Priestville, Nova Scotia

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Priestville is a rural community located in Pictou County, Nova Scotia just outside of the south east boundary of New Glasgow and is just off the Trans Canada highway. It may have been named because of a priest who lived here.^{[citation needed]}

1 History
2 Education
3 Present
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

Settlement in this area probably began as a result of the establishment of Standard Clay Products Ltd. in the early twentieth century.It once housed the Pictou County landfill site until it shut down in the late 70's. A Railroad once passed though the community. The six mile railroad connected on to the railroad in New Glasgow and ended in Thorburn, the line was used to carry coal out of Thorbun. The tracks were taking out in the mid 80's.

[edit] Education

On May 12, 1913, the Priestville school section was created and a school was built that year to serve an increasing number of people attracted by the clay works. A new 2-room school was built in 1944.The school was shut down in the 1970s and was amalgamated with Thorburn Consolidated School as well as other rural schools in Thorburn area. Students attend Thorburn Consolidated School for P-9 and then attend North Nova Education Centre (NNEC) in New Glasgow for grades 10 to 12. Up until NNEC's opening in 2003, students attended East Pictou High School in Sutherlands River. The former Priestville School currently is used as an apartment complex.

[edit] Present

The old Railroad line is now used as a portion of the Pictou County Snowmobile club. An Alberta company are currently drilling at the landfill for methane gas.^{[citation needed]} Business in Priestville include Engine Tech 2000, Mahars Towing, Play time at Dotty's (a Preschool) and Thomson's Family Farm, which hosts an annual fall harvest of pumpkins and corn. They make a roughly 0.81 ha corn maze and have wagon rides other activities for the whole family. They also give kids in the community the chance to make some money helping out harvesting. Population is roughly 320.^{[citation needed]}