Westville, a town in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada, is located immediately west of Stellarton and about four kilometers southwest of New Glasgow, the major town in the area. Originally known as Acadian Village, Westville was named for its location west of the Albion Mines (now Stellarton).
Westville's history is deeply intertwined with coal mining, a legacy that began in 1864 with the discovery of coal in the area. The Acadia Mine opened two years later, marking the beginning of a thriving coal mining industry that Westville shared with Stellarton. During World War I, Westville was home to three underground workings: the Black Diamond, the Acadia, and the Drummond. The town was also the site of the tragic Drummond Mine explosion on May 13, 1873.
The last underground mine, the Drummond pit, closed in the 1970s, but open-pit mining continued on the Drummond and Acadia sites throughout the 1980s and 1990s by Pioneer Coal Limited of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Today, the miner's monument at Acadia Park and a community center stand as reminders of Westville's proud coal mining heritage.
In the early 1900s, Westville boasted the largest natural ice skating rink east of Montreal. The town was also a hotbed of sports, with baseball being particularly popular among the miners. Westville's baseball team was crowned Maritime champion in 1927, and the legendary Babe Ruth visited the town in 1936.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Westville had a population of 3,540 living in 1,567 of its 1,660 total private dwellings. This represented a change of -2.4% from its 2016 population of 3,628. With a land area of 14.24 km2 (5.50 sq mi), Westville had a population density of 248.6/km2 (643.9/sq mi) in 2021.
While primarily a bedroom community, Westville's Main Street offers a variety of amenities, including banks, shops, and restaurants. A Nova Scotia highway rest stop is conveniently located at the end of Cowan Street off exit 21 of Highway 104, part of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Westville is also known for hosting one of the largest Canada Day celebrations in Atlantic Canada. This five-day event includes a county fair, street parade, and annual guest bands from around the world. In 2007, Westville celebrated the 100th anniversary of its Canada Day celebrations.
