FOREWORD

I have always been interested in the story of Joggins and from an early age remember asking my grandfather and father about life in Joggins when they were growing up. One thing they told me was "life was tough". For many growing up meant doing without proper clothes to wear and having too little to eat. Many families had family members who left the area to find a better life in other parts of Canada and the USA, never to return.
Much has been written on Joggins concerning the early coal mining industry but I have never been able to find one source that told the social as well as the industrial history of the town.

The following is not an official history of Joggins but only my attempt to compile the information I have accumulated over the years on Joggins and put into into print. The information put forth on these pages comes mostly from older newspaper articles and records from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (Department of Mines) dealing with the history of this special part of Nova Scotia.
In writing this article I tried not to delve too much into early mining statistics, however as I began to gather information I realised that much of the early history of the Joggins area that was available was mainly from government resources, such as the Department of Mines documents.
The story of Joggins is so much more than the coal mining records of the area but without the coal there would not have been a Joggins.

There are so many stories that should be told and I will try to touch a bit on many of them. The three churches of the community have a rich and colourful history all of their own, however this work will only deal with an overview of these . A wonderful history of Saint Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church was composed on the occasion of their 100th anniversary in 1994. The schools also have an interesting past which could be told in more depth.
I tried to write this history keeping events in a chronological order, but have found myself jumping ahead a bit to finish telling a story and then going back to begin another tale.
I would like to thank the Cumberland County Museum for the use of their archives which was invaluable in my research. Sources of information used in the research of the history of Joggins were; the Joggins High School Journals from 1938 to 1945 located at the Cumberland County Museum, numerous articles from the weekly newspaper; The Citizen , the History of St.Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church ,and old news paper articles, many of which were written by Harry Burke in the 1960's. As I continued to add and delete items in this article I began to include some of my own recollections of growing up in Joggins. Other newspaper articles on the opening of the Joggins Railway were found at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia located in Halifax. Also, the web site of the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and the web site for the University College of Cape Breton, History of Coal Mining in Nova Scotia provided a great deal of information on the Joggins area.

I dedicate this work to the people, who, in the past built Joggins into the great community that so many of us have been proud to call our "HOME TOWN".

The Early Years
The community of Joggins is located in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia on the shores of the picturesque Chignecto Bay. The town is situated atop the one hundred foot high, world renowned fossil cliffs, that have made the community a house hold name in geological circles. These cliffs were first made famous by Sir William Dawson and Sir Charles Lyell in 1852 when they discovered reptiles and amphibians entombed in fossilised tree trunks embedded in the cliffs.
If one looks to the west, you will see the majestic Shepody Mountains of Albert County, New Brunswick approximately five miles distant across the water. To the east lie the Cobequid Hills of central Cumberland County, and thirty miles away the coal mining town of Springhill. The Town of Amherst is located approximately twenty miles to the north.
As with most of Nova Scotia the area of Joggins was originally settled by the native Mi'kmaq people. The community derives its name from the Indian word Chegoggin which means " place to fish". This name was applied to the entire coastal region along Chignecto Bay from the Cumberland Basin to Cape Chignecto and would become known as the Joggins Shore.
The first Europeans to make use of the site where the settlement of Joggins is located today were French and English military personnel and early Acadian settlers.
One the earliest recorded references to the coal of Joggins, which is visible in the cliffs and along the beach, was in 1692 in correspondence by a captain of the French Navy, exploring the Bay of Fundy . It is known that the Acadians were using Joggins coal to operate their forges and ovens as early as 1720. Early records state that coal was taken away by ship to be used by the French at their settlements along the bay. Taking coal from the shore in this means was dangerous work as there was no harbour and the ships would have to lay at anchor in the open bay and the coal transported to the ship by smaller boats. This may be one of the earliest records of mining in Nova Scotia, however French soldiers were also using coal on Ile Royal (Cape Breton Island) at the same time period. The Acadians chose not to settle at Joggins as they were mostly farmers and and preferred the more fertile river valleys and marsh land of the upper bay.
The coal cliffs of Joggins were marked on maps of the Province of Nova Scotia drawn by British cartographers in 1735. Captain Robert Hale of the British Navy mentioned in his log book of 1731 of coal being taken by him from the cliffs of Joggins . In his log book, Hale mentions that coal had been loaded here for the past 30 years. This would put the earliest date of mining at Joggins to be about 1700, a full 20 years before any mention of mining in Cape Breton. Another account mentions Captain John Knox, a British officer, stationed at Fort Cumberland (Fort Beausejour) making use of Joggins coal in 1757. Other than for this military use no commercial mining was done during the rest of this century. The first land grant at Joggins was made to Richard Lee in 1789.

The First Mines
The first mention of any commercial use of coal from Joggins was in 1819 when a man by the name of Samuel McCully opened a mine near the shore with hopes of supplying the growing settlement of Saint John, N.B. This venture failed, mainly due to competition from England for this market. In 1825 all mining rights in the province were given to the General Mining Association of London(GMA) controlled by a group of London jewellers. Under the ownership of the GMA the only coal deposits developed in the province at this time were in Pictou and Cape Breton. The next mention of mining was that of Cornish miners working the King Seam from the shore in 1836. Little other mining was done until 1854 when the first major coal mine in the area was developed by the GMA. The GMA developed this mine under pressure by the Province of Nova Scotia instigated by Abraham Gesner who was known as the " father of kerosene". This mine was known simply as the Joggins No.1 and according to old maps was located in the area between the Middle Road(Pit Rd)and Gray Street. Thus began the commercial mining industry at Joggins. A loading wharf would be constructed at the shore and a narrow gauge tramline built from there to the mine to transport the coal to the ships waiting to take their cargo to markets in Saint John and the New England States. Since all mining rights at Joggins was controlled by the General Mining Association and most of the land that comprises the present village was granted to the GMA, settlement and development of the area was hindered while other coal areas were being developed at Maccan and River Hebert where private mining developments were beginning. The Victoria Coal Mining Co. and the Barnes Mining Co. were operating in these areas at this time. About 1850 there were other coal seams uncovered in the Joggins area. The seams discovered were named the Joggins , the Fundy - Hardscrabble, and the Forty Brine. The GMA was forced to give up its hold on the coal resources of Nova Scotia in 1857. After this date private enterprise could develop the coal resources of the province. The community of Joggins Mines would continue to prosper during the 1860's with increased production at the mines. As the demand for coal increased and the mines became more prosperous the population of the area began to grow. The demand for housing necessitated the building of the first company houses in 1860. In 1866 the first mine on the Fundy Seam was developed at Hardscrabble Hill. This mine would be known as the Cumberland Mine.

