HRM Point of Interest #25: Royal Artillery Park

Located just across the street from The Citadel fortress, Royal Artillery Park was acquired in 1799 to provide soldiers quarters, stores, officers' accommodations and a headquarters for the Royal Artillery personnel stationed in Halifax. As an interesting factoid for Haligonians: the old location was across the street from the Grand Parade where the World Trade and Convention Centre is now.

In 1812 work began on the Officers' Mess. Rather, it would have begun, but the War of 1812 got in the way, and so work wasn't completed until 1816. At 196 years old though, it is officially the oldest Officers' Mess in Canada.

My favourite part of the park is being able to walk around and look at the well preserved pieces of artillery from wars past.



(Breech-loaded Howitzer used in the Boer War of 1895. This gun was actually still in use even up to 1917.)



(WWII Gun used in desert battles in Africa in 1941.)



(Armour piercing howitzer gun used from 1940-1952.)

HRM Point of Interest #24: Waverly Inn

The Waverly Inn, on Barrington Street, started out in life as a private residence. Edward W. Chipman, a wealthy dry-goods merchant, and his wife Mahala Jane Northup built one of the most expensive and extravagant homes in Halifax in 1866 (this one).

Mahala really really loved her new home, and apparently she loved showing it off even more. Numerous accounts describe the lavish parties and dances she would host in her home that was described as "... in a style, both regards to size and decoration, more like a palace than a private residence."

By 1870 the party was over though, literally, for Mahala as well as her hoighty-toighty guests. Eddie's dry-goods business had all dried up and the house and all the furniture was seized by the city. The house was then sold to a couple of sisters, Sarah and Jane Romans, who turned the house into one of Halifax's finest residential hotels.

During its heyday, The Waverly Hotel was noted for having exceptional hospitality, and played hosts to regular guests such as Oscar Wilde, John Doull (president of the Bank of Nova Scotia, 1889-1899), P.T. Barnum (yup, that P.T. Barnum), George Vanderbilt (seriously, just search some of these names up for yourself), and William Henry (the son of the Father of Confederation with the same name). In fact, the hospitality was so remarkable at The Waverly, that the Premier of Nova Scotia, The Honourable George H. Murray, stayed in the hotel for six years while in office.

Every time I cycle or walk past this bright yellow mansion on south Barrington, on the way to the train station, I'm reminded of all the history of this city. I had wanted to take a picture earlier and make a post about it, but it's just not the same without that blue sky in the background and I could not seem to get all the way down to south Halifax early enough to capture an image with a clear sky and the sun behind me. Better late than never though, I suppose. This hotel is over 140 years old, after all, so one would think that a few more days won't hurt it too much.

EP Dan's Last Day, Part 3 - Museum of Natural History

In every province in which I will eventually live, I have my major "EP Goals" to complete (see above tab, just below the blog title), but I also plan to make a number of sub-goals, specific for each province. For Nova Scotia, one of those sub goals is to visit each of the province's 27 Provincial Museums.

First up on the list of 27 is the Museum of Natural History. I was quite excited to finally pay a visit to the museum for an official blog trip - I had been here on some other occasions for special events. Additionally, EP Dan was excited to come here because we had missed out on a chance to see the animals during the Nocturne: Art At Night festival back in October, 2010, when the exhibit closed before we had arrived.

(My two-headed turtle picture from my trip to Korea was so popular that I thought I'd include another. I fear this one isn't quite as impressive though...)

(Speaking of impressive water creatures, this is "Francis" the lobster, who was too big for any lobster trap. He actually would have been caught in a net, before being given to the Museum of Natural History.)

One of the major instalments at the Museum is a collection of Mi'kmaw artefacts, clothing and tools. The Mi'kmaw people, which still inhabit the region, had lived in the Maritime provinces of Canada for centuries before contact with European explorers was made.

(This is just a sample of the Museum of Natural History's massive collection of Mi'kmaw quill work on bark - assumed to be the largest collection of its kind in the world.)

The other major collection at the Museum is that of the large underwater animals found around the area. The highlight being the massive skeleton of a pilot whale found stranded on Sable Island, some 300 kms south east off the shore of Nova Scotia.

(A closer inspection of the fins will reveal five finger-like bones. I thought they were interesting.)

The real reason EP Dan and I came to the Museum today though, was to see the exhibit "A T.Rex Named Sue." Named after Sue Hendrickson - the archaeologist who discovered the skeleton - Sue is 42 feet long, and 12 feet high at the hips. Officially it is the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton in the world. Purchased by the Field Museum in Chicago for $8.4 Million, Sue has been on a world tour, and has been seen by over 10 million people, but Halifax is the first Canadian city ever to host the exhibit.

(Psst... Don't turn around.)

By this time we were both getting a bit tired so feeling lucky to have escaped with our lives, we headed back home. With Dan now gone back home, I'm on my own for the summer. I'm not worried though, what with all of the major festivals coming up again, life will not be boring for long.

