Canning, Nova Scotia

Canning
—  Village  —

Seal
Canning
Location of Canning, Nova Scotia
Coordinates:
Country  Canada
Province  Nova Scotia
County Kings
Established 1760
Government
 • Village Committee Village of Canning Commission
 • MLA Jim Morton (NDP)
 • MP Scott Brison (L)
Population (2006)
 • Total 798
Time zone AST (UTC-4)
 • Summer (DST) ADT (UTC-3)
Postal code B0P 1H0
Area code(s) 902
Telephone Exchange 582
NTS Map 021H01
GNBC Code CAGBD
Website http://canningnovascotia.ca

Canning, Nova Scotia (2006 pop. 798) is a village in northeastern Kings County located at the crossroads of Route 221 and Route 358.

History

The area was originally settled by Acadians who were expelled in 1755 during the Acadian Expulsion. After the Acadians, Canning - first called Apple Tree Landing and later Habitant Corner - was settled in 1760 by New England Planters and by the Dutch following World War II. The present name was adopted in honour of British prime minister George Canning.[1]

Though much diminished in importance in recent years, Canning was once a major shipbuilding centre and shipping and rail hub for farmers in Kings County. Canning merchants and farmers founded the Cornwallis Valley Railway which ran from 1889 to 1961, connecting the village to the Dominion Atlantic Railway mainline in Kentville, Nova Scotia. The village suffered three major fires in its history.

The Canadian parliamentarian Sir Frederick William Borden had a home in Canning. A cousin of Sir Robert Borden, Sir Frederick was Minister of Militia prior to the First World War. Canning has a prominent statue to the most famous Canadian casualty of the Second Boer War, Harold Lothrop Borden, a son of Sir Frederick.[2] He died in the Battle of Witpoort (See Battle of Witpoort, South Africa).

Canning was also the home the famous country singer Wilf Carter. He was made an honourary citizen of Canning, Nova Scotia in 1978.

The village is home to Glooscap Elementary School, an elementary school with a student population of over 200, and NKEC, a middle school/high school with a student population of around 1020.

A lighthouse that once served the port fell into disuse and abandonment but was restored in the 1990s.[3]

References

External links