The Expansion Years
In 1871 some stability was given to the mining industry in Joggins with the formation of the Joggins Coal Mining Co. At this time Joggins was the principal coal mining centre in Cumberland County. A new slope was sunk and great improvements were made to the surface facilities at the Joggins No.1. This year also saw the first steam powered hoist installed at the Joggins mine. This would allow the coal to be raised to the surface with out the use of horses, although horse power would continue to be used underground. The Joggins Coal Mining Company spent a total of $7400 ( seven thousand and four hundred dollars) on expansion in their first year of incorporation. The company also made railway connections to the slope at this time. This would be the tramway from the mines to the loading facilities at the shore as the Joggins Railway to Maccan would not be built until the 1880's. In 1871 almost 11,000 tons of coal was raised at Joggins and a total of ninety men and boys worked the pits. There were sixty men and ten boys working underground and fourteen men and six boys working on the surface. Boys as young as ten years of age were employed underground to care for the horses . On the surface the boys were employed in picking rock from the coal and to also look after the horses as well as other menial tasks. Government records show that the Joggins Coal Company had thirteen horses on their books in 1871. The mines were certainly busy in this year as the miners averaged 195 days of work and each man averaged 122 tons of coal mined, the mines produced 56 tons of coal per day raised to the surface.

The next year would see further developments in the mines. Production increased to over 12,000 tons and the slope was extended another 170 feet, to a depth of 690 feet. It was at this time that the old system of bord or room and pillar mining was replaced with the practice of longwall mining. With bord and pillar mining a huge area of coal was separated into sections or bords and all the coal was removed in the section. Pillars of coal were then left in place to support the roof of the mine and the miners would move onto the next bord. With this method two men would pick the coal after it was blasted and a third man would load it into a coal car. In longwall mining four or more men would work together with a cutting machine along the wall of coal and load it into coal cars as it was cut. This was a much faster and safer means of mining.
The year 1872 would also see improvements made to the shipping facilities at Joggins. The wharf was extended 100 feet and a breakwater was built for 200 feet at right angles to the main wharf to provide protection to the ships. The mining company would spend a total of seven-thousand, eight hundred dollars on improvements this year including two - hundred dollars on housing. The year 1875 saw the workings on the Fundy seam also transferred to the Joggins Coal Mining Company. The year 1877 would see the closure of the Cumberland Mine and most of the mining at Joggins from 1877 until 1903 was done on the Joggins seam while the Fundy seam was left idle during this time.

The Joggins (Shore) Mine
The Joggins or Shore mine as it was known was located at the bottom of Main Street and opened in 1905. This would become the largest mine to ever operate in the Joggins -Chignecto coal field, rivalling those of Springhill. This was also the first coal mine in Canada to be completely operated by electricity, produced at the company's generating plant in Chignecto. Up to this time all mines were operated by steam or horse power and used open flame lights. This was also one of the first mines in Nova Scotia to operate under water the only others being on Cape Breton Island. The mine was up to a mile underground with most of the workings out under the Chignecto Bay.
At its peak this pit employed close to 500 workers and during the war years of 1914 to 1919 coal production was hampered due to a shortage of miners. A unique feature with this mine, at least in the Joggins area, was the use of an endless chain which was used to lower empty cars or trips with miners into the mine and at the same time raise loaded cars or trips to the surface. In 1920 even with a shortage of miners this mine produced over 112,000 tons of coal. The Shore mine would operate until 1927 when it became too deep and expensive to run. At this same time the Maritime Coal Railway and Power Company, the operators of the mine were developing their Maple Leaf Mines in the Beech Hill area between Joggins and River Hebert

The coming of the railway
The year 1883 saw the incorporation of the Joggins Railway Company and work soon began on the surveying and clearing of the line to Maccan. A driving force behind the construction of the railway was Brunswick B. Barnhill , manager of the Joggins Mines. Barnhill later would abandon his mining interests and open a profitable lumbering empire in the Two Rivers area. Gilbert Seaman, son of Amos "King" Seaman of Minudie was also instrumental in bringing the railway into Joggins. Although these two men worked together in acquiring the line, they did so for separate personal reasons. Gilbert Seaman owned and operated the Minudie Coal Mining Company located at River Hebert and while he was away from the area, Barnhill approached government officials and convinced them that a rail line should be built from Joggins to Athol and by pass the mining districts of River Hebert completely, thus eliminating any competition for the Joggins Coal Mining Company. Upon returning to Minudie, Seaman learned of this move by Barnhill and contacted his close personal friend Sir Charles Tupper, who at the time happened to be Minister of Canals and Railways and had the line redrawn to come through the village of River Hebert. Seaman however did not get his way completely either as he wanted the line to cross the River Hebert in the Barronsfield area so it would better serve his own interests. He did however convince Tupper to approve a government subsidy for his own Minudie Railway which would connect his shipping wharves at Minudie to his mines and the Joggins Railway.
The twelve mile Joggins Railway was constructed in a little over three years and on November 3,1887 the line was officially opened by Sir Charles Tupper. On January 15, 1888 the line began carrying passengers and freight between Joggins and Maccan. In 1888 the Joggins Coal Mining Company and the Joggins Railway Company would form a partnership that would last for the next 70 years, although under different names. This new venture would be known as the Joggins Coal and Railway Company and eventually the Maritime Coal Railway & Power Company. With the coming of the railway production at the mines was destined to increase as now the company had a second means of transportation afforded them. Also new markets were opened up for the mines as well, the principle one being fuel for the many steam locomotives of the Intercolonial and the Canadian Pacific Railways. The train also offered the citizens of Joggins a means to travel to other parts of the province and Canada. It also made it possible for new citizens to move into the area who were looking for employment at the mines. In 1890 the railway would be extended another mile to a new station and engine shed located at the bottom of Main Street. These facilities would remain here for the rest of the lines existence. In 1892 a new company called the Canada Coals and Railway Company was formed and bought the assets of the Joggins Coal and Railway Co. The Canada Coals and Railway Company would go into receivership in 1904 and be taken over by US interests in 1905 with the new company being known as the Canada Coal and Railroad Company. The US interest was evident in the American term "railroad" replacing the Canadian term "railway" in the corporate name. In 1906 the mines and railway were sold again to the Maritime Coal and Railway Company which owned the mines and an electric power generating plant at Chignecto. This company was controlled by Senator William Mitchell of Montreal, David Mitchell of Amherst ,and James Patrick. The new company would reorganise and be known as the Maritime Coal Railway and Power Company. This would be the last time the railway would change ownership.

