Londonderry Aires

Londonderry, Nova Scotia

Londonderry in Colchester County is a fascinating place to visit and I can't thank Fonda enough for the wonderful guided tour she provided for us yesterday.  In the 1800s it was a thriving community that made its living through iron mining and was said to have been bigger than Truro in size.  Set in the beautiful countryside it is now a shadow of its former self but many remnants of its glory days can be seen if you know what to look for - and Fonda does.  Almost consumed by the forest now, you can still see the old slag heaps and coke ovens along the side of the hill where the main mine buildings once stood.  Visible in memory only is the site of Londonderry Station, once a hub of transportation for the iron ore and for passengers coming and going.

Londonderry was the birthplace of many of our ancestors with names such as Campbell, Cook, McLellan, Crowe, Mahon, Spencer and Vance among the most numerous.

Not far from there is the beautiful old United Church at Acadia Mines that Fonda and her family purchased and are now trying to find a place and purpose for.  Inside, we found the old organ, rows of pews and even a box containing the numbers for the hymns to be posted at the front of the church every Sunday.  The building is in remarkable condition and it will be a wonderful adventure to re-purpose and bring it to life again.

Shep Scott

After the church, we drove along to Sutherland Lake where we dropped in to visit Shep Scott.  Shep was married to one of our Gamble cousins, Helen but he himself is also related to us through our Mahon and McLellan forebears.  Shep will be 100 years old on his next birthday.  He told us about being in the Air Force during World War II and about some fishing adventures that included our cousin "Wink" Gamble at Gamble Lake near Castlereagh.  What a treat it was to meet him.  He's a high-tech kind of guy and I've asked to be his "friend" on Facebook.

During our travels, we crossed the Acadia Mines Bridge which is tiny and narrow and spans a 100 foot gorge that has a wonderful waterfall near the bottom.  Spectacular but a little scary for the "height" challenged.

And of course, our day would not be complete without visiting a cemetery where many of Fonda's Rushton ancestors rest.  It's high on a hill and overlooks a stunning valley of trees and blueberry fields.

Oxford Junction
"Bragg Cemetery"

On the way home, we stopped at the little blue church at Oxford Junction where all the Braggs are buried and which, I believe, is the spiritual centre of the Bragg family.  What a lovely way to end our tour!

On a more practical note:  We've discovered a quick and easy way to determine whether our motor home is level when we park in "our spot" after a day of cemeterying.  Just open the bathroom door.  If it stays open, we're level.  If it closes slowly - it's level enough and if it slams shut, it's time to re-park and try again.

It's a good thing cats don't have fingers because Digit would certainly have Ann wrapped around her little one.  She talks to Ann constantly and is rewarded by a series of treats, food, cuddles, catnip, cream in a bowl and the turning on of the kitchen tap so she can get a drink.  She plays with the dripping water, trying to catch it with her paw so the drips have to be just a certain size and speed.  Most of the rest of the time, she simply watches Ann's every move, like some fascinating movie.  I'm not sure who has who's number.

Thanks again, Fonda for a great day!  So special!

To be continued........................