Abhiroop Das
‘Sullivan’s Crossing‘ follows neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan’s return to the eponymous campground after her life in Boston turns upside down. However, she is not visiting the place for leisure; many years ago, she called the Crossing her home. Back after so long, she finds everything about the camp and the surrounding town of Timberlake to be different, and yet, its residents seem unable to move on from their past, much like her. As she spends her time in the quaint village, reminiscing about old times while also forging new memories, she soon finds herself enchanted by the town, its culture, and most importantly, its people. Sullivan’s Crossing serves as the background for many moments of joy, exhilaration, and heartbreak, and as such, almost takes on a life of its own. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Sullivan’s Crossing is Partially Inspired by a Real Forest Camp in Nova Scotia
While it prominently appears as the main backdrop of the narrative, ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ is a fictional creation originally penned by author Robyn Carr and adapted for the screen by Roma Roth. The latter spearheads the show’s writing team and spoke with Variety about her creative rendition of the place, which involved setting it in Nova Scotia, Canada. The reasons behind this lie in her desire to mark ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ as distinct from Robyn Carr’s other adaptation, ‘Virgin River.’ Moreover, Roth’s goal has been to create a show for international viewership. In light of this, the eponymous campground is likely a composite of the real-life parks and forest trails of the show’s primary filming location, in and around the city of Halifax in Nova Scotia.
In particular, the Harold T. Barrett Fun Forest Camp, located at 1901 Beaver Bank Road, appears to have inspired the fictional camp. Many of the details match, such as its sprawling grass field, lodge facilities, and a campsite with a lake view. Alongside these, there are also many hiking trails, which lead to crown forest lands and parks, such as the Shubie Park, which is reportedly another location that was taped for the show. Many iconic parks around Halifax, rife with natural beauty, might also have been an inspiration for Sullivan’s Crossing. These include the Laurie and Oakfield Provincial Parks, both of which also served as filming locations. Actor Chad Michael Murray, who plays Cal in the show, recounted his experience of filming in the city in an interview with Parade, enthusing about its “picturesque landscape.” He described the feeling of having come to a place that preexists civilization.
One of the show’s most intense moments happens when a hurricane hits the town. As most residents take shelter in the outpost at Sullivan’s Crossing, some are stranded outside, requiring rescue. In real life, hurricanes are a common occurrence in the region, with giants such as Hurricane Igor in 2010, Fiona in 2022, and Lee in 2023 making landfall in and around Nova Scotia. Reportedly, Hurricane Lee’s arrival on September 16, 2023, left over a hundred thousand people without electricity. This incident bears some parallels with how things play out in the show, where characters have to rely on oil lamps to navigate their way to safety.
Timberlake Town’s Defining Feature is the Bond of its Residents
Sullivan’s camp is just one part of the larger narrative, which is set in the fictional town of Timberlake. In reality, the town bears a close resemblance to the real municipality of Timberlea. For starters, they are both similar-sounding locations set in Nova Scotia, Canada. Timberlea has an added benefit, as it is a community within Halifax itself, resulting in a significant overlap in natural cover between the place and its fictional counterpart. Furthermore, both are seemingly named after the trees found in the region. While Timberlea is an important lumbering center, the show’s Timberlake has a whole establishment dedicated to throwing axes at wooden targets, called Timber Lounge, which reflects a similar culture.
While Timberlea is also known for its natural paths and rail trails, which include the Bluff Trail by Cranberry Lake, the actual community is very close-knit. As such, Timberlake is likely also vaguely inspired by other locations to simulate a larger town accurately. Reportedly, Fisherman’s Cove, a restored village near Halifax, was one of the locations where the crew lensed scenes involving Timberlake. The region’s shops and local culture added an air of realism to the story, while also expanding the scope. Therefore, while Timberlake and Sullivan’s Crossing are both largely fictional creations, they find parallels with many real locations, which ground the story and provide a springboard for the characters to take the spotlight.
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