EP Dan's Last Day, Part 2 - Lunch At Westcliff Diner

When I first moved into my new apartment, I remember quite distinctly the person who dropped me off saying that this restaurant made the best club sandwich in Halifax. This was back in June, 2010. Since that time I can remember two other people on two other occasions recommending the club sandwich or the fish and chips here as well.

I had always kept promising myself that when I had an occasion to go dining with someone I would come here. After Dan and I finished painting our pottery at Clay Cafe, we walked about twenty minutes to get back here (we actually passed it on our way to Clay Cafe the first time). This was my chance to scratch another "to do" item off of my list.

We both ordered the club sandwich with fries, and I must say it was every bit as good as its fans had suggested. For desert I ordered what has to be the best chocolate milk shake ever made, and the most delicious hand-made maple fudge.

The food was incredible, but it was the atmosphere that will have me coming back. It's a family run business, with an older couple who bicker back and forth behind the counter, make the food, serve the food themselves, and get themselves into some of the most hilarious conversations with the regular customers.

When we were there, one conversation focused on how the wife wouldn't be coming into work the next day, because she just had to watch the Royal Wedding, but not the part before or after, just the wedding, but not the part before or after, just the wedding, but not... It was too funny, and they were easily the most stereotypically "East Coast" couple I've had the pleasure of meeting.

The charm of this diner is the food and the character and the cheap price. If you're ever in Halifax, it is not to be missed.

HRM Point of Interest #23: Tufts Cove

A few weeks ago I posted an image on my Flickr account of a building near my home. Just visible over the top of the building in that image were the tips of the three red and white smoke stacks you see here in this image.

My friend Sara, with whom I went on the Harbour Hopper Tour back in August, sent me a message informing that the smoke stacks were located in a neighbourhood known as Tufts Cove. As I was cycling across the Macdonald Bridge to work one morning I noticed these smoke stacks for the first time and took this picture.

The name Tufts Cove comes from a prominent Boston area family that came to Dartmouth in 1749. The land itself was also the location for a Mi'kmaq settlement known as Turtle Grove, until 1917 when it was destroyed in the Halifax Explosion.

To be honest though, this isn't so much a HRM Point of Interest, as it is an EP Dave's Point of Interest. The only reason I included this image is because I have seen these prominent stacks in various images of the Halifax Harbour since I came here. However, I could never figure out where they were located, and neither could I find anyone who could remember either.

For this reason alone they had become like an annoying itch in my mind of which I just could not rid myself. And so, like a deeply satisfying scratching of a peeling sunburn, I present you this post so that I can relieve myself of this itch, and perhaps even save you from my "pain" also. I really do aim to provide a public service here at EP Dave's Terra Nova.

HRM Point of Interest #22: Sir Sandford Fleming House

Sir Sandford Fleming House is a one-and-a-half storey Gothic Revival style house on Brunswick street in north end Halifax. Gothic Revival was an architectural style popular in the early nineteenth century. The Gothic Revival features on this home include the lack of intricate wood trim, the small dormer over the central window, and the central door and two major gables on either side, among many others features (just in case you were wondering.)

As its name suggests, the most famous resident of this home was its first, the honourable Sir Sandford Fleming, who was instrumental in engineering our coast to coast railroad, created our first postage stamp, and developed the system of 24 time zones that we still use today to keep accurate time as we travel.

These days, Sir Sandford Fleming House is used by The Saint Leonard's Society of Nova Scotia to help house newly released inmates while they are reintegrated into society. It accommodates 21 male residents, and is administered by a board of volunteer citizens. (And just think about how we have friends who think they need a two-story house and an oversized SUV when we have one child...)

HRM Point of Interest #20: Garden Crest Apartments

When it opened in 1914, the Garden Crest - located across the street from the Public Gardens - was Halifax's first ever luxury apartment house. Its "spacious suites" with parlour room, pantry, kitchen, dining room, etc., were all deliciously described in a local newspaper of the time. Special attention was paid in the article to the ingenious system of "speaking tubes" for callers to communicate with occupants, as well as to its innovative fire-resistant asbestos plaster board. The apartment building was partially destroyed then rebuilt in 2002, with the architects attempting to stay as loyal as possible to the original design.

HRM Point of Interest #19: Freak Lunchbox

Freak Lunchbox, in downtown Halifax on Barrington Street, has won The Coast's Best Of Halifax Best Retail Sign award for the least two years, and one look at even this low quality photo of the store front (above) will tell you why. However, Freak Lunchbox is so much more than just a great exterior.

It is also covered on the inside with great original artwork by the owner, which makes the roof and walls of the store look like a Ripley's Believe It Or Not Cover. I wasn't allowed to take a picture of them though, so I thought this shelf full of candy and bobble head dolls would be a good substitute. Moreover, Freak Lunchbox makes its money by selling candy, toys, etc., which is the reason I went there in the first place.

