross St. Mary's River, at this time frozen over. It is now dark, the sky overcast, which caused me much trouble to find the right track across the sea, the river being very broad just here. The difficulty I found in crossing delayed me some time, so that when I arrived at Goldenville I met the congregation pouring forth, making their way home again, supposing that through some hindrance I could not get to them but they were soon reseated, and I took my first service in their new hall. The congregation here was very large; the hall was full; I should think over 150. The congregation at Liscomb was large too. May the blessing of my God rest upon the feeble endeavours for good of His unworthy servant, for Christ's sake. Mr. N'Nab walked with me down to the river's side on my return home. My journeying today has been seventeen miles, and altogether, since Sunday morning, has not been less than fifty miles. The weather today not colder than in England at Christmas.(132)
December 29th, Sunday Morning -
Very frosty. Rode down to St. John's Church, St. Mary's River; held Divine Service at 10:30; congregation not very large. Returned to Sherbrooke; held service at St. James' at 3 pm, congregation good in number. After tea walked to Goldenville; held divine service in the hall at 7pm. Congregation very large, but being principally Presbyterians, few respond at all. My journey this morning was eight miles on an ice track. My journey this evening was much worse, owing to its being very dark. The sky was entirely overcast when I startsed for home at 5:25 pm, snow storm was just beginning, and the ground was lightly sprinkled with snow. I hastily walked down to the river and descended from the wharf to the ice (some five or six feet below, making it rather a steep descent) down a plank upon the heels and coattails, not very easy work, and rather dangerous on a slippery plank, and that in the dark. I essayed again a difficult trip across the ice; I had to guess my way across, the distance nearly half a mile, and escape getting near to the broken edge of the ice as well as I could. It being very dark, I was walking too near the edge of a promontory jutting out into the river, when heard the ice crack - no pleasing sound to one alone in what might prove a dangerous position; this I heard to the right of me. I then immediately started more to the left, to the middle of the river, where it was more safe. The river of St. Mary's is a tidal river, the water rising and falling some six or seven feet, and the ice at the edges, of course, is much broken by the tides. The getting on and off the ice is best at low water, for then there is not so much danger of getting wet feet. The tide was low at the time I was now passing. I arrived safely across to the opposite side, and reached the land with dry feet. Then I began ascending the very long and steep hill, more than a mile in length, leading to Golden-ville; it also was entirely covered with ice, and in many places, where Ia horse and sleigh had passed, the ice had broken, and left the water (which was running under the ice down the hill) exposed. I was very thankful for the providential sprinkling of snow, for thereby only was I enabled to see the holes, in which was the water, from the snow being white on the ice, while the holes were dark, and so was prevented getting wet feet. Afterwards on the top of the hill I found my walking-stick very useful for sounding the ice, to find which was solid to walk up and which was broken and thin. But I did not reach the hall without falling down three times, and was fortunate in not falling oftener. We had a very nice service. I hope some good amongst the miners may be done by me; it seems a promising field of labour. After service Messers. (K unknown) and (S unknown) drove me home in a sleigh through a ver violent snow-storm, for which I was exceedingly thankful, and by the means of a lantern we managed to get on and off the ice easily; but our journey across was quite by guess, so we could not see where to go, the snow drifting full in our faces and most blinding."(133)
Mr. Axford would have rejoiced at the opening of the wooden bridge over the St. Mary's River on August 11th, 1870. Five or six hundred people were present at the ceremonies arranged by Mr. Snow, the manager of the Palmerston Gold Mining Company, who had erected a large tent on the intervals where four hundred sat down to lunch. There were a number of toasts and speeches by William Annand, Premier of Nova Scotia, John A. Kirk, member of the Assembly for Guysborough County, F. N. Gisborne, Esq., J. A. MacDonald, Esq. Rev. C. B. Pitblado, and Rev. John Campbell. The Eastern Chronicle said: "the new bridge is an imposing and substantial structure, and will be a great boon to the inhabitants of Sherbrooke and Goldenville, and surrounding country. The absence of such a structure was a great drawback. That it has now been built is due in a great measure to the energy and vigilance displayed by the local members of Guysborough; John A. Kirk, Esq., in particular - the gentleman taking charge of the local affairs of that section of the county. The stone (or rather granite) pieces of the bridge were contracted for and built by Mr. James McDonald, of New Glasgow, and Mr. John McIntosh, of Albion Mines, both well and favourably known to many of our readers. We have not learned who constructed the wooden portion of the bridge."(134)
Tradition relates that the first person to cross the bridge was Mrs. Alexander Anderson, who carried her son over. This little boy became the member for Guysborough. In 1883 an iron bridge was built.
In 1880 Fraser's Mail Coaches ran from New Glasgow to Sherbrooke and Goldenville daily, through tickets being issued at the Halifax railway station.(135) Kirk's Stage (carrying H. M. Mails) left Antigonish for Glenelg on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after the arrival of the mail from Cape Breton, returning the same days. The coach connected at the Upper Cross Roads with McDonald's Stages between New Glasgow and Sherbrooke.(136)
There was still no road along the Eastern Shore connecting Halifax and Sherbrooke, but there was a regular service by mail steamer M. A. Starr which ran weekly from Halifax to Charlottetown. In 1890 the steamer Princess Beatrice was on this run leaving Halifax on Tuesdays and Prince Edward Island on Thursdays.(137) In 1929 the steamer Dufferin sailed from Halifax every Wednesday at 8pm for Sherbrooke calling at Port Dufferin, Harrigan Cove, Moser River, Ecum Secum, Liscomb and Sonora.(138)
McAlpine's Gazetteer and Guide for the Maritime Provinces and Newfoundland in 1898 thus describes Sherbrooke:(139) "A P. O., money order office and port of entry in Guysborough County. A Village in St. Mary's township, 50 miles from Antigonish, 42 miles from New Glasgow; nearest telephone, New Glasgow; contains 8 stores, 2 hotels, 1 tannery, 1 cheese factory, 2 sawmills, Canadian express, W. U. telegraph, banks, and 2 churches: Pop. 700."
The Union Bank was established at Sherbrooke in 1897, and amalgamated with the Royal Bank in 1910. The first telephone line was built in 1906.(140)