Admiral Digby Museum
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Digby County: A Journey Through Time
Transportation
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serv.focus(); } //--> </script> </head> <body leftmargin="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0"> <div id="stChild"> <div class="sc" id="sc1"> <h4 class="float-left">1</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> Transportation: <br /> <br /> Since the beginning of settlement four hundred years ago we have depended upon the sea for transport. Rev. Allan Massie Hill, an early historian, tells us that the first horse in the county was the survivor of a shipwreck off Centreville in circa 1800. We have to assume that shanks pony was the main mode of land transport before that time.<br /> <br /> Oxen were once commonly used to move goods and people. When the ferry arrived from Saint John smaller vessels would carry people and freight down Digby Neck and stagecoaches travelled wherever roads existed. The arrival of the train widened people's horizons and the whole province was suddenly within everyone's reach. The first automobile appeared in Digby in 1906, or 1910 and transport was never the same from that time onwards. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc2"> <h4 class="float-right">2</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> On board a 'Bluenose Express'<br />1900<br /> Digby & Digby County, Nova Scotia<br /> </span> <div align="left"><A HREF="javascript:;" onClick="remWin('CM_V2_Apps/ui/remWindow.php?remID=114019&remP=%2Fsgc-cms%2Fhistoires_de_chez_nous-community_stories%2Fhdcn-cm%2FAANE%2F0001%2Ftext%2F&remEx=Digby+County%3A++A+Journey+Through+Time&lg=English');" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore()" onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('textIcon_2_1','','English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_over.gif',1)"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_off.gif" alt="TEXT ATTACHMENT" name="textIcon_2_1" width="28" height="28" style="border:none;"></A></div> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#2" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=227921','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=461,height=318')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/AANE/0001/image/storycard/AANE000100ae.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc3"> <h4 class="float-left">3</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> Ox carts were used by merchants to deliver goods. They were also used as public transport. This picture is of the "Blue Nose Express". </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc4"> <h4 class="float-right">4</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Tourists on a buggy ride<br />1900<br /> Digby & Digby County, Nova Scotia<br /> </span> <div align="left"><A HREF="javascript:;" onClick="remWin('CM_V2_Apps/ui/remWindow.php?remID=114018&remP=%2Fsgc-cms%2Fhistoires_de_chez_nous-community_stories%2Fhdcn-cm%2FAANE%2F0001%2Ftext%2F&remEx=Digby+County%3A++A+Journey+Through+Time&lg=English');" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore()" onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('textIcon_4_1','','English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_over.gif',1)"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_off.gif" alt="TEXT ATTACHMENT" name="textIcon_4_1" width="28" height="28" style="border:none;"></A></div> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#4" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=227920','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=461,height=318')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/AANE/0001/image/storycard/AANE000100ad.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc5"> <h4 class="float-left">5</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> A buggy ride was a tourist attraction in the late 19th century. It was the normal mode of transportation at the time. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc6"> <h4 class="float-right">6</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> The Golf Links, Pines Hotel<br />1910<br /> Digby, Nova Scotia<br /> </span> <div align="left"><A HREF="javascript:;" onClick="remWin('CM_V2_Apps/ui/remWindow.php?remID=114020&remP=%2Fsgc-cms%2Fhistoires_de_chez_nous-community_stories%2Fhdcn-cm%2FAANE%2F0001%2Ftext%2F&remEx=Digby+County%3A++A+Journey+Through+Time&lg=English');" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore()" onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('textIcon_6_1','','English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_over.gif',1)"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_off.gif" alt="TEXT ATTACHMENT" name="textIcon_6_1" width="28" height="28" style="border:none;"></A></div> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#6" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=227922','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=454,height=337')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/AANE/0001/image/storycard/AANE000100af.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc7"> <h4 class="float-left">7</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> George Wilson is reputed to have owned the first car (Ford) in Digby which was bought either in 1906, or 1910. