Accommodations Nova Scotia
Your Guide To Accommodations In Nova Scotia
Bass River, Nova Scotia
Bass River is located along an approximate 4 km stretch of
Cobequid Bay north shoreline, from the bordering communities of
Upper Economy to the west, Porta(u)pique to the east, and
Castlereagh in the Cobequid Hills to the north. Most of its
residents live along or just off of the Trunk 2, the Glooscap Trail.
Bass River's jurisdiction is thought locally to extend north from
the bay approximately 5 km to include Upper Bass River and Hoeg's
Corner, east to incorporate Little Bass River (which includes the
areas Edgewood and Saint's Rest), and south to include Birch Hill
and King's Rest.
The community is named after the small river, Bass River, which runs
south from its source in the Cobequid Hills at Upper Bass River,
through the village centre, and out to Cobequid Bay.
At its height, economic activity in the village of Bass River was
centred around wooden furniture production, wooden ship-building,
and timber export. The furniture manufacturer Dominion Chair Company
employed 40 to 70 workers at any one time from the late 19th century
to February 1989, when fire destroyed most of the company's
operating facilities. Shipbuilding took place in two locales, at
Saint's Rest, site of the (no longer in use) village lighthouse,
with the building of the brig 'Jos. Howe' in 1867, and between 1884
and 1918 in Little Bass River with the construction of a further
seven wooden ships. Bass River timber was famously also used to
build staging used in construction of the Empire State Building.
Other former industry included grist mill operations, shad fishing,
and silica mining. In the early 20th century, there was a bank and a
hotel located in the village.
Present-day economic activity includes a few commercial farms
(cultivated strawberries, dairy, and sheep), pulp wood, fire wood,
and timber harvesting, low bush blueberry and Christmas tree
production, and clam mollusc harvesting (i.e.. "clam digging").
Most present-day residents however commute to assorted work done
outside the community. Most commuters go to Truro and its
surrounding area.
