Economy, Nova Scotia
Economy (2006 pop.: 1,111)[1] is an unincorporated rural community situated along the north shore of the Minas Basin/Cobequid Bay, at approximately 45°23'N, 63°54'W, in Colchester County, Nova Scotia. Considerably depopulated now, it once supported a shipbuilding industry during the late 19th century.
Economy is considered by most locally not only to consist of the village centre, Central Economy , but the areas along the Trunk 2 to the east - Upper Economy, Brown Road, and Cove Road; south - Economy Point; north - Economy River Road and River Philip Road; and west - Carrs Brook and Lower Economy (then later including 'Soley Town').
History
The place-name Economy comes from the 18th century Acadian place-name for the area L'Économie, which itself is an adaptation of the Mi'kmaq First Nation word for the location, kenomee, meaning 'a place of land jutting into the sea'. Mi'kmaqs presumably named the area thus because here the shoreline juts out into the Minas Basin at what is now known as Economy Point. East of this point marks the beginning of Cobequid Bay. Mi'kmaqs hunted and gathered throughout the region for hundreds of years prior to the settlement of Acadian families in the Economy area.
Common surnames of Economy residents historically have included Huntley, Marsh, Moore, Morrison, McLaughlin, McLellan, Newton, Pugsley, Taylor, and Thompson in Central Economy; Faulkner, Soley, and Thompson in Lower Economy; Brown, Fulton, Hill, and Lewis in Upper Economy; and Durning and Taylor on Economy Point. The first Fultons, Hills, McLauglins, and McLellans were of Ulster Scottish ancestry, as were most likely the Browns and Taylors. The Lewis family arrived from Scotland while the Newtons and Thompsons are of United Empire Loyalist origins.[citation needed] The MacLellans came to own large property, including timber deposits on forested mountains inland from the ocean. The land transferred to the Scott family, as Helen MacLellan married Robert Scott, a descendant of Scotland himself from the shipyards of Southern Ontario. Current landmarks include the Scott's house next to the historical General Store, and the church.
Present-day economic activity includes small-scale harvesting of timber, firewood, wild lowbush blueberry, fish with weir traps. There is also a soft-shelled clam digging industry. Until recently Economy hosted the provincially well-known Economy Clam Festival which featured a parade and slowpitch softball tournament, and a local bazaar, near the McLellan-Scott farmhouse.
See also
References
- ^ Nova Scotia Community Counts: Statistical profile