The Churches
As the village of Joggins grew with the increased demand for coal the needs of its citizens grew as well. Religion was very important to the early residents of the community and with this came the need for places of worship.
In 1887 under the direction of mine manager McNaughton funds were raised to build a non-denominational church in Joggins and within a year a new 28 X 36 foot meeting house was constructed on Pit Road. This seems to have been the first church built in the town. The official opening took place in October 1888. In later years the building was used as the church hall by the United Church. In 1924 the congregation would join the United Church of Canada. The congregation soon out grew these facilities and new larger church was built on Main Street in 1924.

The business men of Joggins took an active role in seeing that the citizens had proper places of worship. In 1895 Brunswick Barnhill oversaw the construction of a new Episcopalian (Anglican) Church constructed at the top of Main Street at Road End. When this church was constructed it was described as one of the prettiest churches in the province.This church was named The Church of the Holy Name. Sadly time has taken its toll on this once beautiful building and it 2003 the building was torn down and its contents sold to antique dealers.

Since a large portion of the population were of Acadian descent they were adherent to the Catholic faith. Their Parish church was St. Denis located at Minudie, but a need for a church at Joggins was evident. The first Catholic Church built at Joggins, St. James, was actually located at Ragged Reef about 1880 at the site of the present Ragged Reef Cemetery . The earliest record of Catholic worship in Joggins goes back to 1849.
In 1887 the mother church of the Parish was moved from Minudie to Joggins under the direction of Father Gerald Murphy. At this time the Parish of Joggins took in Minudie, River Hebert, Chignecto, Maccan and Ragged Reef. In 1893 Joggins would welcome a new priest in the person of Father Joseph Curry. By this time the congregation had outgrown its church at Ragged Reef and under the guidance of Father Curry a spacious Romansque style church was built on upper Main Street. Construction began on the new church on June 2, 1894 and on Christmas Eve, 1895 the first mass was held in the new church although construction would not be complete until March of 1896. Father Curry would spend sixty - five years as parish priest of Joggins.

A Building Boom
The building boom in Joggins really began about 1882 when a new mine was sunk about a mile from the shore. Two slopes were dug at this site which was located on the Pit Road. This is the area is that is known to-day as the Red Dumps. The tramway was extended from the Joggins No.1 mine to these new pits known as Joggins No.2 and No.3. These mines would be the first in Joggins to be served by a railway connection other than the tramway to the wharf . In 1890 alone between 12 and 15 buildings were under construction including new homes for Wm.Holmes, A.E.Melanson, AB MacLeod, Edward Landry, John Devine, Jeffery Lockhart, Abner Ripley, Wm.MacLeod, . As well several businesses including Como's Hotel were built at this time. The new eight room Public School was also under construction in 1890.

The Great Lumber Rafts
The 1880's would also see the area boom from its other natural resource, namely the great timber resources of the Joggins Shore. In 1885, B.B.Barnhill the lumber baron from Two Rivers, who was one of the instrumental forces in bringing the railway to Joggins, laid the ground work for what would become a first in shipping on the Joggins Shore. From his lumberyards he built slipways and loading facilities to build the famous Robertson and Leary rafts, large cigar shaped bundles of logs which were to be shipped to New York These rafts were between 500 and 600 feet in length and weighed up to 11,000 tons. All through the winters of 1885 and 1886 the forests were alive with wood cutters gathering enough logs to build this monstrous raft.
Finally on July 9,1886 Barnhill and his woodsmen had the raft complete, however they would have to wait until the highest tide of the summer to launch the raft. This tide would come on July 31. After numerous attempts to float the raft ended in failure the experiment was abandoned. All was not lost however, and deals were made to develop an even larger raft and attempt to launch again the following year. So once again ,through the following winter the woods sang with the sounds of saws and axes. In December 1887 the second raft was successfully launched but never made it to New York as its tow line was snapped in a storm along the Eastern Seaboard and the raft was lost. The businessmen involved from the United States still felt that shipping logs by raft was still the most economical means of getting Nova Scotia timber to the U.S.. They were not dismayed by their two previous failures and so planned a third attempt for 1889. Their next attempt proved to be successful but no further rafts were ever shipped from the Joggins Shore. The local lumbermen and mill owners were pleased with this move because for the past two years they had seen millions of feet of timber shipped directly to the U.S without ever passing through their mills.

The Post Office
In 1856 Joggins received its first post office and was officially named Joggins Mines. The community retained this title until 1937 when it was again renamed Joggins. The first post master was B.B.Boggs. Boggs held this post until he retired in 1880. He was then succeeded by his son Fred Boggs who held the post for one year, resigning on February 28, 1881. The next post master was A.E.Melanson who held the position from May 1, 1881 until September 1889. A.E. Melanson would become one of the most successful merchants to operate in the Town of Joggins. The next post master at Joggins Mines would be Dennis Burke who filled the position from 1890 until 1894. R.W. Ripley was post master from 1894 until he retired in 1916. The office was then filled by C.A. Bonnyman from 1917 until 1921 when it would be passed onto the first female to hold the title, Mrs Ina Ripley. Mrs Ripley would keep the job until her resignation in 1929. Joseph Williams assumed the post in 1929 and held it until his death in 1936. His daughter, Mary Williams would fill in as acting post master and eventually full time post master from 1936 until her death in 1943. During Miss Williams term as post master the Mines would be dropped from the name of the town in 1937 and from then to the present the community would be known as Joggins. The next ten years, 1936 to 1946 would see another woman, Augusta Irene Burke fill the position. James Bigney would take over the postal duties in 1946 and maintain the position until his retirement in 1963. Mr Bigney would build a spacious new post office, located on the same site as the present post office, in 1948 which was used until 1965. From 1963 until his retirement in 1982 the post was filled by Cornelius (Neil) Dujay. A modern post office was built in 1965 and is still in use today. This was the first post office building to be built and owned by the Federal Government, all previous buildings having been owned or rented by the post master. The next person to fill the post was Bethany (Brown) Compton. She assumed the position in 1982 and is still serving as post master today. (2000).

