Springhill, Nova Scotia

Principal Researcher(s): David Bruce

Assistant Researcher(s): n/a

• Springhill is defined by tragedy & accomplishments. Three mine disasters (1891, 1956, 1958) took the lives of 239 men & boys. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission awarded a Gold medal to the community for heroic efforts undertaken in the 1958 mine disaster. The award is unique in that individuals are generally recognized. Citizens take pride in the award.
  
  
• The Main Street business section has been levelled by fire 4 times (1895, 1896, 1957 & 1975) & this has contributed to economic problems. Springhill takes pride in firsts such as:
  
  
  • First legalized trade union in Canadian collieries (?) formed in 1879.
    
    
  • The first Children's Aid Society in Nova Scotia in 1912.
    
    
  • The first Canadian soldier to be decorated in the Second World War - Tony Condy
    
    
  • The first person to win 3 consecutive North American Fiddling championships - Johnny Mooring
    
    
  • The first female Canadian artist to earn an American Gold Record - Anne Murray

These documents summarize the work completed and insights gained from updating Economic Capacity Profiles for the New Rural Economy2 (NRE2) sites. The initial set of Profiles was based on the 1996 Census and 2001 NRE site profiles data. The updated Profiles are based on 2001 Census data and 2003 NRE site profiles data.