Amherst, Nova Scotia

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Pagename
other_name =
native_name =
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settlement_type = Town
motto = Faith in our people, pride in our products


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = The Nova Scotia Visitor Information Centre, located in Fort Lawrence, 3 kilometres west of Amherst.


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image_shield = Amherst.jpg
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map_caption = Location of Pagename


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map_caption1 =
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dot_mapsize = 250px
dot_map_caption =Location of Pagename
dot_x =78 |dot_y =58
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = CAN
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = NS
subdivision_type2 = Municipality
subdivision_name2 = Cumberland County
subdivision_type3 =
subdivision_name3 =
subdivision_type4 =
subdivision_name4 =
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =Mayor
leader_name =Jerry Hallee
leader_title1 = Governing Body
leader_name1 =Amherst Town Council
leader_title2 =Deputy Mayor
leader_name2 =George Baker
leader_title3 =Councillors
leader_name3 =Robert Angel, Ed Chitty, Dale Fawthrop, David March, Terry Rhindress
leader_title4 =
leader_name4 =
established_title = Founded
established_date = 1764
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = December 18, 1889
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
area_magnitude =
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area_total_km2 = 12.02
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population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_note =
population_total = 9505
population_density_km2 = 790.7
population_density_sq_mi =
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timezone = AST
utc_offset = -4
timezone_DST =
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latd=45 |latm=49 |lats= |latNS=N
longd=64 |longm=13 |longs= |longEW=W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 22.11
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = B4H
area_code = 902
blank_name =Telephone Exchanges
blank_info =297, 660-1, 664, 667, 669, 694, 699
blank1_name =Median Earnings*
blank1_info =$38,831
blank2_name = NTS Map
blank2_info = 021H16
blank3_name = GNBC Code
blank3_info = CAAOO
website = [http://www.amherstns.com/ http://www.amherstns.com/]
footnotes = *Median household income, 2000 ($) (all households)

Part of a series about Places in Nova Scotia

Amherst (2006 population 9,505; UA population 9,547 http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/popdwell/Table.cfm?T=301&SR=100&S=1&O=A&RPP=100&SRCH=1 Amherst Community Profile versus other Canadian cities] ) is a Canadian town in northwestern Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.

Located at the northeast end of the Cumberland Basin, an arm of the Bay of Fundy, Amherst is strategically situated on the eastern boundary of the Tantramar Marshes 3 kilometres east of the interprovincial border with New Brunswick and 65 kilometres east of the city of Moncton. It is also located 60 kilometres southwest of the New Brunswick abutment of the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island at Cape Jourimain.

Amherst is the shire town and largest population centre in Cumberland County. According to Dr. Graham P. Hennessey, "The Micmac name was "Nemcheboogwek" meaning "going up rising ground", in reference to the higher land to the east of the Tantramar Marshes. The Acadians who settled here as early as 1672 called the village "Les Planches". It was named Amherst by Colonel Joseph Morse, the first settler, in honour of Lord Jeffrey Amherst, the commander-in-chief of the British Army in North America during the Seven Years' War who is well noted for his use of biological warfare against Aboriginals of the Great Lakes Region of North America during Pontiac's Rebellion .

History

The town was first settled in 1764 by immigrants from Yorkshire following the expulsion of the Acadians, with the original settlement being located three kilometres southwest of the present town on the shore of the Bay of Fundy.Fact|date=December 2007 These settlers were joined by United Empire Loyalists (Loyalists who fled the American colonies during the American Revolution). A mill was built on the current townsite, and the residents moved to be closer to work.

During the 19th century, Amherst became an important regional centre for shipbuilding and other services to outlying communities. An indication of the town's importance in Canadian history is seen with its four Fathers of Confederation: Edward B. Chandler, Robert B. Dickey, Jonathan McCully, and Sir Charles Tupper.

During the late 1800s, local industrialists and entrepreneurs constructed many fine Victorian and Edwardian homes along Victoria Street East, leading toward the farming hamlet of East Amherst. Many notable residents have lived in this district, including Tupper, Senator Thomas R. Black, the Barker Family, the Lamy Family, the Pugsley Family and Molly Simmons Critchely.

