| Stellarton | |
|---|---|
| Foord Street, Stellarton. | |
| Motto: "Spirit, People, Pride" | |
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Stellarton
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Nova Scotia |
| Municipality | Pictou County |
| Founded | 1790s |
| Incorporated | October 22, 1889 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Joe Gennoe |
| • Governing body | Stellarton Town Council |
| • MLA | Ross Landry (NDP) |
| • MP | Peter MacKay (C) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.99 km2 (3.5 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 65 m (213 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 19 m (62 ft) |
| Population (2006)[1] | |
| • Total | 4,717 |
| • Density | 524.6/km2 (1,358.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) |
| • Summer (DST) | ADT (UTC-3) |
| Postal Code | B0K 1S0 |
| Area code(s) | 902 |
| Telephone Exchanges | 755, 752, 695 |
| Website | http://www.stellarton.ca/ |
Stellarton is a town located in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is adjacent and to the south of the larger town of New Glasgow. In pioneer times the area was called Coal Mines Station, and from 1833 until 1870, it was known as Albion Mines.[2] The town was incorporated as Stellarton in 1889 and owes its name to one of its oil shales which came to be known as "stellarite" because of the "stars of fire" given off by its sparky flame.[3]
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In the 1790s, coal quickly became a key focus of the local economy. The Foord coal seam (from which the main street of Stellarton derives its name) runs through most of the town and is part of the greater Stellarton Basin/Pictou Coalfield. As part of an area recognized by geologists for its unique oil shales and thick coal seams, the Foord seam is said to be the thickest in the world with estimate of coal seams being as thick as 48 feet.
In the 1820s, the mines were taken over by the General Mining Association which intensified production with new technology including the first steam engine in Nova Scotia for pumping and in 1839 Samson, the oldest railway locomotive in Canada which carried coal to waiting ships.[4]
Samson is now preserved at the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry in Stellarton.
The town is still home to coal mining operations, an open air strip mine is operated by Pioneer Coal.
The Canadian grocery chain Sobeys is based out of Stellarton, and its corporate offices and grocery subsidiaries provides a fair percentage of the town's employment. Sobeys subsidiaries based in Stellarton include Big 8 Beverages, TRA Cash and Carry, Eastern Sign-Print and Regional Distribution Centre. Sobeys is majority owned by Empire Company which is also based in Stellarton.
Stellarton is home to the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry, part of the Nova Scotia Museum system. Stellarton is noted for its painted fire hydrants, each adorned with a costumed representative of a town inhabitant or profession.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1981 | 5,435 | — |
| 1991 | 5,237 | −3.6% |
| 1996 | 4,968 | −5.1% |
| 2001 | 4,809 | −3.2% |
| 2006 | 4,717 | −1.9% |
| [5] | ||