Welcome
The Port Hastings Historical Society welcomes you to our virtual look at
the history of the Canso Causeway and Canal, and their impact on the Strait of
Canso region.
Constructed between 1952 and 1955, the Causeway and
navigation lock in the Strait of Canso, between the Nova Scotia mainland and
Cape Breton Island, saw the Strait filled with over 10,000,000 tons of rock, and
the creation of an ice free port on the south side.
Our project will look
at the time spanning fifty years before the Causeway was constructed, to fifty
years after. Our look at the Strait Area from 1905 to 2005 will include the
social and economic history of the area, including the ferries used to cross the
Strait before 1955, and the lobbying that took place to gain a fixed link. We
will also focus on the impact of the Causeway, from the initial loss of jobs
from the end of ferry service, to the area's appeal to industry due to a
deep-water, ice-free port.
The Strait Area will commemorate the 50th
anniversary of the official opening of the Canso Causeway on Saturday, August
13, 2005, with events organized by the Canso Causeway 50th Anniversary
Society.
We welcome comments or questions about our exhibit. Thank you
for visiting.
The Port Hastings Historical Society, August
2004.
gutofcanso@ns.sympatico.ca
PHHS