Springhill (Nova Scotia)
| Springhill | |||
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 Main Street in Springhill |
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| Location in Nova Scotia | |||
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| State : |
 Canada
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| Province : | Nova Scotia | ||
| County: | Cumberland County | ||
| Coordinates : | 45 ° 39 ′ N , 64 ° 3 ′ W | ||
| Height : | 199 m | ||
| Area : | 11.15 km² | ||
| Residents : | 3941 (as of 2006) | ||
| Population density : | 353.5 inhabitants / km² | ||
| Time zone : | Atlantic Time ( UTC − 4 ) | ||
| Postal code : | B0M | ||
| Website : | www.town.springhill.ns.ca | ||
Springhill is a town of 3941 inhabitants in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia in Cumberland County .
history
In early records, the town was called "Springhill Mines". Coal mining led to the founding and also contributed to the growth of the city until the 1960s. Springhill was founded in 1889 and had a population of 4,901 in 1896. The town is known for the Springhill mining accident and the childhood home of country singer Anne Murray . The Anne Murray Center is a local tourist attraction.
geography
The city lies on the northwestern edge of the Cobequid Hills , halfway between the Minas Basin and the Northumberland Strait, at an elevation of 140 to 185 meters above sea level. Located on the southern side of the Cumberland coal basin, six coal seams meet here, separated by layers of sandstone and slate from 11 to 110 meters. These layers were originally horizontal, but were lifted by the movement of earth and are now rising to the surface, from where they drop to the northwest at about thirty-five degrees.
Coal in Springhill
The city is well known for its coal mines, which were in operation from the 1870s to 1958. There were times when residents extracted coal from their backyards. There were shallow pits everywhere. There were constant accidents caused by the collapse of old tunnels. Some stretches were a mile underground, forming the deepest coal mines in the world. There were three disastrous mining accidents in Springhill. The third and last resulted in the end of mining in the region, but smaller operations survived until the 1970s. In the Springhill Miners Museum, visitors are guided into some of the tunnels by former miners. The work and the dangers of the mine are vividly described.
See also: List of mining accidents
Springhill after the coal
The sudden end of coal mining meant an incredible economic challenge for the city. The closed pits have been used to generate geothermal energy since the late 1980s . They have filled themselves with groundwater, the average temperature of which is 18 ° C. The state set up a prison to support the economy. In addition, the companies Surrette Battery, Benjamin Heating Products and Christian Child Care International are of economic importance.