The Grindstone Quarries
The quarrying of grindstones for industrial and domestic use was carried on at different sites along the upper Bay of Fundy. Grindstones were such an important industry in the area the product name was given to major landmarks around the bay. Generations of Joggins residents have looked out across the bay to view Grindstone Island just off the New Brunswick shore. The most prosperous of the quarries to operate on the Joggins Shore were located at Lower Cove. The largest company to operate at the Lower Cove site was the Atlantic Grindstone Coal & Railway Company.These quarries were operated by Amos "King" Seaman and later by his son Gilbert. These quarries were first opened in the early 1800's and its stones were in use by the British Army during the War of 1812. Soldiers used the superior quality of Lower Cove grindstones to sharpen their swords and bayonets. In the early years the stones were cut from the exposed reefs at low tide and transported by a tramway to the finishing mill. One can still see broken stones and stones cut into the reefs but never removed along the Lower Cove beach. Another attempt at quarrying grindstones was under taken at Ragged Reef. Francis O'Reagan settled on the edge of the cliffs and began to cut stones from the reefs below. At this tome he was the only settler between Apple River and Minudie and he claims to have built the road from Ragged Reef to River Hebert by himself.
Once he started to market his grindstones he was immediately challanged by Amos Seaman who used his powerful political influence to obtain the rights to all the lands along the shore where grindstones could be had.
Before long O'Reagan was involved in legal disputes which he could ill afford and was forced into partnership with others including Joseph Read who would form the Read Grindstone Company. Read would later marry Amos Seaman's sister and form a partnership with the Seaman grindstone empire. Markets soon diminished and the industry was forced to close by 1919. Between 1876 and 1919 thirty-two thousand tons of grindstones were cut from the quarries near Joggins. In 1871 the population of Ragged Reef was listed as 80 persons and Lower Cove had 300 inhabitants. Joggins reported a population of only 250 at this time.

The Read Company would eventually expand to other areas of the Maritimes and to the United States.It is interesting to note that the Read Grindstone Company sold the last of its scythe sharpening stones to Lee Valley Tools in 1993.
Other Industrial Endeavours
Although coal mining , lumbering , and quarrying were the major industries developed at the Joggins there were attempts at other industries in the late 1800's. The Bay of Fundy would once again play prominently in these endeavours. The coal, which the town was built upon, was discovered by the early explorers who came by way of the bay, the mines were developed because the bay offered a means of transportation. The same was the case with the lumber industry which saw the development of other communities along the shore such as Two Rivers, Shulie and Sand River. The first grindstones were quarried along the shore and shipped to markets via the bay. So it is not surprising that the fishing industry would develop as well.
In 1898 the McCarron's River Fishing Company was incorporated. The founders of this company were Micheal Hennesey, Charles Melanson, Damien Belliveau, and Charles Holmes. Other share holders were Anthony Holmes, James Burke, and John Hennesey. The capitol stock of this company was $10,000 in 100 dollar shares. The business plan for this company was to erect fish weirs along the Joggins Shore and construct drying racks at McCarron's River. The company planned on curing and shipping cod, sturgeon, haddock and shad. They also planned on producing chicken halibut to be shipped in water tight ice chests to hotels through out the Maritimes at least three times a week. Little else is known about this venture but there should not have been any problem in acquiring product for it to succeed.

Electricity
One of the most important inventions of the late 1800's was that of electric power. It was now possible to have lights other than gas or kerosene and to develop machines to do the work that took numbers of men or horses to do. Electricity in the mines would mean safer working conditions as no open lamps would be needed down in the pit.
In November of 1897 the Joggins Coal and Railway Company which was operating a small electric generating plant at their mine offered to provide electricity to light the streets of Joggins. The only requirement was that the citizens provide the necessary poles, wire and lanterns. This was quite an achievement for a small town at this date as only the major centres had electricity. The citizens of Joggins were excited about this latest development in their fair town as travel out and about on the wooden sidewalks after dark would now be considerably safer. It is ironic that the Municipality of Cumberland would in its infinite wisdom, have the street lights of Joggins turned off approximately 100 years later. Electricity was provided to all citizens to use in their homes in 1911 when the Maritime Coal Railway and Power Company installed power transmission lines from their large plant at Chignecto throughout Joggins. The company had installed electricity to the coal mine on January 31, 1910. With the installment of this line the Joggins Mine would become the first coal mine in Canada to be completely operated by electric power.

The 1900's
One wonders if the citizens of Joggins looked forward to the dawning of the new century in 1899 as much as we did in 1999. The 1890's were by far the busiest decade in the development of the community. The past ten years had seen the construction of two new churches, a new school, and many new homes and businesses. The late 1890's also saw the development of new mines and the rail line extended into the village.
The 1900's saw very little decline in building activity in the mining town. One of the largest projects was the construction of the McCarron's River Bridge. The bridge built entirely of steel was 200 feet long and 64 feet high. An advantage to the community was that now all traffic to and from Apple River and Advocate would now have to pass through the business district of the town instead of by-passing Joggins as it did previously. The old road went straight at Road End corner and emerged close to the Ragged Reef cemetery on the Shulie Road. The bridge was completed in 1901 and remained in service until 1965, when it was dismantled and replaced by the new causeway.
Joggins continued to prosper through the early 1900's and by 1908 was described as one of the busiest little mining towns in Nova Scotia. However a strike at the mines in 1904 that lasted for six months would see the mining company declare bankruptcy and throw 300 men out of work. The company would be sold at auction and be reorganized, this time controlled by American capitalist. In 1906 the mines would be sold to the Maritime Coal Railway and Power Company. At this time the population was reported at about 1800, the largest in its existence. From an article in theAmherst News and Sentinel of the time it was reported that at least twelve different languages were being spoken in the town. This reflects on the number of immigrants that came to the area looking for work at the mines. The largest mine to operate at Joggins was developed at the shore in 1905 by the Maritime company. This was the first submarine coal mine to operate in Canada outside of Cape Breton Island. This was also the first mine in Canada to be completely operated by electric power in 1911. This mine was producing approximately 500 tons of coal per day with expectations to increase output to seven hundred or more. The mines had increased their output nearly ten fold since the 1870's. The railway was greatly improved to Maccan and the future looked exceptionally bright for this part of Nova Scotia and for the province as a whole. During its peak the shore mine employed over 500 men.
The year 1910 saw unprecedented growth in Cumberland County with the town of Amherst being one of the busiest in the country. The town became known as Busy AmherstLarge manufacturing plants making everything from automobiles , rail cars, pianos to clothing were demanding more and more electrical power. This demand would translate directly to a demand for more coal. Joggins was also once again experiencing prosperous times. Although the mining company was making large profits it did not reflect in the pay checques of the men who toiled underground. In 1913 a man working 10 hours a day, six days a week was making $4.50(four dollars and fifty cents) a week.

