Clara Dennis of Truro, NS was one of Nova Scotia's first travel writers. After several years of working for her father William Dennis, former Senator and proprietor of the Halifax Herald Company, Sarah sought out to discover the far reaches of Nova Scotia after his early death in 1920.

In the May 1929 issue of Canadian Motorist  she wrote about her journey along the developing Cabot Trail in her article Into the North of Cape Breton by  Motor: With the First Women to Drive Over Cap Rouge. " A mountain range has shut it off and while the world rushed on with the speed of the airplane, the automobile and the electric and steam railway car, the inhabitants of these villages pursued their leisurely way on foot, visited only on rare occasions by those who came by boat or braved the mountain trail on horseback or with dogs. But recently the Government began to build a road around the north of the island. Part of it was completed before last summer ended and we resolved to travel that road as far as it had been constructed.” The trail is still a thrill, although I can imagine how excited people were to explore back then when things were opening up and cars were becoming more and more accessible. 

Clara's picture from up on top of North Mountain, sometime after more construction took place. The Cabot Trail was not always the leisurely drive it is now!

After several trips along coastal roads, islands fishing and  industrial villages on the mainland and Cape Breton, Clara published three books, Down in Nova Scotia: My Own, My Native Land (1934), More about Nova Scotia: My Own, My Native Land (1937) and Cape Breton Over (1942). This was Nova Scotia during the depression years, and much of her photos reflected this, although some places flourished including Louisbourg and the Broadbill swordfish industry. I cover a part of that story here: https://capebreton.lokol.me/what-louisbourg-was-know-for-swordfishing

Although her books were a significant accomplishment, her fame came from the people she met along her travels, whether it was those who lodged and fed her, resupply teams who helped her get out to remote islands, or those she happened across and interviewed. Her major legacy to us are the photos she kept that were donated to Nova Scotia Archives and now available online. I wanted to share some of my favourites with you.

Biggest elm tree in Nova Scotia, Northeast Margaree.

Albert Bridge, Mira River

Ploughing match, Judique

Net drying D'Escousse, Isle Madame

Mrs. Effie Walker, Big Ridge, Cape Breton, 107 in 1936

Old water mill, Cape Breton

Martell family, Flint Island

Bay St. Lawrence

Mikmaq family in Cape Breton.

Wreck Cove

1812 cannon used as fog alarm, St. Paul's Island

Mr. Gwinn's house, Sugarloaf, Cape North

Charlie MacDonald gathering oysters, south side River Denys, Inverness County.

Dave Fraser, mail driver, Pleasant Bay, with his dogs and brother.

McDonald brother lobster factory, Dingwall.

A group of politicians, Neil's Harbour

Old pulpit where sermon was preached, Whycocomagh, Cape Breton

Capt. Joseph Nicholl's launch in the Mira near Victoria Bridge

This, and much more of her collection can be found online here: https://novascotia.ca/archives/dennis/. What I present is such a small sample of her extensive work, and I really feel that Clara deserves so much more recognition for her contributions to the heritage of this province. Many of the old photos that are shared around come from her desire to stray off the beaten path. 

Chris Bellemore is a blogger from Ontario that moved to Cape Breton Island and is logging his experiences in this strange and wonderful place.

Some of my other articles:

 Swordfish in Louisbourg: https://capebreton.lokol.me/what-louisbourg-was-know-for-swordfishing

Cape Breton lobster: https://capebreton.lokol.me/the-lobster-food-for-thought

The WW2 plane on top of Jerome Mountain, Cape Breton https://capebreton.lokol.me/the-ww2-plane-on-top-of-jerome-mountain-cape-breton

The last schooner in Margaree: https://capebreton.lokol.me/the-last-schooner

Abandoned Places and Untold Stories of Cape Breton https://www.facebook.com/groups/518156224947471/?multi_permalinks=1761060267323721&notif_id=1530696915827502&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic

My music https://soundcloud.com/crispbellemono