Everything about South Shore Nova Scotia totally explained
The
South Shore is a region of
Nova Scotia,
Canada. It is the
Atlantic coast running southwest from
Halifax Harbour to the western end of the peninsula at
Yarmouth.
The South Shore is an important area for tourism in the province, with it being home to many cottages, hotels, and tourist attractions. The provincial scenic travelway, the "
Lighthouse Route" runs on
Trunk 3 through most centres along the shore. The tourism industry is concentrated in the towns of
Lunenburg,
Chester,
Mahone Bay,
Liverpool and the fishing community of
Peggys Cove. The largest community in the region is the town of
Bridgewater, which is the commercial and industrial centre, although it isn't a major tourism draw.
Yarmouth and
Shelburne are the other large towns.
Politically, the South Shore is part of the
Halifax West,
South Shore—St. Margaret's, and
West Nova ridings at the federal level.
History
The South Shore was one of the first areas of
North America to be colonized by Europeans following the French settlement at
Port-Royal in
1605. The region, without good agricultural land, was only sparsely inhabited by the
Acadians, although several settlements were established in present-day
Shelburne County and the
Lahave River valley. When the British took control of the region in
1713, they initiated a program of importing colonists from continental Europe, known as the
Foreign Protestants, mostly from
Germany and
Switzerland. To this day the South Shore retains many German place names and surnames as well as a distinct accent compared to the
New England settlers' influence in the
Annapolis Valley or the Highland Scots' influence in northeastern Nova Scotia and
Cape Breton Island.
On Dec. 19,
1906, the
Halifax and Southwestern Railway opened between Halifax and Yarmouth, finishing a project that had begun in 1885, and bringing more reliable land transport to the region. Although the South Shore didn't play a major role during the
First World War, the area saw significant military activity during the
Second World War and the ensuing
Cold War, as Shelburne and
Mill Cove became home to
Royal Canadian Navy bases, and a
Pinetree Line radar station was established by the
Royal Canadian Air Force at
Baccaro. In
1966, Canada's first satellite communications (SATCOM) earth station began operations at
Mill Village. In the
1970s and
1980s, the
Highway 103 arterial highway was built.
During the
20th century, the South Shore became the centre of Nova Scotia's fishing industry, as fishers in small boats operated from numerous tiny villages dotted along the coast. The larger communities also had fish plants and port facilities for larger off-shore trawlers, which began to see increased use following the Second World War. During the
1960s and
1970s the small fishers began to be displaced by these giant trawlers and the way of life on the South Shore began to end, as more and more people were forced away from the primary resource industry (the fishery). Today, the South Shore economy is still dominated by the fishery, but it has diversified as the tertiary or service industry (instigated by post-war tourism) became increasingly important. As in many parts of Nova Scotia, many South Shore fishing communities all but disappeared as residents moved to Halifax, or further west in Canada.
A completely different culture developed as the scenic area became one of Nova Scotia's major tourist destinations. Land prices skyrocketed as wealthy Americans and Ontarians sought to buy (what they felt was) cheap shore-front land for recreational cottages. The towns became infused with trendy restaurants and stores dedicated to the tourist trade.
Further Information
Get more info on 'South Shore Nova Scotia'.
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