Firsts

The beginning of something big.

From the first general store to the first coal mining company, scroll below for a list of firsts for Inverness Town. If you searching for a particular first that is not listed, please reach out to us and we’ll be happy to help!

First named Sithean

A Gaelic word meaning the land of the fairies, then called Loch Leven and Broad Cove Shean prior to the arrival of W.P. Hussey), the name was changed to Broad Cove Coal Mines and later to Inverness by the mine manager of MacKenzie and Mann, J.L. Brass in 1901.

First Settlers

Angus and Donald MacIsaac (1803) not related.

First Discovery of Coal

John Beaton (Red) in 1863.

First Coal Lease

McCully and Blanchard (1865).

First Industrialist

William Penn Hussey (1888-1899) and Mine Manager

First Mayor

Dan Rory MacLean (1904)

First Council

James MacIsaac, Donald MacLeod, Hugh G. Cameron, John J. Ranking, John E. Beaton, Archie J. MacIsaac. First Town Clerk & Treasurer - William D. Lawerence. First Stipendiary Magistrate and Solicitor - Frank MacEachern. First Chief of Police - A.D. Fraser

First Businessman

Donald E. MacKay who operated a sawmill, grist mill, and carding mill in 1885.

Other Businessmen

Brine and MacIsaac, George MacLeod, John L.D. Cameron, Lauchie MacEachern, Howard Smith, George Rhy, Donald MacLeod & Sons, Jack Quigley, J.B. Henderson, John MacFarlane, Bliss MacNutt.

First Drug Store

Dr. Charles MacMillian

First Hotel

Grand Central (Alexander MacInnis) 1902: other included The Inverness (J.H. Jamieson & Dan Coady), The Imperial (L.J. MacEachern), The Queen (A.J. Campbell).

Early business owners outside their store.

First Fire Chief

Alexander MacInnis.

First Fire Horse

“Big Sam” handled by Pat Hannigan and Pat Romard.

First Boarding House

MacKay House Corner (1890) John G. MacKay, Manager.

First Livery Stable

Operated by Lauch Rory MacNeil, then by John E. Beaton and A.J. Campbell.

First Coal Company

Broad Cove Coal Company (1894)

First Commercial Railroad

Built by MacKenzie & Mann, July 15, 1901.

First Government Building

Old Post Office built 1906 and served as Post Office, Customs House, and Government Telegraph Office.

First Newspaper

“The Inverness News” August 4, 1904. The first edition carried a cover page story on the Husseys. The paper was published by A.S. MacAdam of Sydney.

First School

Wright’s School Section (Corner).

First Teachers

Archie N. MacLellan and Alex S. MacLellan.

First Teacher in Inverness Proper

Annie Delehanty (Mrs. D.A. MacIsaac who taught in the Salvation Army Hall (1903-04) with an enrollment of 200). Rose MacKay acted as an assistant.

First Public School

The Inverness Academy (1904). This school was built by Black and Adams for $2,750.

First Principal

M.S. Munro.

First Building of Holy Family School

Built in December 1904 under the direction of the Provincial Superior of the Congregation of Notre Dame - Sister St. John of the Cenacle.

First Teacher Sister

Sister St. John of the Cenacle.

First Mother Superior

Sister St. Mary Georgina.

First Convent

Holy Family built in 1909

First Resident Parish Priest

Fr. Alex L. MacDonald - December 8, 1906

First Resident Minister of St. Matthew’s Church

Rev. J.W.A. Nicholson, (Jan. 18, 1906)

First Presbyterian Pastor

Rev. Donald MacDonald

First Doctors

Angus MacLennan, Charles MacMillian, Dougall J. MacMaster, T. Howard MacDonald, Ronald St. John MacDonald, James A. Proudfoot.

First Inverness County Memorial Hospital

Opened on December 7, 1923.

First St. Mary’s Hospital

Opened May 24, 1925.

First Bank

Union Bank of Halifax, February 14, 1901 (opened at the Corner in the store of John C. MacKay). The first manager was James MacLean of Port Hood.

First Postmaster

John MacLellan.

First Post Office

Located at John MacLellan’s store at the Corner.

First Professional Photographer

Ernest Hatt.

First R.C.M.P. officers

Constables Frizzell and Newton.