By 1904, there were more than 3,000 people living in Inverness and it became a town. Port Hood, with 1,000 people, had become a town the year before. They were lively places. There were a number of hotels and at least 27 bars in the town of Inverness. The miners formed sports teams and competed with other teams in the region.

But coal mining is risky business. The Inverness coal mines ran into problems with fires and floods. They were expensive to run. By the mid- 1950s, the mines had closed and Port Hood and Inverness had become villages again. The days of the red houses were over.

Using Vocabulary

Match each phrase on the left with the best word on the right.