EPILOGUE, 1979
Since the arrival of the first settler in 1803 the community of Inverness experienced a difficult struggle with the environment. Throughout the pioneering era the settler earnestly laboured in order to establish a better life. Strengthened by their daily contact with the elements a healthy and harmonious lifestyle was formed characterised by noble virtue and a sound family structure. The family shared and worked the farm together and was instrumental in shaping the values and traditions of their society.
When the mining era developed on a large commercial scale in the 1890's the community moved from an agrarian base to an industrial one, thus drastically altering the lifestyles of the community. People rushed to these mines from other parts of the Province and from European countries in particular. This made for a cosmopolitan or international quality to the growing mining centre and was one of the major reasons a "booming" town developed by 1904. The population was growing and would soon reach close to 5000 residents. Of this number close to 800 were coal miners. A prosperous centre on the west coast of Cape Breton had finally become a reality, or so it seemed. Inverness soon experienced a series of set-backs that led to some serious economic conditions. The mines, for the most part, were marginal operation funded with government grants and unable to provide a decent wage to its workers. The servitude and uncertainty of coal mining combined with underground problems resulted in the closure of the major mines. The succeeding years proved to be exceedingly difficult for the people of the town as they witnessed an economic recession and experienced their darkest days.
Few could afford the few luxuries prosperous times provided and a transition to hard times remained for a long time. From 1948-1968 a few mining operators kept the coal tradition alive but it was not enough to stabilize the town's economy which was at best faltering due to the high level of unemployment. By 1969 the town gave up its status as a town and returned to the authority of the Municipality.
The 1970's have been kinder to the village in that a rebirth seems to be taking place. Unemployment is still a major issue for many of our people and those who remained have faith in the future of the community. Community organizations have instilled enthusiasm and important recreational facilities have been established. Cultural groups, a museum, a newspaper, and an historical society are representative of the desire and interest to preserve our tradition and history for future generations. It is of paramount importance that we work as a supportive population for the continued growth of Inverness. Our legacy is our people who are proud, hospitable, caring, and in search of a community where human dignity and employment for its citizens is a never-ending activity. We are fortunate in many ways and should be appreciative of our advantages and work hard to remedy our problems.