The Titanic

April 15, 1912 is a date that will be remembered for all eternity. The great luxury liner Titanic was on her maiden voyage from Liverpool England to New York City when she struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. The story of the liner's destiny is well known by all but on that fateful night two Joggins residents were among the first to learn of the disaster that was taking place off the coast of Newfoundland. Edmund Burke and Fidel Ouellette were tinkering with a home made wireless radio set that Mr. Burke had constructed in his work shop when they picked up the S.O.S. signal from the doomed ship. Mr Burke and Mr. Ouellette immediately posted the news on a chalk board outside Mr. Burke's shop making the citizens of Joggins some of the first to learn of the largest and most infamous marine disaster in history. Throughout the next few days Mr. Burke continued to monitor the Morse code messages between the ships sent to look for survivors and recover the bodies of the victims of the greatest luxury liner to sail the Atlantic Ocean.

World War I

The year 1914 saw Canada join England in the great European war. Although with war brought an increase demand for coal to supply fuel for the war effort and miners could apply for miners leave many of the young men of Joggins chose to volunteer to go overseas and fight for King and country. For many of these young men the war offered an escape from the coal mines and a chance to see the world. Some of these brave young volunteers would pay with their lives for this chance at adventure but future generations would never forget the sacrifice they made.
The men of Joggins who died in the great war are as follows:
Wallace Brown
Alfred Hill
Frederick Belliveau
George Livingstone
Earl Brown
Harry Logue
Charles Bolden
James Lloyd
James Como
Arthur Mann
John Crosson
Clarke Mills
Joseph A Downey
John McCorkindale
Frank Forrest
William Porter
Jack Fraser
Bert Robert
William Gray
Frank Smith
Ernest Hood
Clarke Wheaton

These names were copied from the War Memorial in Joggins.

Becoming a Town
With the war in Europe over the young men of Joggins returned home hoping to find a better life than what they had left. On February 19,1919 the citizens of Joggins cast a total of 126 votes in a plebiscite and voted 76 to 46 in favour of becoming an incorporated town. Four votes were rejected. The inhabitants of the mining town could now have some say in the way their town would develop. The boundaries of the new town were laid out as follows:

Commencing at a point on the Hurley Road, so called, at the Easterly side of the bridge crossing the McCarron's River and running from thence in a southerly direction the various courses of the said McCarron's River until it comes to the old main road leading to River Hebert; thence north easterly about twenty five hundred feet more or less until it comes to a corner made by the lands of Gasper Hebert , Maritime Coal Company and Mark Legere; thence easterly in a straight line about five thousand feet crossing the old main road to River Hebert and Park Road or the old Pit Road until it strikes the northern boundary of the Maritime areas ; thence westerly twelve hundred feet more or less to a stake near the old line of railway; thence at or near right angles, northerly thirty two hundred feet more or less until it comes to the boundary of the Fundy Coal Company lease; thence westerly thirty one hundred and twenty-five feet in a straight line to the shore of Chignecto Bay, including all houses on both sides of Hardscrabble Road, so called thence southerly and westerly following the different courses of said Chignecto Bay until it comes to said Hurley Road at McCarron's River Bridge, the place of beginning.
The first mayor of the new Town of Joggins Mines was David Clarke a well established merchant of the town. Elected to Town Council were M. B. Hoeg, C. J. Kent, H. C. Wright, J.J Gray, R.J Melanson, and A.C Richards. Town clerk was William J.Mitchell and Chief of Police was James Gray.
The men who served as Mayor of Joggins were:

David Clark 1919-1921
Sydney Greer 1922-1925
Robert J Melanson 1929
Robert J Bell 1930
Warren S Webb 1931
Warren S Webb 1937 (election disputed)
Wallace MacLean 1937
Robert J Melanson 1938-1939
Cornelius L Hennesey 1942
Herbert Hood 1945
Robert J Melanson 1949
The following excerpt is from the Webb family home page found on the internet.

W.S. Webb was active in Joggins municipal politics in the 1930's. The Oxford Journal of Feb 5/31 reported that W. S. Webb had been re-elected as mayor of Joggins. From January 1932 until August 1934 he served as the town clerk. In March 1937 he once again ran for mayor and was successful (by a small margin) but the election results were contested because of a dispute over allegedly unpaid property taxes. There was also some question about financial irregularities ie. a payment of $225 made to his son while he was the town clerk. Unfortunately, the record is incomplete, so the outcome of this matter is not known. The Springhill Record for April 15, 1937 noted that he was expected to run for council again. No further information is available.

In 1949 due in most part to rising financial difficulties the Town of Joggins would surrender its town charter and revert back to the control of the Municipality of Cumberland County. The area would become a separate district represented by two elected councillors.
The final meeting for the town was held on December 31, 1949 with the following in attendance: R.J Melanson- mayor, Curtis Vickery-deputy mayor, and the following councillors, William Taylor, Osbourne Fife, Victor Dujay, Robert Slocum and Roy Brown.

Goldstein's Ark Although Noah may have had the most famous ark known to man, Joggins can lay claim to its own version of this type of ship. In 1921 a merchant from Advocate named Jake Goldstein decided to move his business along with his family to the busy mining town. Not wanting to sell his family's ten room home the Goldstein's decided to transport their home up the Chignecto Bay to Joggins. On a particularly calm day the Goldstein home was moved by horses from its location at Advocate and placed upon a barge for the voyage around Cape Chignecto and up the shore to Lower Cove where it was met by the same teams of horses and workers to once again be transported by land a distance of two miles to its lot on Main Street and a newly poured concrete foundation the Goldstein's had prepared beforehand. Mrs Goldstein baked bread enroute to Joggins and even the hens perched on the front veranda of the house seemed quite content during the voyage up the bay.
The Great Fire
The morning of December 31, 1928 would not dawn like any other New Year's Eve in the mining town. The night before saw sub zero temperatures and high winds blowing in off the bay. Many of the residents had banked their coal fires for the evening. Fred Burke was no exception and had a comfortable fire burning at home.. Then disaster struck. A large explosion came from his basement and within seconds flames were lapping at the walls. The large wooden complex on Main St which at one time housed the theatre, a billiard room, a store , the post office and Mr. Burke's home was engulfed in flames within minutes. With the strong winds and without any apparent means to fight the fire it seemed that the entire town could be doomed. Then as if by some divine intervention the wind direction shifted but did not diminish in strength. The largest part of the town may have been spared but another part would pay the price. Within minutes the two large hotels in the town were ablaze and with sparks and burning roofing material blowing around the town it was only minutes when the large Public School house was on fire. It is believed that a burning piece of tar paper had landed in the open belfry and ignited the school. The large eight room structure which was built in 1890 was completely destroyed. This building alone was valued at over $15,000 a large sum of money in 1928. At this time in the history of the town there was no fire department and the town had been living with the threat of fire since its incorporation. The only equipment on hand was a forty -five gallon chemical wagon and bucket brigades. Out side fire departments from Amherst and Springhill could only stand by and watch with their fire apparatus as there was no water supply for them to pump. Some of the buildings destroyed on that night were the Wonderland Theatre, the Niagara Hotel, Canadian National Express Agency, the Post Office, the school, a shoe shop, a blacksmith shop, along with numerous homes and barns. Many homes were saved by their owners staying on their roofs in the freezing cold and pouring water over their homes until the fire subsided. Practically every able bodied soul in Joggins and River Hebert worked through out the night to save the town. In the morning the area took on the appearance of a war zone with many of the Town's landmarks razed. The once prosperous mining town would never completely recover from this disaster as many of the lost businesses and homes were never replaced. Estimates of damage ranged from fifty to one-hundred thousand dollars. Luckily there was no loss of human life although there were many close calls as roofs and walls collapsed around the fire fighters.

