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Springhill, Nova Scotia

Springhill
Community
Main Street, Springhill
Main Street, Springhill
Springhill is located in Nova Scotia
Springhill
Springhill
Location of Springhill in Nova Scotia
Coordinates: 45°40′N 64°4′W / 45.667°N 64.067°W / 45.667; -64.067Coordinates: 45°40′N 64°4′W / 45.667°N 64.067°W / 45.667; -64.067
Country  Canada
Province  Nova Scotia
Municipality Municipality of the County of Cumberland
Founded 1790
Incorporated March 30, 1889
Dissolved April 1, 2015
Electoral Districts     
Federal

Cumberland—Colchester
Provincial Cumberland South
Government
 • Councilors Doug Williams, Mary Anne Jackson
 • MLA Jamie Baillie (PC)
 • MP Bill Casey (Lib)
Area
 • Land 11.15 km2 (4.31 sq mi)
Highest elevation 183 m (600 ft)
Lowest elevation 122 m (400 ft)
Population (2016)
 • Total 2,743
 • Density 566.5/km2 (1,467/sq mi)
Time zone AST (UTC-4)
 • Summer (DST) ADT (UTC-3)
Postal code B0M
Area code(s) 902
Telephone Exchange 597, 763
Median Earnings* $29,037
NTS Map 021H09
GNBC Code CBKDH
Website town.springhill.ns.ca
  • Median household income, 2000 ($) (all households)

Springhill is a Canadian community located in central Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.

The community was originally named "Springhill Mines." Coal mining lead to economic growth, with its incorporation as a town in 1889. All coal mining ceased in the area by the early 1970s and Springhill entered an economic decline, culminating in the decision to dissolve as a town in 2015, and merge into the Municipality of the County of Cumberland.

The community is famous for both the Springhill Mining Disaster and being the childhood home of international recording star Anne Murray, who is honoured by the Anne Murray Centre, a popular local tourist attraction.

Springhill is located on the northwestern edge of the Cobequid Hills midway between the Minas Basin and the Northumberland Strait. The elevation in this area varies from 140 to 185 metres (459 to 607 ft) above sea level. Located in the carboniferous area on the southern side of the Cumberland Coal Basin, Springhill's six main coal seams overlap. The seams, separated by strata of sandstone and shale from 11–110 metres in thickness, were once horizontal, but, because they were raised by internal earth movement, now slope sharply down into the earth. The seams dip to the northwest at an angle of thirty-five degrees.

The first industrial coal mining in the area took place in the 1870s after a rail connection was built by the Springhill and Parrsboro Coal and Railway Company to the newly completed Intercolonial Railway at neighbouring Springhill Junction.

Coal was so prevalent in Springhill that "there was a time when men got coal out of their backyards; shallow pits were found everywhere. In recent years, there have been instances when a homeowner would step out of his door only to find a big gaping hole where his driveway had been. Another part of an old mine had caved in."


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