Circa 1865, this once grand mansion was built by a German born engineer, Francis von Ellershausen, who had come to the province to mine gold. He was a colorful character and had a varied entrepreneurial spirit. He built the community church, school, saw mill, sugar beet farm, housing for staff, to mention only a few of his industrial endeavors in the little village of Ellershouse, in Nova Scotia's treasured Annapolis Valley.

Over the property's 147 years history, it has had only been owned by a few families. The Colonial style home has large rooms and high ceilings. Two rooms have original wallpaper / marbleized walls. One room has a decoratively painted ceiling. The painted doors are faux grained. The brass valances are gilded. All original trims / moldings / doors / hardware, softwood floors are in place. Although overgrown, one can still appreciate the considerable planning and care that was put into the mature gardens and walking paths throughout this interesting estate. Listed in Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia's " Painted Rooms of Nova Scotia" and "Seasoned Timbers", the home's elegant past reveals some of the province's most fascinating history. Less than 15 minutes to the town of Windsor and 45 minutes from the provincial capital of Halifax, this historic property, with secret gardens, welcomes a new adventurous family to bring this property back to the once wondrous estate, Ellersausen Manor.