Amherst experienced unprecedented industrialization in the late 1870s after the Intercolonial Railway of Canada constructed its mainline from Halifax to Quebec through the town in 1872. The location of the railway line away from the Bay of Fundy coast further consolidated the town at its present location as industry and commercial activity centred around this important transportation link. The economic boom created by the arrival of the Intercolonial Railway lasted through World War I and numerous foundries, factories and mills opened, giving rise to the nickname "Busy Amherst".

Amherst's prosperity would not last as the failed economic policies of the federal and provincial governments, coupled with World War I, saw the town's industrial economy begin a slow decline during the 1910s, punctuated by the Amherst General Strike in 1919 where worker unrest over social and economic conditions led to mass protests in sympathy with the Winnipeg General Strike.

The eventual closure of companies such as Robb Engineering & Manufacturing (purchased by Canada Car and Foundry and then closed) and Amherst Pianos, among others led to a resignation of lost dreams as the town was overtaken by other newer manufacturing centres in central Canada during the 20th century. Amherst had a modest-sized industrial park constructed during the 1960s when the Trans-Canada Highway was being developed. Today the majority of the town's major employers are located there, including PolyCello and IMP Aerospace.Amherst hosted a prisoner of war detention centre during World War I, and Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky was incarcerated there for several months after he was arrested in Halifax, Nova Scotia in April 1917.

During World War II the Royal Canadian Navy named a Flower class corvette HMCS Amherst.

The town is served by VIA Rail's Halifax-to-Montreal train "Ocean" and intercity buses of Acadian Lines.

Businesses

Amherst is the retail centre for Cumberland County and the southeastern part of Westmorland County. The town has several big box stores, including Wal-Mart, Sobeys, Atlantic Superstore, Zellers, Canadian Tire, Kent Building Supplies, Panhandler and Shoppers Drug Mart, in addition to several fast food restaurants and auto dealerships. There are also smaller independent retailers and restaurants in the downtown area, situated among various historic buildings. The town's location on Highway 104 (part of the Trans-Canada Highway) has transformed South Albion street and Robert Angus Drive into a highway service centre.

Notable citizens

* Willard Boyle, co-inventor of the charge-coupled device (CCD).
* Bill Casey, politician
* Edward Barron Chandler, politician
* Robert C. Coates, politician
* George Barton Cutten, university president
* Mal Davis, NHL player
* Robert Barry Dickey, politician
* Leslie Feist, musician
* Sandy Goss, Olympian
* Rocky Johnson, professional wrestler, WWE Hall of Fame inductee
* Jonathan McCully, politician
* Willard M. Mitchell, artist and architect
* Peter Myles, film music editor
* Bill Riley, third Black player to play in the NHL
* Sir Charles Tupper, Prime Minister of Canada

Media

Radio

Amherst is currently served with three radio stations; CKDH, CFNS-FM and CITA-FM. An application by Tantramar Community Radio Society for a new community radio station to serve Amherst was denied by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on Sepetember 11, 2008. [ [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2008/db2008-254.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-254] ] =Television=

Youth Sports

Youth Baseball

Amherst is proud of its youth baseball organization. Every August, Amherst hosts an eight-team tournament, including four teams from New England. The 2008 tournament resulted in a tie due to a rain out. The winners were Marlborough, Massachusetts, and Amherst.Fact|date=October 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.town.amherst.ns.ca/ Town of Amherst]
* [http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/city/pages/ns-33_metric_e.html Environment Canada - Amherst Weather]
* [http://www.ccgs.ednet.ns.ca/cumb/amherst.htm Cumberland County Genealogical Society - Amherst - The Local Newspaper] Compares Amherst and its newspaper in 1939 and 1914.

----Geographic Location (8-way)
Centre = Pagename
North = Tantramar Marsh
Northeast = Tyndal Road
on Route
East = Warren
on Trunk
Southeast = Brookdale
on Route
South = Upper Nappan
on Trunk
Southwest = Amherst Point
West = Cobequid Bay
Northwest = Fort Lawrence
on Highway

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