Springhill

ARTICLE CONTENTS:  |  Links to Other Sites
Springhill, NS, incorporated as a town in 1889, population 3868 (2011c), 3941 (2006c). The Town of Springhill, located in the heart of Cumberland County on the Chignecto Isthmus, is so named because the hill on which it is situated once contained numerous springs. Once noted for its coalfields, Springhill is now famous as the hometown of pop singer Anne MURRAY, and there is a museum in the town dedicated to her career.

Google Map

The town was first settled about 1820 by LOYALISTS. Coal was soon discovered and a small mine opened in 1834. Mining began on a large scale in 1872 when the Springhill and Parrsboro Coal and Railway Co Ltd sank shafts and opened a rail line. Several mining DISASTERS have plagued the town, the worst occurring in 1958 when 74 men died in the deepest mine in North America. After this, the DOSCO-owned mines were shut down. Small coal seams have been mined only intermittently since then.

There is high unemployment and little secondary industry here. The Springhill Miners Museum, opened in 1972, and the Springhill Medium Security Institution (1960) provide some employment for residents.

Springhill
Springhill
Springhill Mine Disaster
Springhill Mine Disaster
The 23 Oct 1958 mine collapse ended Springhill's trenure as a large scale mining town (courtesy Library and Archives Canada).

Author HEATHER MACDONALD


Links to Other Sites
Maurice Ruddick
Watch the Heritage Minute about Maurice Ruddick, survivor of the tragic Springhill mine disaster. From the Historica-Dominion Institute. See also related online learning resources.

Men in the Mines
Brief historical accounts of mining calamities that occured in Nova Scotia, 1720-1992. Also check out the extensive collection of mining related artifacts. From the Province of Nova Scotia.

Anne Murray Centre
The website for the Anne Murray Centre in Springhill, Nova Scotia. Check out the latest events and browse the online tour of exhibits devoted to the life and music of Canada's songbird, Anne Murray.

The Springhill Mine Disaster of 1958: Final Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry
Read the entire Final Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Springhill Mine disaster of 1958. Also, check out the additional online resources about coal mining in Nova Scotia. From the website History of Coal Mining in Nova Scotia.

N.S. town marks 1958 mining disaster that killed 75 men
A news story about the 50th anniversary of the 1958 Springhill Mine disaster. From canada.com.

Atlantic Provinces Chambers of Commerce
The website for the Atlantic Provinces Chambers of Commerce (APCC), formerly the Maritime Board of Trade. Formed in 1896, this organization promotes and supports business and economic development in Atlantic Canada. Click on "Chambers" for links to local Chambers of Commerce.

Nova Scotia: Community Profiles
Search for statistical profiles of communities in the Province of Nova Scotia.

0
0
Absolutely free, with over 40,000 articles in French and English, The Canadian Encyclopedia is the ultimate online resource for all things Canadian, from history, sports, arts, science, technology, and much, much more. Get started at www.TheCanadianEncyclopedia.com
Feature Articles
Maisonneuve and the Founding of Montreal

The story of the founding of Montreal is perhaps unique in history....

INSIDE TCE

Gallery
Browse the rich visual resources of The Canadian Encyclopedia through thematic galleries of Canadian Art, History, Nature, People, and Science and Technology.
Interactive Resources
Illustrations, lively text, animations, sounds and games help make learning about Canadian history, art, geography, architecture and other topics entertaining as well as informative.
Canucklehead
The ultimate test of your knowledge of Canada, trivial and otherwise. You can choose from more than 60 dynamic quizzes with visual or text clues. Your scores depend on the speed with which you answer and the number of clues you need. Results are sent to you by email and high scores are posted on the site.
Timeline
This unique resource includes more than 6000 events from Canadian and world history. It can be searched by era, subject, keyword or date. To find out what happened on your birthday, select the month and day of your birth.
100 Greatest Events
This selection of the 100 "greatest" events in Canadian history was made by editor in chief James H. Marsh to draw attention to events that have left an indelible memory in the minds of later generations.