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc8"> <h4 class="float-right">8</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> Time Line:<br /> <br /> 1870 <br /> With the completion of the railway the Station Agent assumed the duties as "ex-officio operator of the telegraph. The Digby Station played an intergral role in Digby's early telegraph system. <br /> <br /> 1873 <br /> Work on the section between Yarmouth and Digby began.<br /> <br /> 1879<br /> The Western Counties Railway (WCR) was building a line between Yarmouth and Annapolis Royal.<br /> <br /> 1889<br /> It was suggested that Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) enter Halifax over its own lines and that a car-ferry be put into service across the Bay of Fundy <!-SCT-->from Saint John, New Brunswick to Digby, Nova Scotia.<br /> <br /> 1890<br /> There was a station in Digby as early as the 1890's. As mentioned in the Digby Courier "The respectable and showy sign placed near the railway station...". <br /> <br /> There was talk of putting a new train station on the Green Point up around the Pines Hotel.<br /> <br /> 1891<br /> The "missing link" was formally opened and direct communication by rail established between Yarmouth and Digby and the rest of the province.<br /> <br /> The Dominion Government intervened and "as a public service" spent $1 million dollars to finish the "missing link". <!-SCT--><br /> <br /> The WCR had run out of money leaving a 22-mile unfinshed gap between Digby and Annapolis Royal. This gap was later known as the "missing link".<br /> <br /> 1893<br /> The WCR was re-organized as the Yarmouth and Annapolis Railway. Due to financial losses it was sold in 1894 to the Windsor and Annapolis Royal Railway, which, by act of Federal Parliament, became the DAR that same year.<br /> <br /> 1894<br /> The first revenue train trip from Halifax-Yarmouth and return took place October 1st. This was done in nine hours. <br /> <br /> 1895<br /> A propsed extension of railway lines to the new Digby Pier was under fire with Yarmouth and Annapolis, who were feearful of losing their <!-SCT-->terminal status, opposing them. Mayor Shreve acted quickly and petitioned the government to allow the rail lines on the pier. Petition pointed to the original grant and permision to lay rails was granted. <br /> <br /> 1899<br /> The Digby station narrowly escaped burning in the fire was destroyed a large portion of the downtown area.<br /> <br /> 1910-11<br /> A second train station was built. It was located on the opposite side of the tracks of where the new station was later built.<br /> <br /> 1911 <br /> The Dominion Atlantic Railway (DAR) continued operations until the CPR leased all the DAR facilities (with the exception of Yarmouth's steamship business) for 999 <!-SCT-->years.<br /> <br /> 1912<br /> CPR controlled operations and began modernizing locomotive and steamship services c. 1920.<br /> <br /> 1919<br /> The third station was built with the official opening in 1920. <br /> <br /> 1990<br /> Monday, January 8th, one of the last passenger trains stopped in Digby enroute to Halifax.<br /> <br /> 1991<br /> The tracks were pulled up. <br /> <br /> 1994<br /> The Digby train station was torn down on Tuesday, July 12th. <br /> <br /> Since <!-SCT-->1990 the fate of the Digby train station had been undecided. However, years of discussions and letter writing appear to be over with the Digby Town Council's decision last week to write Canadian Pacific asking that it demolish the station building and replace Prince William Street in accordance with the 1920 agreement between the council and the railway. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc9"> <h4 class="float-left">9</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Train Vye's Restaurant<br />1891<br /> First Avenue, Digby, Nova Scotia<br /> </span> <div align="left"><A HREF="javascript:;" onClick="remWin('CM_V2_Apps/ui/remWindow.php?remID=113970&remP=%2Fsgc-cms%2Fhistoires_de_chez_nous-community_stories%2Fhdcn-cm%2FAANE%2F0001%2Ftext%2F&remEx=Digby+County%3A++A+Journey+Through+Time&lg=English');" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore()" onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('textIcon_9_1','','English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_over.gif',1)"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_off.gif" alt="TEXT ATTACHMENT" name="textIcon_9_1" width="28" height="28" style="border:none;"></A></div> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#9" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=227811','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=800,height=600')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/AANE/0001/image/storycard/AANE00010040.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc10"> <h4 class="float-right">10</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> "The first revenue train trips from Halifax-Yarmouth and return took place October 1, 1894. Previous test trains ran over the system until September 29, 1894. On Monday, January 8, 1990, one of the last trains stopped in Digby, en-route to Halifax. The VIA passenger service completes its final trip through southwestern Nova Scotia on January 14, 1990. The freight service will continue until July 13, 1990."<br /> <br /> The steam locomotive "Weymouth" #8, shown in picture, was built in 1879. It served until the the Canadian Pacific Railway began modernizing locomotive and steamship services circa 1920. <br /> The Dominion Atlantic Railway Station, ran from 1920 to the 1940's. It was especially busy the first two decades, due to the summer tourists travelling by steam-powered trains. Those trains also carried the mail, as well as freight and express. The last train station was torn down in July of 1994. <!