Visit Cumberland County for History
Cumberland County offers its residents and visitors a unique lesson in history. Without watching a video or opening a book, you can step back in time by visiting Nova Scotia's registered heritage properties in Cumberland County.
The Minudie school, for example, is the oldest one-room school in Nova Scotia, and the third oldest school building of any type in the province. It was built in 1847 through the efforts of Amos Peck (King) Seaman. Receiving no formal education himself, Mr. Seaman built the beautiful 19th-century school to ensure the education of his children and those of his tenants.
"Heritage buildings tell stories of our ancestors and rich history. It is important to preserve these buildings as a reminder of where we've been and what we can accomplish," said Wayde Brown, head of the heritage unit, Department of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
Adjacent to the school is St. Denis Church, which was built in 1848. It served as the mother church for the Roman Catholic community in Cumberland County. St. Denis is one of the oldest Roman Catholic church buildings in the province and the only Acadian landmark in Minudie. The church has a beautiful wood frame, bell tower and cross-shaped window. It is accessible to visitors but holds only one service a year called the Blessing of the Crops, an Acadian tradition observed each August for a successful harvest.
Many of the Scottish settlers in Nova Scotia belonged to the Kirk, properly known as the Church of Scotland. Many settlers in the Wallace area practised the Scottish religion with their family and friends until the arrival of Rev. Donald Allan Fraser, who lead the establishment of the Kirk in Nova Scotia. Rev. Fraser arrived in the province in the early 1800s, and in 1828, St. Matthew's Church was built in Wallace. With its unique wood structure and opaque glass window panes, St. Matthew's still stands and upholds the Church of Scotland tradition in Nova Scotia.
Heritage properties tell many stories of Nova Scotians' ancestors, their lives and early industries in the province. Mining was one of the more popular industries and can be demonstrated through the Lamp Cabin Building in Springhill. The Springhill mining company, incorporated in 1870, was key in the rapid transformation of the small Nova Scotia community to a major town. In 1891 an underground explosion in the mines killed more than 100 workers. Such explosions, caused by mining lamps coming into contact with gases in the pits, did much to define the history of mining and the continuous evolution of lamp technology. The Lamp Cabin Building was built in the early 1900s as a step in this evolution. Miners' lamps were stored in the building when the men were not working, and the men could enter and exit the mine through this building.
Another predominant industry in the area was shipbuilding. Parrsboro, especially, experienced the bustle of shipbuilding in the 1850s. Daniel and Frederick Yorke built Manning Block as a commercial building to cater the needs of their family, which grew out of their involvement in the shipping industry. The building has maintained its commercial purpose from that period to present day. Manning Block, originally designed to sell shipping goods, has housed a variety of commercial outlets such as a watchmaker, a billiards hall, and a beauty salon. The building on Parrsboro's main street is a visual reminder of the province's shipbuilding past.
The Chignecto Marine Transport Railway was one of the most ambitious engineering project in Nova Scotia. The railway designed and supported by H.C.G. Ketchum was near completion in the 1890s but abandoned due to a lack of finances. The proposal was to lift ships out of the water, place them on a special railway cradle and with huge locomotives pull them across the isthmus of Chignecto, returning them to water on the opposite shore. This would avoid the cost and time involved in sailing around the mainland of Nova Scotia or digging a canal through the same isthmus.
The Tidnish Bridge, with the Tidnish River passing under its large masonry stone arch, is one well-preserved portion of the railway. The Tidnish Dock site also tells the story of the railway. The ledges of the dock frame indicate what would have been the location of the ship cradle. Visitors can explore the site as they enjoy the beautiful railway path leading into the woods.
"History is a part of who we are; we must protect heritage architectural legacy handed to us by our ancestors, and pass it on to future generations," said Mr. Brown. "These buildings provide us with a sense of pride in our culture, our heritage and our province."
Lessons in Nova Scotia's history can be found throughout the province at the 242 provincially registered heritage properties. Each one is designated under the Heritage Property Act. The act, proclaimed in 1980 and administered by the Department of Housing and Municipal Affairs, provides for the designation, preservation, protection and, in some cases, rehabilitation of built heritage in the province. Protecting and preserving these heritage properties is important as each one holds a lesson in Nova Scotia history.