The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record

December 7th, 2011

Springhill Trivia

The Pioneer Store was where the Miners’ Hall is now.  The new Miners’ Hall was built in 1927.

The Ford Garage on Junction Rd., which was owned by Harry Smith, opened in 1936.

The new Company Office on McDougall St, where the Seniors Centre is now, was opened in 1936.

The Strand Theatre burned in 1935.

The Springhill Junction overhead bridge was completed in February 1937.

The first woman to run for Town Council was Effie Selkirk wife of Robert Selkirk.  She was not elected.

Springhill was incorporated on March 30, 1889.

Victoria Park was opened June 24, 1931.

The price of a candy bar increased on February 1, 1951 from 6 to 7 cents.

There was a Springhill Flying Service at River Philip in 1947.  It was owned by Lloyd Mason and Lee Carter.

The first coal prospectors to come to Springhill were William Bruce of Pictou and Richard and Thomas Colburn of River Philip.  They built a camp on the syndicate land.

The Royal Bank of Canada branch in Springhill closed November 30, 1942 after being in business here since 1910.

All Saints Hospital celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 1963.

On August 25, 1960 the Minimum Security Prison at Springhill received its first group of prisoners.

There was a gigantic windmill on the Bent property used to raise water from a well.  It was used until the installation of the water system.

The Soldiers’ monument was officially unveiled on August 4, 1929.

In 1929 Springhill Miners voted $4000.00 to purchase the Sprague property next to their hall on Main St.  They moved the Miners’ Monument from upper Main St. to its present location.

The first Children’s Aid Society in Nova Scotia was organized in Springhill on October 24, 1912.

The Headlight Section #12 Cadets of Temperance was formed in Springhill with 19 young men in attendance.

Pat Gray and Reiss Darusz opened their elk farm in the Industrial Park in 1996.

Nathan Boss is said to have established the first milk route in Springhill with delivery being announced with the blowing of a horn.

The Cumberland Coal and Railway Company opened a dressing station at the mines in 1947.  It was the first of its kind in North America.  This building is the present day Isabel Simpson Heritage Centre.

The first Springhill doctor was Dr. Cove.

G.L. Glendenning owned a livery and used to keep the horses up stairs.  They had a ramp to get them up and down.

Buddy Condy was fifteen when he asked to fill in for an absent player in a Fencebusters game.  He hit a home run grand slam and they won the game.

Springhill’s first Dentist was Dr. Clay.

On September 11, 1954 Hurricane Edna hit Springhill and destroyed the bandstand in the park.  Hurricane Hazel also hit Springhill in October of the same year.

Mary Robbins was a journalist for the Springhill Advertiser in 1894. Springhill had the first Provincial Workingman’s Association.

Richard Bennett was the town’s first magistrate.

Margie Horton died in a plane crash in 1932.

John Paul, the well known Indian distance runner, from Springhill, participated in the Boston Marathon in 1939.

The first cemetery in Springhill was part of the Brundage Property at Miller’s Corner.

The first tavern in Springhill was the Miller’s Inn located where Leamington and the Athol Road met.

Since the incorporation of Springhill there have only been 5 Town Clerks: Daniel McLeod, Charles Allbon, Ackie Allbon, Doug Maddison and Don Tabor.

The first rink in Springhill was the Round Rink located on Main St. where Foodland parking lot is today.

Daniel Boutilier was known as the “Miner’ Poet”.