Springfield, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Springfield, Nova Scotia
is located between Middleton
(in the Annapolis Valley
) and Bridgewater
(on the South Shore
). Springfield is in the centre of western Nova Scotia located on Trunk 10, 140 km west of Halifax
.
Springfield lies within the Atlantic Upland
. Springfield's economic development has been shaped largely by the forestry
industry, but farming has also been an important occupation in this area. Most of the forests are privately owned, and many can best be called farm
woodlots, or Balsam fir
Christmas tree
farms. Many of the Christmas
trees are shipped to other eastern Canadian provinces or to the United States
.
The largest sawmill
in Nova Scotia once was located in this village. It was built in 1902 and operated under the name the Davison Lumber Company. They built numerous railway lines in the area to haul logs. One connected with Lake Pleasant. In 1905, the company built 30 houses, a large three-story cookhouse, an office, and a school
. In 1914, Hastings, (the mill site was named after owner John M. Hastings of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
) continued to boom with more houses, a warehouse
, a store, a doctor's office, and a large clubhouse (which contained a bowling alley, two pool tables, a dressing room and a dance hall). The mill went bankrupt in the 1920s and a fire destroyed the mill in 1928. The fire consumed all the mill buildings and 35 of the remaining 55 houses. On September 10, 2005, a history book was launched in Springfield and a monument at the old Lumber Mill site was unveiled.
Today, Springfield has a Canada Post
Office, a general store, a fire hall, garage
s, a small number of forest related businesses, farm
s, a large armed forces campground on Lake Pleasant, a ball field and picnic park on Springfield Lake, and a Baptist
Church. Local shopping and schools are in New Germany
(16 km away) and many people commute to Bridgewater for employment and larger stores. There, the largest employer is the Michelin
Tire Plant.
Lake Pleasant and Springfield Lake are located in the community; both lakes are popular cottage and camping areas that offer trout
and salmon
fishing
, boating, swimming, and year round hiking.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
is located between Middleton
Middleton, Nova Scotia
Middleton is a Canadian town in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia.It is situated on the north bank of the Annapolis River. Incorporated in 1909, it is located near the centre of the Annapolis Valley, from which it gets its nickname, "The Heart of the Valley".-Economy:Founded by New England Planters,...
(in the Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
) and Bridgewater
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
Bridgewater is a town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada, at the navigable limit of the LaHave River. It is the largest town in the South Shore region. While the majority of the South Shore's economy is based upon the tourist trade, Bridgewater is more a commercial and industrial centre and...
(on the South Shore
South Shore (Nova Scotia)
The South Shore is a region of Nova Scotia, Canada. Although it has no formal identity and is variously defined by geographic, county and other political boundaries, it is generally understood as the Atlantic coast running southwest from Halifax Harbour to the end of Shelburne County...
). Springfield is in the centre of western Nova Scotia located on Trunk 10, 140 km west of Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
.
Springfield lies within the Atlantic Upland
Atlantic Upland
The Atlantic Upland, which is cut by lowlands, stretches over most of southern Nova Scotia, Canada.The surface of the Atlantic Upland rises from sea level on the Atlantic shore to about 180 to 200 metres at the southern side of the Annapolis Valley.Most of the rivers on the mainland part of the...
. Springfield's economic development has been shaped largely by the forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
industry, but farming has also been an important occupation in this area. Most of the forests are privately owned, and many can best be called farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
woodlots, or Balsam fir
Balsam Fir
The balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada and the northeastern United States .-Growth:It is a small to medium-size evergreen tree typically tall, rarely to tall, with a narrow conic crown...
Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
farms. Many of the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
trees are shipped to other eastern Canadian provinces or to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The largest sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
in Nova Scotia once was located in this village. It was built in 1902 and operated under the name the Davison Lumber Company. They built numerous railway lines in the area to haul logs. One connected with Lake Pleasant. In 1905, the company built 30 houses, a large three-story cookhouse, an office, and a school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
. In 1914, Hastings, (the mill site was named after owner John M. Hastings of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
) continued to boom with more houses, a warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
, a store, a doctor's office, and a large clubhouse (which contained a bowling alley, two pool tables, a dressing room and a dance hall). The mill went bankrupt in the 1920s and a fire destroyed the mill in 1928. The fire consumed all the mill buildings and 35 of the remaining 55 houses. On September 10, 2005, a history book was launched in Springfield and a monument at the old Lumber Mill site was unveiled.
Today, Springfield has a Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
Office, a general store, a fire hall, garage
Automobile repair shop
An automobile repair shop is a place where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and electricians.- Types :The automotive garage can be divided in so many category....
s, a small number of forest related businesses, farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
s, a large armed forces campground on Lake Pleasant, a ball field and picnic park on Springfield Lake, and a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church. Local shopping and schools are in New Germany
New Germany, Nova Scotia
New Germany, Lunenburg County is a community in a central portion of southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located on the LaHave River, which splits the town into two halves which are connected by two early-20th century steel bridges...
(16 km away) and many people commute to Bridgewater for employment and larger stores. There, the largest employer is the Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
Tire Plant.
Lake Pleasant and Springfield Lake are located in the community; both lakes are popular cottage and camping areas that offer trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
and salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, boating, swimming, and year round hiking.