The Creamery Square - Central Nova Scotia

The Creamery Square

Visit us online at: www.creamerysquare.ca

The Creamery Square in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia is a historic attraction located on the water's edge just off the Sunrise Trail scenic driving route and adjacent to the Trans Canada Trail. The Creamery Square is currently home to the North Shore Archives, Anna Swan Exhibit, and the Tatamagouche Farmers' Market held every Saturday from 8am - noon.

The Creamery Square building will be undergoing renovations throughout 2007 and will open Spring 2008 as the "Creamery Square Museum & Archives". The Museum and Archives will incorporate artifacts, specimens and archival material from the Sunrise Trail Museum, the Brule Fossil Centre, the North Shore Archives, the Anna Swan Collection, the Roy Kennedy Collection and the Creamery Museum.

Phase 3 of the Tatamagouche Creamery Square project will be implemented in 2008 and will include a new community Performance Centre that will provide a venue for theatre, musical performances, film festivals and many other community and private functions.

The Creamery Square Association

The Creamery Square Project is the vision of the Creamery Square Association - a registered charitable organization consisting of representatives from local partnering organizations throughout Tatamagouche and surrounding area. The Association's Board of Directors is made up of twelve enthusiastic individuals with the support of numerous volunteers serving on various sub-committees.

The Vision

The overall vision of the Creamery Square Association and the Cremery Square Project is to create a dynamic, multi-purpose star attraction for Tatamagouche and the North Shore of Nova Scotia. By taking advantage of this historic icon of the community, the Creamery Square Association will develop a combination of heritage, cultural, innovative enterprise and adventure opportunities to provide a unique experience for the local community and visitors alike.

How It All Began

Mr. Alexander Ross purchased this waterfront property in 1922 and in 1925 he built and announced the opening of his new creamery. Over 1000 local farms supplied milk to the Creamery in order to produce its famous "Tatamagouche Butter", which it did daily, making almost 2000 lbs.

In 1930, J. J. Creighton purchased the Creamery and after he passed away in 1967, Scotsburn Dairy Cooperative Limited acquired it. Scotsburn kept the Creamery operational from 1968 until they closed its doors in1992. Soon after which, they donated the one-acre lot and 2 buildings to the village of Tatamagouche with the stipulation that no structural changes were to be made to the building's exterior, including the name and colour. However, a community cannot hold a deed, so the Creamery Society, a community based organization, was formed to take over the building. The Creamery Society, which was incorporated on October 26, 1993, consisted of seventeen members.

From the beginning, they were in search of public input for suggested uses for the elegant, red historic building with its unlimited potential. Already it has held many festivals and events and is currently home to the Anna Swan Collection, the North Shore Archives and the Creamery displays. In late 2001, the Colchester County Council commissioned a study to develop a concept plan for the village of Tatamagouche. One of four focus areas was the Creamery Square. The concept of the Creamery Square has been developed through a collaboration of the museum and heritage groups in the Tatamagouche area and the Tatamagouche Farmers Market. In September 2003, the Creamery Square Association was formed to spearhead the development of the Creamery site. A feasibility study for the Museum & Archives facility was undertaken in the Fall of 2005 and another for the Performance Centre in the summer of 2006, both containing detailed business and floor plans. These studies have been adopted in principle by the Creamery Square Association Board of Directors and will serve as the foundation for each phase of the development project.

Tatamagouche Historical Trivia At a Glance:

• Discovery of 290 Million Year old remnants of plant and animal life on North Shore.
• Largest example of the Walchia tree in the world.
• Earliest examples of group herding among reptile- amphibian-like creatures from the Permian Era - predating dinosaurs
• Tatamagouche is derived from the Mi'kmaw word meaning "meeting of two waters".
• Two Mi'kmaq burial grounds are located in the community.
• Tatamagouche was once a transshipment point for goods bound for Fortress Louisburg.
• Tatamagouche was the first Acadian community to be expelled during the expulsion of the Acadians in 1755.
• The Tatamagouche area once had a sizable shipbuilding industry.
• Born in Tatamagouche, Famed giantess Anna Swan grew to be 7'11".
• Tatamagouche Butter" began here in 1925
• Rich Agricultural History
• The Tatamagouche Centre, a retreat and conference centre was established in the 1950's.
• Tatamagouche was the original site of Nova Scotia Arts Festival during the '60's.