Looking back at Digby County history
From 1960
A group of tourists visiting the Digby area from New York were grateful for the assistance they had received after their vehicle left the road. “Never, in any of our travels, have we encountered such gracious kindness or courtesy as in Nova Scotia,” the New Yorkers said in a letter that was published in the Digby Courier in August 1960. The visitors’ car had slipped off the road after a dangerous curve. “However, in a moment we had people running and stopping to help us in our dilemma,” the letter said. “We thank God for the people of Nova Scotia.”
Over 200 delegates from throughout the Maritimes, as well as from Quebec, the eastern U.S. and Louisiana, were on hand in Church Point for the opening of a four- day Acadian convention. They were welcomed by Louis LeBel of Saint- Quentin, N.B., who talked about Acadian history, the role of religion and the Acadians’ ability to overcome major obstacles. Church Point had been picked as the site for the gathering because of its significance as a cultural centre for Acadians and, as a newspaper item put it, “as a salute to Acadians of the area” for their accomplishments.
A good crowd was said to have attended a worship service at the Baptist church in Digby where a dedication ceremony was held for the Morse memorial chimes. The chimes were presented to the church by Eric S. Morse on behalf of his mother, Mary L. Morse, and in memory of his father, the late Dr. Louis H. Morse, and his brother, the late Louis Burnett Morse. Dr. Morse had been practitioner and surgeon in the Digby area for 13 years. He had died in 1911. Louis Burnett Morse, Dr. Morse’s oldest son, had died in 1941 at the age of 37.
Also from the Courier in August 1960:
--“Water emergency.” That was the heading for a notice from the Digby Water Commission asking people not to wash their cars or sprinkle their lawns or gardens until further notice.
--The Digby General Hospital fair was to take place Aug. 17 at the Digby Forum. The fair would include a junior parade, arts and craft display, supper ( at the legion hall) and a mystery contest.
-- Caddies were being sought for an upcoming senior golf tournament in Digby. A newspaper advertisement said excaddies, as well as new ones, were welcome to apply. The minimum age requirement was 10.
-- Anne Marie Boudreau and Remi Comeau had been selected Evangeline and Gabriel for the 1960 Clare Acadian festival.
-- Movies playing at the Capitol theatre included The Gazebo, starring Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds.
From 1971
Scott MacNutt, Nova Scotia’s health minister, had returned to his native Digby to address Nova Scotia Lions Club representatives who were holding a district meeting at the Pines. Speaking at the event’s banquet, the minister said the dilemma facing government was that the people making demands on the province and those most critical of government were the same people. While the demands were often well thought out, the province wasn’t always able to meet them. In 1951, the minister said, highways were a big problem. In 1971, he cited pollution as an example of a modern-day concern.
Digby was experiencing an “overflow” of tourists, the Courier reported, so much so that Mayor Glenn Smith was asking local residents, if possible, to consider opening their homes to accommodate visitors. He had raised the issue at the latest meeting of Digby town council.
A dozen directors of the Nova Scotia Hospital Association had met at the Mountain Gap Inn. This was the second year the association’s directors had met at the Smith’s Cove location and a spokesman for the group said they were so impressed they hoped to return there annually.
Copies of the Digby town/municipal scrapbook by R.B. Powell were still available for $1.50. The publication was billed as useful for its historical value and a nice gift idea too.