The Depression Years
The year 1929 is remembered as the year of the great stock market crash and the beginning of the Great Depression. The Joggins area had been going through a recession for two years prior to that fateful day in October, 1929. The huge Joggins Mine had closed in 1927 throwing 300 men out of work and then the disastrous fire of 1928. Joggins began the year with the clean up of the horrific fire that nearly consumed the entire town, losing many of its businesses as well as its school and numerous homes. The Maple Leaf mine near River Hebert picked up some of the miners but many families decided to pack up their belongings and head for other areas of the province and to New England and Ontario. Things had not even started to pick up when the mining town received another economic blow with the closing of the Trestle Brook mine at the Hillcrest and the closing of smaller mines in the River Hebert and Strathcona vicinity. It would be ten years before another mine would be developed within the boundaries of Joggins and none would ever compare to the Joggins (Shore)Mine.
The Citizens Band
Although the town was dealt some hard blows through the late 1920's civic pride was still evident in the youngest of Cumberland County's towns. About 1930 under the guidance of R.J Melanson and Albert Gauthreau, twenty eight citizens of the town formed the Joggins Citizens Band. One of the bands first appearances was at the Father Curry's Picnic held on Labour Day at the Catholic Church. Two years after its formation the band held amateur shows to raise money to purchase uniforms. These uniforms were first worn in public at a band concert held in the new bandstand donated by the Town. The band held concerts every Friday night throughout the summer months at the bandstand which were very much appreciated by the citizens of the town and surrounding area. In 1930 the following men and boys of Joggins were members of the band.
Alex Legere, William Hall, Edmund Burke, Neil Hennesey,Earl Fife,Anthony Brine, R.J Melanson, George Bureaux, Bernie Burke, Bill Hennesey, Murray Mills, M. Burbine, J. Blondeau, Cecil Terrio, M.Simmonds, Elmer Ouellette, C.Bayart, J. Bureaux, Basil Brine, H.Mills, I. Delong, George Mills, Alex Blondeau, Cecil LeBlanc, J.Fowler, A.C Richards, Albert Guthro and Fred Burke. Bernie Burke was the youngest member of the band and would go on to be leader of the renowned Parrsboro Citizens Band after he moved away from Joggins.
The Water ManIn the 1990's bottled water came on the scene in grocery stores as a luxury item. People who didn't care for the taste of municipal water had the option to purchase pure spring water in five gallon jugs or one litre bottles. Beginning back in the 1850's the residents of Joggins were purchasing this pure spring water as a necessity and not a luxury due to the fact there was not a reliable water supply in the town. Water at this time was selling for twenty-five cents for a forty-five gallon barrel. This may seem cheap by today's standards but some families would use four or five barrels a week and when miners were making four or five dollars a week spending a quarter of your pay on drinking water was a very real expense. Many residents tried in vain to dig wells but with little success, as the wells would run dry with the water seeping into the many mine tunnels dug beneath the town. Some of the more prosperous residents had cisterns built beneath their homes which would hold the rain run off and this water would be used for laundry and washing but could not be used for drinking. Around 1912 George and Rufus Mills operated the water delivery business and would load barrels of water onto their wagon with a hand pump from springs located in the Road End area of the town. They would then deliver this water to many of the residents and again pump the water by hand into a barrel owned by their customer. Under the Mills Brothers the price of water rose from twenty-five cents a barrel to forty cents.
The lack of a reliable water supply was one of the main reasons the town was nearly wiped out during the great fire of 1928-29. The town was burning down as the fire apparatus from Amherst and Springhill stood idly by with no water to pump. The mining company had dams built on the McCarron's River and had water piped to reservoirs at sites close to the mines for use in their steam boilers used to run the hoisting equipment in the mines and for the trains . However these dams were never used to provide the residents with a supply of good, clean drinking water. The business of delivering water to residents dropped off somewhat during the 1960's when more modern drilling equipment could be used to tap reliable water deposits located in solid rock formations which would not seep into the old coal mines. Some residents which did not have drilled or dug wells continued to buy barrels of water into the late 1960's and early 70's.
Through the years others took over the business of delivering water around the town. Fred Parsons operated the business as well as George and Bernie Brine. The last person to sell water in Joggins was Clarence (Father) Murphy who delivered water by truck, but continued to pump the water onto and off his truck by hand. At this time the cost of a barrel of water had risen to a whopping seventy-five cents.
World War II& Korea
The years 1939 to 1945 would once again see Canada plunged into a great war in Europe. As in 1914 many of the young men of Joggins volunteered to go overseas and fight for freedom from the Nazi regime of Germany. With employment opportunities limited in the coal mines many veterans of the first world war also re-enlisted to serve their country in this time of need. As in the years during World War I, the war effort resulted in a demand for more electricity which in turn meant a demand for more fuel to produce the power needed to run the factories turning out the materials for the war. Joggins would once again experience prosperity, it is only too bad that it had to be at a time of war. Many of the young and not so young men of Joggins would not live to return home from Europe, but would pay with their lives so we could be free from tyranny.
In 1951 Canada was once again thrust into war,this time in Korea and once again the men of Joggins would answer the call to defend democracy. The following men of Joggins made the supreme sacrifice in World War II and in Korea:

