“Air Lorg Nan Eilean,” The Road to the Isles

Making a Living in the Strait of Canso Area since 1784.
Transportation and CommunicationEarly Years: Stage Coach Lines, Ferries, Mail Service Link, Telegraph Offices, American Consular Offices, Railroads, Boston Boats and Coastal Freighters, Newspapers.
Later Years: Railroads, Canso Causeway and Canal completed in 1955, Nova Scotia Community College and Nautical School, Post office, Pilotage and Tug boats, Ship Chandlery, Airport, Trucking, Newspapers, Radio Station & Cable TV, Telephone Office.
Commerce and IndustryEarly Years: Grist Mills, Blacksmith, Shipbuilding and Repairs, Coal Pier, Fishing and Fish Plants, General Stores, Forestry, Banks, Accommodations.
Later Years: Pulp and Paper Mill, Oil Refinery, Heavy Water Plant, Gypsum Mining and Exporting, Manufacturing Wallboard, Power Generating Plant, Ship and Oil Rig Maintenance and Repairs, Rock Quarrying and Shipping, Concrete and Paving Plants, Transshipping of Oil, Shipbuilding, Accommodations and Restaurants, Car Sales & Service, Banks, Retail Stores, Call Centre.
Canso Causeway and Canal 1952-1955
Bridge:
Length: 93.88 m (308 ft)
Weight: 1,379 tonnes (1,520 tons)
Pivot: 0.965 m (38 in)
Canso Causeway:
Length through water: 1371.60 m (4,500 ft)
Length from



Auld's Cove: 2,134 m (7,000 ft)
Surface width: 24.38 m (80 ft)
Widest point on ocean floor: 262 m (860 ft)
Depth at deepest point: 66.14 m (217 ft)
Rock fill: 9.1 million metric tonnes (10,200,000) tons
Canso Canal Lock:
Length (gate to gate): 243.8 m (800 ft)
Width: 24.4 m (80 ft)
Depth (bottom to top of wall): 15.2 m (50 ft)
Draft: 8.5 m (28 to 30 ft)
Total cost of project was $23 million
Canso Causeway and Canal Timeline:
- Project announced: October 9, 1951
- Construction begins for Causeway: July 1952
- Construction begins for Canal: April 1953
- Causeway reaches Cape Breton: December 10, 1954
- 10.2 million tons rock fill completed: December 31, 1954
- Official opening: August 13, 1955
Text: Yvonne Fox
Photos: Gut of Canso Museum collection, Port Hastings, NS
Photo restoration and layout: MV Design, www.wdmv.ca
Property of Inverness County Trans Canada Trail Project

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History of the Canso Canal / Historique du Canal de Canso
Construction of the Canso Canal / Construction du Canal de Canso
The Building of the Canso Causeway / La Construction de la Levée de Canso
Operation of the Canso Canal / Exploitation du Canal
Guysborough
Henry Marshall Tory
The Voyage of Prince Henry Sinclair
Queensport, Guysborough County
Our Forefathers
St. Peter's Canal / Le Canal Saint-Pierre

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