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8 Events to Celebrate Heritage at this Holiday Season
It seems like we were just carving pumpkins and snacking on Halloween candy, but the cold weather has creeped up and leaves are slowly making their way off the branches. Atlas, the Holiday Season is right around the corner and it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! It’s time to get into the holiday spirit and there’s no better way to do that (in my humble opinion) than exploring local heritage and celebrating historic traditions. Why not put a vintage twist on your Christmas season by attending these exciting events? This year I have found 8 (yes, 8!) exciting events at heritage sites or celebrating the history of the…
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The Three Seaside Museums of Historic Shelburne, Nova Scotia
Shelburne, tucked away on the coast of Nova Scotia, has three museums readily available for visiting in its downtown! All within easy walking distance of each other, the Dory Shop Museum, the Shelburne County Museum, and the Ross-Thomson Store and House Museum offer different perspectives on the province’s history. Why not head down on a road trip and visit all these museums in one go? If you’re looking to visit a small town with lots of history, get out your road trip tunes and make sure you’re stocked up with snacks. Or even if you would like to grab some snacks before continuing reading along with my adventure, don’t worry,…
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Tufts Cove Cemetery: A Small Cemetery with a Large Historical Footprint
Tufts Cove Cemetery is a must visit for history and cemetery enthusiasts alike. Though a small space, it is filled to the brim with in depth local history.
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“This Is What I Wish You Knew”: Mi’kmaq Identity and History at the Museum of Natural History in Kjipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Here in Nova Scotia, I think many of us take advantage of our history. We grow up sitting through history classes that we write off as boring. Or maybe we dismiss Canadian history as a whole, chalking ourselves up as uninteresting in comparison to our American neighbours. Yet this is untrue. No history is plain and lifeless. And though I am happy to share with you my passion for the history of this province and actively prove to you that Nova Scotian and Canadian history is anything but uneventful, there is also a darker side of this conversation. How our disinterest in our own histories not only comes from a…
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Halifax’s Mount Olivet Cemetery: The Historic Cemetery You Need to Visit
This cemetery isn't on the typical tourist route, however I'm here to tell you why Mount Olivet Cemetery is well worth visiting.
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7 Nova Scotian Virtual Tours and Exhibits You Should Visit
Though March Break is quickly approaching, there’s no doubt that this year will be vastly different than those in the past. Barely over a year since Nova Scotia and the rest of the world entered lockdown, museums and public history has changed drastically too. Many museums nowadays feature part of their collection or exhibits online for viewers to experience. Virtual tours are becoming more popular. And with that development, we can experience an array of history from our homes. But have you been wondering which museums in Nova Scotia offer virtual tours? Or where can you visit virtually to feel as though you’re immersed in an exhibit? And are there…
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Welcome to The Maritime Historian – And Goodbye to History with Kirby
Hi everyone! Hope you had a good week or so. As you may have noticed, since I posted a couple of weeks ago some big changes have happened on this blog. I’m not talking colour schemes or social media buttons. I’m talking about a full rebranding. The site domain (aka the URL and identity of this brand) has transitioned from History with Kirby to The Maritime Historian. With this change, my social media handles have been modified as well (they’re all @themaritimehistorian, except for twitter which is still @historykirby). But why change up the website? I have thought about this question a lot. Why fix something that isn’t broken, right?…
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What Two Years of On and Off Blogging has Taught Me
On November 6th, 2018 I published my first blog post. I was new to blogging, but it was something I had knew I needed to pursue. Though I love academic writing, I missed the freedom and fun of putting pen to paper in a more creative style. From the beginning, I craved blogging about local historic sites and tucked away treasures. Museums skirting cities or historic villages in seemingly the middle of nowhere. Backroom displays and temporary exhibitions. Blogging was the perfect opportunity to combine my love of writing and history. I yearned to share these adventures not only because I find them fascinating, but to help boost these off…
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Drums, Jewelry & Horns: Jamaican Maroons Inspired Art Exhibition
Art communicates history in ways often records and historical artifacts cannot. It’s a song that keeps on singing the perspective of the painter. The story an artist shares. A peak at what life was like at the time. Creating a replica of a moment, whether a reality or dream. It immortalizes a memory. Forever judged, it continues to stand. Art is strong, often staying in this world much longer than its creator. To be honest, historically I haven’t been very well versed in art. I enjoy art, but I’m not good at it. I’m not an artist or an art critic. Yet you don’t have to be an art connoisseur…
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York Redoubt National Historic Site: Halifax’s Hidden Historic Fort
I think we can all agree, finding something free AND fun can be challenging. And in the winter? Seemingly impossible. However, what if I told you there was a free, outdoor historic site that you could visit year round that is only a 20 minute drive from Halifax? Yes, it exists. I’m talking about York Redoubt, the National Historic Site. As a seaside city, so much of Halifax’s history is ingrained in its military presence, with a large naval presence to this day. York Redoubt had a large role protecting Halifax Harbour for over a century. Through these visits to forts on Georges Island, McNab’s Island, Point Pleasant Park and…
My name is Kirby and I’m a 20-something year old with an M.A. in History. Needless to say, history is a huge passion of mine.
