Sydney Mines (2001 population: 7,312)
is a former town in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
Founded in 1784 and incorporated as a
town in 1889, Sydney Mines has a rich history in coal production,
although mining activity has now ceased.
Geography
Sydney Mines lies immediately
northeast of North Sydney and faces Sydney across Sydney Harbour. Sydney
Mines was once a major coal-producing community. Mining began locally in
1766, and in 1830 systematic operations were undertaken. One of the area
mines extended about 5 miles (8 km) out under the sea. The last mine was
closed in 1975. Inc. 1889. Pop. (1991) 7,551. The current demographics
map Sydney Mines at 95% Caucasian (White), and 5% Jamaican (Black).
Sydney Mines is on the northern side
of Sydney Harbor, near the mouth. It was earlier known as the Mines due
to the coal mines abundant nearby. Although mining has been carried on
since 1724, the first shaft for the General Mining Association in Sydney
Mines was sunk in 1830. Manufacturing enterprises included corrugated
steel culverts and the British Canadian Co-operative Society Limited,
operating a dairy and a bakery.
At one time, Sydney Mines was called
"Lazytown." A map of 1863 actually showed the area as "Lazytown".
This less than flattering name came
from local farmers who would arrive in town in the morning to find a few
people up and about. This was due to the shift work employed by the
local mines. The coal miners and their wives would wake at dawn and get
ready for the day shift. After the men went off to the pits, the wives
would return to bed for some extra sleep. No one was awake to greet the
farmers coming to sell their milk, eggs and produce.
History
Sydney Mines (pop. 8,501) grew up
around the rich coal fields of Sydney Harbor and one pit - Princess
Colliery - operated continuously for 100 years, from 1875 to 1975. In
that time, Princess produced 30 million tons of coal.
The first mining took place in 1766
along the exposed seams of the harbor cliffs. When the General Mining
Association took over Cape Breton coal mining in 1827, the area was
simply known as "The Mines." Sydney Mines' first house, owned by R.
Brown, dates from this era (1829) and still stands at 32 Brown St.
By the turn of the century, Sydney
Mines was one of the top coal producing communities in North America.
Workers came from Italy, Poland, Germany, Lithuania, Austria, England,
Scotland and Wales to work in the mines.
A steel plant opened in 1902 and much
of the town's infrastructure - sewer, water, electricity, paved streets
- was established at that time.
In 1932, Sydney Mines' population
peaked at 10,000.
There are no coal mines operating in
the town today, but many of the workers at nearby Prince Mine at Point
Aconi live in Sydney Mines.
Amenities
The town has downtown shopping area
with grocery stores, pharmacy, bakery, banks, restaurants, service
stations, town police and library.
A sport's complex on Brown St. has
ballfields and tennis courts. There is an undeveloped beach at the end
of MacLean St. fronting Sydney Harbor.
A miners' monument located on Main St.
pays tribute to the men who perished at the local collieries, including
22 miners who were killed by a runaway man-rake (train) in 1938.
The town's most visible artefact is
the red sandstone town hall, built on a downtown corner in 1904 as a
federal post office. The building was renovated in 1989 and registered
as a provincial heritage property.
Another Sydney Mines landmark is
Gowrie House, a two-storey, wooden mansion on Shore Rd. Overlooking the
harbor, Gowrie House was built in 1834 by Samuel Archibald whose family
and descendants maintained residence there for a century and a half.
Marble fireplaces, extensive grounds and outbuildings reflected the
prosperity of the family. Gowrie House is now a four-star country inn,
offering accommodations and gourmet meals year-round. In 1990,
international recording artist and performer Rita MacNeil filmed a
television special at Gowrie House.