September 17, 2025
-by Beverley Phillips
Three things come to mind when you go to Mabou Mines: fishing, farming, and of course, mining. And John Philip Rankin is a treasure-trove of knowledge on all three and shared stories about them with the crowd that gathered Friday evening for an Inter-generational Walk.
The walk began in the parking lot at the wharf, and slowly made its way down and along the beach, stopping to tell stories along the way of how life used to be and how things have changed.
Rankin’s family has lived and fished in the area for generations. He recalled the storm of 1961, which washed away the bridge and threw the boats and lobster traps into the pond behind the sheds. He spoke about the hard work of making a life there, as everything had to be done by hand, whether it was hauling lobster traps or hauling the rocks to build the wharf in 1920.
He shared about the changes caused by the completion of the Canso Causeway in 1955. The loss of the cod, which was used to feed the family for the winter, was the biggest disruption as the fish found a new route around the Island.
He knew well the history of the families that lived there, and of how the landscape had changed over the years. The now tree-covered hills were once treeless, growing wheat and oats, feeding not only the people, but the cattle and the many sheep that roamed freely. Anyone could bring their animal there to graze. And those animals kept everything trimmed, even the poison ivy, which now grows along the road and the banks of the beach. “It wasn’t there when I was a kid,” said Rankin.
While the community is called Mabou Mines, it has been decades since the mines were in operation. Pointing to a seam of coal on a cliff, Rankin said it used to be shipped to Pictou. The blacksmiths lucky enough to receive it prized the coal from that mine, as its low sulphur content allowed them to make a high-quality steel product.
The walk was organized by ACAP Cape Breton. The environmental organization recognized the value of the stories and knowledge that the older generations possess, and the necessity of passing down those stories to younger people. This was the third such walk they have held around Cape Breton, said Monica Ragan, program manager for Western Cape Breton. The fourth and final one for the season will be in French, and will be announced soon.
