Lost in the Woods The Lure and History of Roxbury

This is the story of Roxbury – a small lumbering community set on the South Mountain of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley at the turn of the nineteenth century. On a map it can be found due south of Paradise, but like all deserted towns and villages, it exists more clearly in the hearts and minds of those who have historical links with the people who lived there. The setting is far removed from the thriving river valley laying four miles to the north. The plot of the Roxbury story is simple, yet complex. It tells of hardship and struggle and is filled with drama and mystery.

The story of Roxbury is told from the point of view of author, David Whitman…an adolescent who had a growing interest in the vacant houses and stone walls set deep in the woods that he explored with his friends in the late fifties and early sixties. It is also the story of hours and days spent digging for facts, reading notes and records and interviewing many people who shared anecdotes and memories. This book is his story and an account of those who share an interest in history and in particular, a historical place called Roxbury.