inland from Weymouth, was founded by the Stehelin family who came to the area from Normandy, France in 1892. The community they established was notable for its early use of hydroelectric power generation, earning it the local nickname "The Electric City". Also notable was the Stehelin family's railroad, the Weymouth and New France Railway, constructed using logs as tracks, which they used to bring lumber to the company wharf at Weymouth. As many as 1.5 million board feet of timber were shipped annually from New France to South America and England. The railway was destroyed by fire in 1907 and the business ceased not long afterwards. There is little left of New France except for the foundations of the city buildings. J.D. Irving, recent owners of the land, established walking trails and interpretive signs at the site and fixed the foundations so they are safe for visitors to explore. The lands were purchased by the Province of Nova Scotia on 3 February 2010, thus assuring the protection of this unusual part of the province. Geography Modern day Weymouth straddles the Sissiboo River. This river swells approximately every six hours as salt water backs up from the high tides of the Bay of Fundy into St. Mary's Bay. Weymouth is situated on the border between the provincial electoral districts of Clare and Digby-Annapolis. It is located 33 kilometres from Digby, 72 kilometres from Yarmouth and 250 kilometres from the capital of Nova Scotia, Halifax. Smaller villages surrounding Weymouth proper are Weymouth Falls, Weaver Settlement, Ohio, Southville, Riverdale, Danvers, Hassett, Saint Bernard and New Edinburgh. Two exits (27 and 28) on Highway 101 are the primary access to the town. Trunk 1 runs through the village and was the main thoroughfare from the Annapolis Valley to Yarmouth prior to the construction of Highway 101. Climate Weymouth has a humid continental climate influenced by its maritime position. It is shielded from some Atlantic influence by having a landmass between itself and the main ocean, but it is still moderated compared to areas in the interior of the continent. Economy Fur farming, especially mink, fishing, and logging are the principal industries in the area. Demographics The Village of Weymouth comprises many different ethnic backgrounds. Primarily populated by descendants of the loyalists, African-Canadian and White, it also is home to a few Acadians, Mi'kmaq and people of German ancestry. Weymouth in fiction Author Josephine Leslie