Leonard Boudreau
Gordon Brine
Harmon Coleman
Ronald Dujay
George Glenwright
Harold Hebert
Douglas Jury
Alan Perry
Robert Shannon
Roy Vickery
John Van Snick
Errol Gray
Borden Brown (Korea)
These names were taken from the war memorial at Joggins

The RinkIn the late 1940's the citizens of Joggins along with the mining company teamed up together and raised enough money to construct an indoor rink in the community. The rink was constructed by the miners on their days off or on time donated by the company. The structure was a domed shaped building with huge laminated beams for the superstructure.
Mother nature was not kind to the skaters and hockey players of Joggins though, and during the first couple of years of its existence mild winters prevented any prolonged periods of ice making.
During the summer of 1954 the east coast of Canada and the United States were plagued by a series of hurricanes and Nova Scotia was not spared the wrath of nature. In September the area was hit by Hurricane Edna which swept up the Bay of Fundy and struck Joggins with its full force. When the winds had subsided the population of Joggins had witnessed the total destruction of their arena which had only existed for about five years. The rink was never rebuilt, although a group of high school students raised enough funds to construct an outdoor rink on the same site in 1973. This site was also demolished by a fierce wind storm which blew in from the bay in February 2 , 1976. This storm has become known as the Great Ground Hog Day Storm.

Festivals and ParadesAnyone who grew up in Joggins or came to visit in the summer time would probably have taken in the annual Firemen's Parade and field day on the first of July. This day was a sure sign that summer had arrived in Joggins. The festivities began with the giant street parade which formed up at Road End and proceeded down Main Street ending up at the ball field. The parade was made up of marching bands, including the town's own Joggins Marching Band in the early years, numerous floats which were handsomely decorated by the various organisations and businesses of the town, bicycles and doll carriages all decked out by the young boys and girls of the area and antique cars and fire trucks from the surrounding areas. After the parade had made its way to the area near the ball field, the children and adults would head for the many games of chance and carnival rides located in the field beside the United Church. The older residents were treated to a full day of BINGO playing in the fire station and at supper time the ladies of the United Church treated everyone to a fantastic turkey supper held in the old church hall. In the evening the younger crowd were entertained by a huge teen dance at the IOOF hall and in later years the new fire hall. A major attraction at this field day were the baseball games which went on all day. Beginning shortly after the parade had finished the Little Leaguers would take the field with the Tigers and the Indians doing battle to the delight of their parents. When the Little League games had finished the Bantam Giants would take the field against a visiting team usually from River Hebert or Maccan and after supper the grand finale would take place when the Cubs, the adult team, would take the field against Amherst or even better their arch rivals the Maccan Royals.
If July 1st marked the beginning of summer , then Labour Day marked the end. And if summer were over than what better way to mark it then with a party.
The first Monday in September was the day the Catholic Church held its annual Father Curry's Picnic on the church grounds. This is probably one of the oldest running annual picnics in Nova Scotia. The day was also started with a huge street parade. The day progressed with games and BINGO and at suppertime a turkey supper with all the trimmings. All the food for this supper was cooked by the Catholic ladies at home and a pick up drive was held by the men of the Parish through out the day until eventually at meal time the Parish Hall was full of pies, rolls and the aroma of freshly cooked turkey. The young ladies of the parish would be all decked out in their finest as they waited on tables until the hundreds of patrons had been fed. After the supper had finished the hall was prepared for the dance and every one young and old danced the summer away. These days, Father Curry's Picnic still takes place although not as grand as it once was, but many former residents of Joggins use it as a sort of "Old Home Day". Many plan their vacations so they will be in Joggins on Labour Day and renew old friendships and meet with family members they haven't seen since last Labour Day.
During the late 1960's the Joggins Board of Trade and the Joggins Fire Department teamed up and hosted a May Fair which was held on the Victoria Day weekend. This fair was a three day event and was a huge success during its brief existence. The fair was highlighted by a huge street dance in front of the old fire hall and a massive bon fire on the old mine site on the Middle Road.

The Post War Years
Joggins never regained it pre-war prosperity and many of the men who returned home after the end of the war could not find work and those that did find work in the mines were not content to remain there. Many young men moved to Ontario in the late 1940's and 1950's.
High school education was changed forever for the students of Joggins when in September of 1949 the new River Hebert Rural High School was opened and the students from grades 7 to 11 were transferred from Joggins to this new school. The Joggins School underwent major renovations to accommodate the younger students from grades primary to 6.
The year 1949 would see the Town surrender its charter and return to the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Cumberland County. Although no longer an incorporated town the citizens of Joggins would not lose their civic pride.
1950 would see a dramatic improvement in transportation for the area with the paving of the highway from Maccan to Joggins. This improvement would eventually seal the fate of passenger service on the Joggins Railway and by 1955 passenger service was eventually abandoned on the train to Maccan.
The population of the area would continue to decline through the 50's and in 1961 the town was dealt its greatest economic blow in over 100 years. The Maritime Coal Railway &Power Company was selling off its assets and ceasing business for good. The Canada Electric division which operated the generating plant at Maccan had been sold to the Nova Scotia Power Commission which was not interested in operating the coal mines or railway. The Bayview Mine (Green Crow) was sold and reorganised as the BayView Coal Company but would only operate for another year despite reports that it had another 10 -15 years of production left, the Maritime Railway applied for abandonment and would make its final run on September 23, 1961.
Although Joggins had witnessed the closure of coal mines throughout the century of commercial mining in the community it was different this time around. With the closing of the mines in Springhill in 1958, ironically the demand for Joggins coal also decreased. Nearly half the electricity produced at the Maccan generating plant was used to run the hoisting equipment at the mines in Springhill and thus the decreased demand for electricity helped spell the end of coal mining at Joggins.
In over 100 years of mining Joggins was spared the great disasters that struck Springhill, Pictou, and Cape Breton mining towns. Although there were no major accidents that claimed great numbers of lives , there were numerous accidents that claimed the lives of the men and boys that toiled underground and on the surface of the coal mines in and around Joggins.
Men who died in the Joggins Mines:

