Stellarton Gaelic:Méinnean Na h-Albann (Albion Mines in english) | |
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Town | |
 Foord Street in July 2009 | |
 Flag | |
| Nickname: Stelly[1] | |
| Motto: "Spirit, People, Pride" | |
  Stellarton Location of Stellarton inNova Scotia | |
| Coordinates:45°33′24″N62°39′36″W / 45.55667°N 62.66000°W /45.55667; -62.66000 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Nova Scotia |
| Municipality | Pictou County |
| Founded | 1790s |
| Incorporated | October 22, 1889 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Darren Stroud |
| • Governing body | Stellarton Town Council |
| • MLA | Danny MacGillivray(PC) |
| • MP | Sean Fraser(L) |
| Area (2021)[2] | |
• Total | 8.99 km2 (3.47 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 65 m (213 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 19 m (62 ft) |
| Population (2021)[2] | |
• Total | 4,007 |
| • Density | 445.6/km2 (1,154/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Stellartonian |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (AST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (ADT) |
| Postal Code | B0K 1S0 |
| Area code | 902 |
| Telephone Exchanges | 301, 331, 419, 507, 513, 600, 601, 616, 695, 752, 753, 754, 755, 759, 771, 921, 928, 931, 934, 952, 967 |
| Website | www |
Stellarton (Scottish Gaelic:Meinnean na h-Albann) is a town in the province ofNova Scotia, Canada. It is adjacent and to the south of the larger town ofNew Glasgow. In pioneer times the area was calledCoal Mines Station, and from 1833 until 1889, it was known asAlbion Mines.[3] The town was incorporated as Stellarton in 1889 and owes its name to a specific type oftorbanite which came to be known as "stellarite" because of the "stars of fire" given off by its sparky flame.[4]
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 uniqueoil shales and thick coal seams, with estimate of coal seams being as thick as 48 feet (15 m).
In the 1820s, the mines were taken over by theGeneral Mining Association, which intensified production with new technology, including the first steam engine in Nova Scotia for pumping and in 1839Samson, the oldest railway locomotive in Canada which carried coal to waiting ships.[5]
Samson is now preserved at theNova Scotia Museum of Industry in Stellarton.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1871 | 1,750 | — |
| 1881 | 1,599 | −8.6% |
| 1891 | 2,410 | +50.7% |
| 1901 | 2,335 | −3.1% |
| 1911 | 3,910 | +67.5% |
| 1921 | 5,312 | +35.9% |
| 1931 | 5,002 | −5.8% |
| 1941 | 5,351 | +7.0% |
| 1951 | 5,575 | +4.2% |
| 1956 | 5,445 | −2.3% |
| 1961 | 5,327 | −2.2% |
| 1981 | 5,433 | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 5,259 | −3.2% |
| 1991 | 5,237 | −0.4% |
| 1996 | 4,968 | −5.1% |
| 2001 | 4,809 | −3.2% |
| 2006 | 4,717 | −1.9% |
| 2011 | 4,485 | −4.9% |
| 2016 | 4,208 | −6.2% |
| 2021 | 4,007 | −4.8% |
| [6][7][8][9] | ||
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Stellarton had a population of4,007 living in1,881 of its2,017 total private dwellings, a change of-4.8% from its 2016 population of4,208. With a land area of 8.99 km2 (3.47 sq mi), it had a population density of445.7/km2 (1,154.4/sq mi) in 2021.[9]
The town is still home to coal mining operations. TheStellarton Surface Coal Mine has been operated byPioneer Coal since 1980.
The Canadian grocery chainSobeys 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 includeBig 8 Beverages, TRA Cash and Carry, Eastern Sign-Print and Regional Distribution Centre.
A former local business was theClairtone factory, founded byPeter Munk andDavid Gilmour with the encouragement of local businessman and politicianFrank H. Sobey.
Stellarton is home to theNova Scotia Museum of Industry, part of theNova Scotia Museum system. Stellarton is noted for its painted fire hydrants, each adorned with a costumed representative of a town inhabitant or profession.
The Stellarton Memorial Ice Rink was constructed in 1945 to remember the soldiers that died inWorld War I andWorld War II. It is still standing today but has not been used for several years.
Places adjacent to Stellarton | |
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