-SCT--><br /> <br /> In 1890 there was talk of putting a new train station at Green Point, this would have been near the Pines Hotel. The first train station in Digby was built between 1910-11. It was located on 1st Avenue on the opposite side of the tracks of where the new station was later built. <br /> <br /> Some information taken from book "Historic Digby" by Mike Parker </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc11"> <h4 class="float-left">11</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Digby Railway Station<br />1918<br /> First Avenue, Digby, Nova Scotia<br /> </span> <div align="left"><A HREF="javascript:;" onClick="remWin('CM_V2_Apps/ui/remWindow.php?remID=113972&remP=%2Fsgc-cms%2Fhistoires_de_chez_nous-community_stories%2Fhdcn-cm%2FAANE%2F0001%2Ftext%2F&remEx=Digby+County%3A++A+Journey+Through+Time&lg=English');" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore()" onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('textIcon_11_1','','English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_over.gif',1)"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_off.gif" alt="TEXT ATTACHMENT" name="textIcon_11_1" width="28" height="28" style="border:none;"></A></div> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#11" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=227813','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=800,height=600')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/AANE/0001/image/storycard/AANE00010042.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc12"> <h4 class="float-right">12</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> A second train station was built between 1910-11. It was located on 1st Avenue on the opposite side of the tracks of where the new station was later built.<br /> <br /> The 3rd station was built 1919 with the official opening in 1920. The last run for the train in Digby County was January 14, 1990, with freight service running until July 13 of the same year. The tracks were pulled up in 1991. <br /> <br /> It was a sad day for Digby on Tuesday, July 12, 1994 when the 3rd train station was torn down. </span> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc13"> <h4 class="float-left">13</h4> <span class="cmStoryLine"> Missing Link<br />1891<br /> Between Digby and Annapolis, Nova Scotia<br /> </span> <div align="left"><A HREF="javascript:;" onClick="remWin('CM_V2_Apps/ui/remWindow.php?remID=113971&remP=%2Fsgc-cms%2Fhistoires_de_chez_nous-community_stories%2Fhdcn-cm%2FAANE%2F0001%2Ftext%2F&remEx=Digby+County%3A++A+Journey+Through+Time&lg=English');" onMouseOut="MM_swapImgRestore()" onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('textIcon_13_1','','English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_over.gif',1)"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/text_off.gif" alt="TEXT ATTACHMENT" name="textIcon_13_1" width="28" height="28" style="border:none;"></A></div> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> </span> <br /> <br /> <a href="#13" onClick="window.open('pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=227812','CM', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=481,height=463')"><span class="topNavWhite"><img src="CommunityMemories2/AANE/0001/image/storycard/AANE00010041.jpg" ></span></a> </div> <div class="sc" id="sc14"> <h4 class="float-right">14</h4> <span class="cmStoryLineText"> In major hurdle in completing the "Missing Link" between Digby and Annapolis were the train trestles required to bridge the Grand Joggin, Bear River and Moose River. In 1891 the Dominion Government intervened and "as a public service" spent $1 million to finish the Digby-Annapolis Royal section. In 1893 the Western Counties Railway was reorganized as the Yarmouth and Annapolis Railway. </span> </div> <table id="scNav"><tr> <td width="172" style="text-align:left;"><a href="pm_v2.php?id=story_line_child&fl=&lg=English&ex=00000443&sl=8551&pos=1&scpos=1" id="scJumpFirst" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_start.gif" width="10" height="9" /></a></td> <td width="170" style="text-align:right;"><a href="javascript:;" onClick="flip(this.id, 0, 1, 49);" id="scPrev" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_prev.gif" width="9" height="9"></a><a href="pm_v2.php?id=story_line_child&fl=&lg=English&ex=00000443&sl=8551&pos=1&scpos=0" id="scJumpPrev" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_prev.gif" width="9" height="9" /></a></td> <td width="174" style="text-align:left;"><a href="javascript:;" onClick="flip(this.id, 0, 1, 49);" id="scNext" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_next.gif" width="9" height="9"></a><a href="pm_v2.php?id=story_line_child&fl=&lg=English&ex=00000443&sl=8551&pos=14&scpos=1" id="scJumpNext" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_next.gif" width="9" height="9" /></a></td> <td width="172" style="text-align:right;"><a href="pm_v2.php?id=story_line_child&fl=&lg=English&ex=00000443&sl=8551&pos=48&scpos=1" id="scJumpLast" class="scLink"><img src="English/CommunityMemories2/cm_images/sc_last.gif" width="10" height="9" /></a></td> </tr> </table> </div> <div class="scSplit" id="scSplit" /> </body> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var scCount = 14; var scShowing = []; flip("scPos", 1, 1, 49); </script>
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