Name / Mine / Date

Burke, Chas.------Joggins Mine-------July 11, 1883
White, Amos ------Joggins Mine-------Nov.4, 1889
Brown, Amos-------Joggins Mine-------September 8, 1892
Lefavour, Emil----Joggins No. 3------February 17, 1898
Ripley, Ira-------Joggin Mine--------February 13,1906
Nicholson, Philip--Joggin Mine-------November 1, 1912
Coleman, John------Joggins Mine------December 24, 1909
Sawyer, George-----Joggins Mine------December 24, 1909
Landry, Fidel-----Joggins Mine-------May 16, 1910
Burbine, John------Joggins Mine------January 10, 1913
Gibson, Harry------Joggins Mine-------June 14, 1915
Hall, William------Joggins Mine-------June 19, 1918
Terris, Samuel-----Joggins Mine-------November 30, 1918
Shannon, George-----Joggins Mine------November 2, 1921
O'Regan, James-----Joggins No. 7------January 30, 1924
Muckle, David------Bayview No. 8------April 15, 1943
Gibbons, Peter-----Bayview No. 8------February 9, 1950
White, Edward------Bayview Mine-------March 12, 1957
Burke, Frederick---Bayview Mine-------November 3, 1957
Dow, Elroy---------Bayview No. 8------April 6, 1960
Hudson, John-----Chignecto Mine-----February 17, 1883
Patton, W.-------Chignecto Mine-----February 17, 1883
Burrows, I-------Chignecto Mine-----February 17, 1883
Lockhart, Dan----Chignecto Mine-----October 30, 1883
Cormier, John----Chignecto Mine-----November 11, 1908
Carson, James----Chignecto Mine-----November 2, 1909
Stevens, William-Chignecto Mine-----June 20, 1910 Explosion
Wood, Arthur-----Chignecto Mine-----June 20, 1910 Explosion
Hurley, William---Lawson Mine----------January 1, 1913
Fraser,Albert------Black Diamond Mine---Sept.16,1890
Porter, Jas.------Black Diamond Mine---April 16, 1914
Doyle, John-------Kimberly Mine--------December 4, 1917
Long, Wm.---------Jubilee------------October 11, 1902
Ackles,Charles----Jubilee------------February 2, 1909
Martin, John------Jubilee No. 2------August 21, 1918
Whalen, Matthew---Jubilee------------September 29, 1922
Neal, George------Jubilee Mine-------May 21, 1921
Flemming, Edward--Jubilee Mine-------September 22, 1922
McKeigan, John R.-Jubilee Mine-------November 15, 1922
McAloney, Robert--Maple Leaf Mine----March 30, 1920
Allen, Solomon----Maple Leaf No. 4---October 31, 1928
Boudreau, Dan-----Maple Leaf No. 4---December 1, 1932
Hachey, Wm.-------Maple Leaf No. 4---December 1, 1932
LeBlanc, Chas. F.-Maple Leaf No. 4---December 1, 1932
LeBlanc, Henry----Maple Leaf No. 4---December 1, 1932
Murray, Ezra------Maple Leaf No. 4---December 1, 1932
Landry, Fidel-----Maple Leaf No. 4---March 22, 1938
Rector, Daniel----Minudie------------May 21, 1912
Moffat, Clifford--Minudie Mine-------November 25, 1915
Long, Lawrence----Minudie No. 2------April 12, 1922
Nicholson, Jas.---Minudie No. 2------April 12, 1922
Brine, Philip-----Victoria No. 2-----September 17, 1930
Burke, William----Victoria No. 2-----September 17, 1930
Krawlick, Emile---Victoria No. 2-----September 17, 1930
McGraw, Clarence--Victoria No. 2-----September 17, 1930
Fowler, Simon-----Victoria No. 2-----September 17, 1930
White, William----Victoria No. 2-----September 17, 1930
White, Wilfred----Victoria No. 2-----September 17, 1930
McCallum, Wm.-----Victoria No. 4-----April 9, 1931
Jones, Thomas-----Victoria No. 4-----May 11, 1931
LeBlanc, Adolph---Victoria No. 4-----May 11, 1931
Legere, Sanford---Victoria No. 4-----May 11, 1931
Quinn, Geo.-------Victoria No. 4-----May 11, 1931
Rector, Samuel----Victoria No. 4-----May 11, 1931
Stevens, Chas.----Victoria No. 4-----May 11, 1931
Stewart, Walter---Victoria No. 4-----February 17, 1935
Tipping, Roy------Victoria No. 4-----January 24, 1940
Burke, James------Victoria No. 4-----April 12, 1940
Linkletter, Carl--Standard Mine------January 24, 1943
Wood, Joseph------St. George Mine----February 5, 1919
Main, William-----St. George Mine----March 25, 1919
Purdy, Walter-----St. George Mine----April 8, 1921
Wood, Edgar-------Strathcona Mine----August 29, 1924
Gates, Charles----Strathcona No. 2---April 19, 1943
Porter, Melburn---Strathcona No. 2---May 8, 1944
Hoeg, Havelock----Cochrane Mine------January 6, 1959
Burbine, Joseph---River Hebert Coal Mine--April 1, 1969
Maloney, James----River Hebert Coal Mine--August 6, 1973
McKeigan, G. H.---River Hebert Coal Mine--March 29, 1978
Stevens, Hugh-----River Hebert Coal Mine--July 19, 1978

These names were taken from the Miners Memorial at River Hebert, Nova Scotia
The community would continue to decline throughout the 1950's and 60's with more and more of the young men and women heading off to Ontario and further afield to follow their older brothers and sisters who had left after the war. One after another, businesses closed along Main Street and in other parts of the town, and building after building was torn or burned down until the community was only a fraction of what it once was. In 1956 the population of Joggins was listed as being 863. Through the 1970's things seemed to stabilise in the community but young people continued to move away after they finished their schooling.
In 1982 one of the community's most cherished institutions was lost when the elementary school was closed and the remaining students transferred to River Hebert. Mrs. Alma (Dujay) Mills was the last principal of the Joggins Elementary School . The school building was taken over by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #4 and renovated. In the year 2000, the building was damaged by fire and remodelled with the upper story removed from the seventy year old structure.

JOGGINS - Today
Joggins has always been noted for the fossils which can be found along the beach and in the cliffs and with a renewed interest in dinosaurs and anything pre-historic hundreds of tourists flock to the area each summer.
A modern community centre and fossil centre built of logs was constructed on Main Street on the site of the former Como Hotel which once hosted visitors from around the world. Today in the parking lot one can see vehicles from all parts of Canada and the United States.
A proposal has been made to declare the area a United Nations Heritage Site to protect the rich archeological importance of the fossil cliffs. The cliffs have been named a Special Site by the Nova Scotia Museum and a permit is required to remove any fossils from the cliffs.
Although the mines have been quiet now for close to forty years and the train whistle can no longer be heard, the residents of Joggins and those who have moved away are proud of their heritage and have faith the community will continue to live on for many years to come.