New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
- Official Community Name: New Glasgow
- Gaelic Name:Glaschu Ùr
- Geographic Feature Type Category: Populated Place
- Geographic Feature Type: Town
- Latitude / Longitude: 45.589332, -62.64479
- NTS Map Number: 011E10
- 1879 Pictou County Atlas: Section 13
- Nova Scotia Land Grant Map Number: NS Land Grant map 093
- Nova Scotia 1:10k Topographic Map Number: 1045550062600 (New Glasgow)
New Glasgow is located near the head of tides on the East River of Pictou, north of Stellarton, and south of Trenton. It was named after Glasgow, Scotland in 1809; by Donald McKay.
Thomas Fraser may have been the first settler in 1784. William and Alexander Fraser and John McKay settled here about 1785. Alexander Fraser had built a mill by January, 1793. In that year he asked for land elsewhere since he expected that the government was about to begin mining coal on his lot. Most of the lots on which the present town stands were granted between 1785 and 1818.
A school started about 1812 and a school-house was built by 1818. A new school was erected about 1842. About 1861 a two-storey school was built on the outskirts of the village to serve as a high school or academy with three teachers. A grammar school and five common schools were merged in a new building opened in May, 1862. The white school burned down in
March, 1868 and was replaced by a new building. A new school was completed in 1876. In 1883 a new school was constructed on Temperance Street.
A building erected as a high school was opened 1894. This later became the south school. The original “Brown” school was replaced by a second one in 1906. Another new four-room school was built in 1911. West side· School was completed in 1914 and the high school was moved there. Acadia Street school was built in 1923. Albert Street High School
was opened in July, 1930. A new Junior High School was completed in 1954 and in 1960-61 a second storey building was added to Brown school. In 1966, a 20-room overflow high school was under construction. A four-room Catholic parochial
school built in 1891 was replaced by St. Johns Academy in 1917.
A Post Office-Customs House was built in 1884. New Glasgow Federal building was opened in 1961 and the old building was purchased by the town in 1962 and renovated for a town hall. A jail was built about 1838. In 1867 a new court-house was erected. The new civic building on Archimedes Street containing the jail, police headquarters, courtroom and Pictou County Regional Library was completed in 1964. The old court-house was demolished.
Aberdeen Hospital was under construction in 1896, officially opened March 25, 1897. The new Aberdeen Hospital was built in 1955. and the nurses residence was opened July 29, 1959. A.Y.M.C.A. building was opened in 1886. In 1919 it was sold to the Albion Lodge of Masons and in 1933 the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission occupied the first floor. The Canadian Legion’s Normandy House was opened in 1961. Norfolk Hotel was opened in 1882.
Newspapers published in New Glasgow included, The Eastern Chronicle, published by McConnell and Alley, which moved
from Pictou in 1866; The Plain Dealer begun by S.M. MacKenzie and W. D. Stewart in May, 1880; The Enterprise which was begun in Pictou in 1888; The Reporter begun in July 1891_by J. W._ Murray; The Globe which ran for two weeks in 1892: The New Glasgow Commercial News begun in August, 1898; The New Glasgow Times which was printed in Westville beginning in July, 1903; and the New Glasgow News begun by J. W. H. Sutherland in 1912. The Colonial Standard moved from Pictou a bout 1908 and ceased publication in 1914. The Free Lance begun in Westville in 1895, moved to New Glasgow about 1917 and was still being published in 1967. The Maritime Presbyterian was begun by Rev. Ephriam Scott in 1880, later merged into the Presbyterian Record. The Farmers and Breeders Monthly Magazine, edited by J . A. Fraser and printed by S. M. McKenzie began in July , 1889. The New Glasgow Amateur Journalist Club Magazine, edited by G. G. Patterson came out in 1880 as did The Boys Ensign, published by A. A. Stewart and J. W. McKaracher.
A bridge was built across the East River near the head of tide by September, 1803. It washed out in 1804 and a new bridge was built. The New Glasgow bridge was completed early in 1827. Another bridge was built in 1838. Draw bridges were built in 1859 and 1875. The latest bridge was begun in 1931, opened in July, 1932. An iron bridge was completed and opened in December 1887.
The Intercolonial Railway was completed to New Glasgow from Truro by April, 1867. The first sod for the Eastern Extension Railway was turned in February. 1877 and the line was opened September 8, 1879. In October. 1866 the rail line between New Glasgow and Fishers Grant (Pictou Landing) was opened.
In 1904 the Egerton Tramway Co. Ltd., completed their tram line connecting the four East River towns.
Fire destroyed much of the business section in 1873. In 1948 a fire destroyed part of the business section of town.
New Glasgow was incorporated as a town in 1875 with A.C. Bell as first Mayor.
Foundry, John E. Garret Ltd., was founded in 1892. Maritime Steel and Foundries Ltd., was begun by J. W. Cumming as
a blacksmith shop in 1902. It was incorporated in 1911 and amalgamated the McPherson Foundry in 1914. A new foundry was built in 1921. Standard Clay Products was founded by Wallace Trotter, Sr., in 1902. This plant was responsible for the growth of the suburb originally known as Pipetown and later called Parkdale. Steel Furnishing Co. Ltd., was founded by George McGregor in partnership with Andrew H. Rudland in 1906. It was incorporated in 1914. Cameron and Fraser Limited began in Pleasant Valley before 1905 and moved here in 1913. They began making coffins in 1915. The New Glasgow Foundry was established in 1917 by Joseph Allan.
Eastern Woodworkers Limited was an outgrowth of the carpentering skills of Harold Mingo in 1938. It was incorporated
in 1949. Gomac Construction Limited was formed as a subsidiary in 1946. Tasco Sheet Metal and Roofing Co. Ltd., was formed in 1955. L. E. Shaw Ltd:, built a brick manufacturing plant here about 1947. A new plant was built beside it in 1965. Other industries include Seven Up (New Glasgow) Ltd., Mcleans Beverages Ltd. Acadian Coal Co. Ltd., Tidewater Construction, Imperial Oil Ltd., Farmers Co-op Dairy Ltd., Inter Supply Ltd., Canadian Oil Companies Ltd., Canadian Petrofina Ltd., and John J. Collie and Sons, Ltd. Capt, George McKenzie (1798-1876) was a famous Pictou County shipbuilder. In 1821 he launched a schooner at Boat Harbour and about 1840 he established his shipbuilding business at
New Glasgow. During his lifetime he built or owned about 34 vessels. As he’ gradually withdrew from the business of shipbuilding it was taken over by his nephew, James William Carmichael. Capt. Thomas Graham and other members of the Graham family were also prominent in shipping and shipbuilding.
Population in 1961 was 9782.
[Source: Nova Scotia Place Names – T. Brown / Places of Nova Scotia – C. Bruce Fergusson ]
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