Bear River, Nova Scotia
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Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Bear River (population: 800) is a small village situated at the head of the tidewaters of the Bear River. The river itself is the border between the Annapolis and Digby counties of Nova Scotia and thus, splits the village so that half the village is in Annapolis County and the other half in Digby County.
The village is adjacent to the Bear River First Nation which administers the Bear River 6, 6A and 6B reserves.
History
Bear River was an important shipbuilding location in the late 19th century. One of many large vessels built in the village was the brigantine Dei Gratia, the vessel which discovered the famous mystery ship Mary Celeste in 1872. The climate and soil conditions in the Bear River area are conducive to the growing of grapes and several vineyards have emerged. Bear River is home to the first solar aquatics waste water management facility in North America; the facility is still functioning well and is now being expanded.[1] The community is known for its thriving artistic community, the largest per capita in Nova Scotia.[2] There are many artist studios, shops and galleries in the downtown and immediate area. Crafts produced include clothing, woodwork, pottery, quilts, fabric arts, and an assortment of painted media.[3]
The village is run by volunteers as there is no town government. The Bear River Board of Trade is the primary organization to pursue economic development and also maintains the waterfront park and Visitor Information Center. The Bear River Historical Society[4] operates the Bear River Heritage Museum which is open through the summer and early fall with displays of historical photos, archival materials and artifacts of the rich history of the area. The Digby County Exhibition is held in Bear River each year.
The village is working to become an eco-village in its determination to remain low-tech, with no fast food, malls or box stores, and the exploration of alternative energy sources.[5]
Notable residents
References
- ↑ Solar Aquatics Waste
- ↑ http://millyardrecreation.com/
- ↑ Bear River, Nova Scotia
- ↑ Bear River History Archived May 6, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Further reading
- Darlene A. Ricker, L'sitkuk: The Story of the Bear River Mi'kmaw Community, Roseway Publishing, 1997.
- E. Foster Hall, editor, Heritage Remembered – The Story of Bear River, Bear River New Horizons Centre, ca. 1981
- John MacLeod, A Far Away Place, 2014
- Mike Parker, Frontier Town, 2015
