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Visiting Georges Island, Nova Scotia
I remember drifting over the waves of Halifax Harbour last fall as I made my way to McNab’s Island. It’s not often that I see the harbour’s islands up close, and it made me wonder if I would ever have the chance to trail any of the others. This summer, during the year that has been full of disasters and worse case scenarios, I was lucky enough to be able to book tickets to Georges Island. An Introduction to Georges Island Georges Island is a national historic site located in Halifax Harbour. Home to Fort Charlotte, Georges Island has one of the five major fortifications that enforced Halifax’s defence system.…
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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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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…
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Researching at the Colchester Historeum in Truro, Nova Scotia
What do you do in your spare time? Maybe you have a sport you’re into, complete crosswords, catch up over craft beers at local breweries or lift weights at the gym. Most of us have at least one, if not many activities that we leap to as soon as we have a day off. One of my preferred pastimes is learning about history. Usually that involves a trip to an archive or museum to investigate a history mystery that is occupying my research. Or simply exploring a new-to-me historical site just for the sake of it. Depending on the day, I may be headed around the corner or hours away.…
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Exploring McNabs Island, Nova Scotia
You’ve all seen it. Staring at Halifax. Full of mystery, and certainly packed with history. Yes, I’m talking about one of the few islands in the harbour, McNabs. McNabs Island is the largest of the four islands in Halifax Harbour and is a provincial park. The other three islands are Lawlor’s Island, Devil’s Island, and George’s Island. Of the four, McNabs is the only which visitors are currently allowed regularly, though they need to arrange their own transportation. I had been looking back at McNabs Island for quite some time. I had heard of a quarantine, cholera deaths, old forts, houses, fairs and factories which were located on the Island…
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Pre-History Trip: Fundy Geological Museum
The first part of our day was spent at the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, exploring the museum and rocky beach. Once we left Joggins, we headed over to the Fundy Geological Museum. The Fundy Geological Museum, though also focusing on the geological past of Nova Scotia, has a larger focus on dinosaurs! Only about a half an hour drive from the cliffs, we arrived by mid-afternoon. Eldon’s Dinosaur Statue While parking, we (myself, my boyfriend, and a friend) were greeted by a statue that I had seen before. It was a green dinosaur, clearly looking as though it has lived a long life. I first encountered the dinosaur about ten years…
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Pre-History Trip: Joggins Fossil Cliffs
There’s nothing like digging up good local spots to spend a day. And this week’s write up takes a turn towards prehistory, time before humans and their impact on the world. History is defined exclusively to humanity’s past, with prehistory covering the world’s developments beforehand. Events thousands, if not millions of years ago, have a profound effect on our relationship and understanding of the Earth today. And there’s nothing quite like the excitement of getting to unbury some of that knowledge. It may come as a surprise to many that Nova Scotia has very rich geological history. One of the main geological or fossil related attractions in the province is…
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History at Memory Lane Heritage Village
The age-old ice breaker “If you could time travel, when would you choose to visit?” continues to be used in a variety of settings from classes, conferences, summer camps, and work places as a way to get to know those around you. But if you actually had to choose, beyond the standard answers of Ancient Greece or Egypt, what would you choose? For me, there is no question that if I was to abandon a modern era of technology and medical advances, I wouldn’t travel too far back – but to an age that there are still those living from. I would dive in to the 1940’s. The high-waist buttoned…
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.