I first discovered Freak Lunchbox while exploring the streets of downtown Halifax during my original cross-country voyage back in May. At that time (my inner Korean is coming out now), I was overjoyed to discover that my favourite candy, Lotsa Fizz, while absent from many convenience store racks across the country, was still on sale at FL. When I came back again during the Christmas Tree Lighting just last week I discovered a reinvention of a Canadian classic - The Pop Shoppe bottled beverages.

And that's the best part about Freak Lunchbox. There are just so many items to peruse that it's almost impossible to see everything the first time. Long story short, you'll have to go back again and again and again to find out what you missed the last time. Freak Lunchbox: great business model, or greatest business model ever?

(Who's that handsome guy?)

HRM Point of Interest #15: Dingle Tower/Sir Sandford Fleming Park

Sir Sandford Fleming immigrated to Canada as a young boy from Scotland in 1845 . While here he worked as a lithographer and carried out many large scale surveys, perhaps most notably those of the Toronto Harbour and the eventual route for the coast to coast railway that would unite the country. He also designed Canada's first ever postage stamp, was a founding member of the Royal Society of Canada and invented Universal Standard Time - the 24 time zones used around the world to this day.

To commemorate the 1758 founding/150th anniversary of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly - the first ever representative government in the British Empire outside of the United Kingdom - Fleming proposed the construction of a large, imposing tower and donated the land in what was his summer retreat on the western side of the Northwest Arm. The tower was completed in 1912 and was formally dedicated by Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught.

(View of the Northwest Arm, looking north, from the top of Dingle Tower. A suitable reward for climbing all of the stairs necessary to reach the top.)

Sir Sandford Fleming named his 95 acre back yard The Dingle, which means "wooded valley". Today it is called Sir Sandford Fleming Park, in his honour, but the tower retains the name Dingle Tower.

The park has been a favourite place of recreation for Haligonians for generations, even when it could only be reached by a small ferry. Today it continues to be popular, with hiking trails and numerous historic points of interest, and is certainly one of my favourite places in the HRM.

(One of two large bronze lions which guard the entrance to Dingle Tower. The lions were donated by the Royal Colonial Institute of London in 1913, and were designed to be similar to those which can be found at the base of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square, London.)

HRM Point of Interest #14: Halifax Farmers' Market (260th Birthday)

Founded in 1750, the Halifax Farmers' Market is the oldest continually operating Farmers' Market in North America. Located inside the Alexander Keith's Brewery, the "Old" Halifax Farmers' Market (a new one opened just last month on the Waterfront) celebrated its 260th birthday on October 2, 2010.

In honour of this momentous occasion, many of the vendors donned "period costumes". In the picture above a vendor sells some of her home-made fudge to an eager customer. Incidentally, the chocolate covered peanut butter balls in the front left corner were amazing, as was her vanilla fudge. Furthermore, this vendor also sold me the best tasting Jona Gold apple I have ever tasted, way back in May, just before I headed to Vancouver on the train.

Fall is upon us, and with thanksgiving and Halloween coming soon, the pumpkins were out in full force. After I work through my backlog of potatoes, beets, and turnips I plan to buy a large one of these and live off of cooked pumpkin for a month. On this day though I appeased my hungry stomach by eating delicious samosa from a Greek vendor, triangle kimbab from a Korean vendor, and some sort of soft round moist bread-like patties from a South American (possibly? I'm not sure exactly where she was from actually) woman.

HRM Point Of Interest #13: Naval Dockyard Clock

The Naval Dockyard Clock was fabricated in London, England, in 1767 by Ayneth Thwaites. It served as the main time piece for countless sailors and dockyard workers from 1772 to 1993. The Naval Dockyard Clock is the last remaining architectural feature of the original Halifax Naval Dockyard, and one of the oldest turret clocks in Canada.

In 1996 the Navy presented this clock to the Halifax Regional Municipality to be placed here at Chebucto Landing, on the Halifax Waterfront, the place where the original European settlers arrived in 1749.

HRM Point of Interest #12: Waverly Heritage Museum

Before 1861, Waverly, Nova Scotia was just a tiny town of 500 people. However, when Willis Brooks found a nugget of gold that year, the town quadrupled in size in just six years. The story of the gold rush, and of Waverly in general is told in pictures and artefacts at the Waverly Heritage Museum inside this quaint, white painted church. The church itself was originally located in nearby Fall River, but was brought down to Waverly during the gold rush in two pieces; each piece drug on a sled by a team of horses.

(An old anvil used to make odd-shaped metal nails. I can see now why the development of the ability to make standard sized parts during the Industrial Revolution was such an important event in our history as a species.)

HRM Point of Interest #11: The Town Clock

Located on the east face of Citadel Hill, The Town Clock (sometimes known as the Old Town Clock, or Citadel Clock Tower) was built under the orders Prince Edward, Duke of Wales, then the commander-in-chief of all military forces in British North America. Purportedly, Prince Edward built the clock because he was sick of the British garrison at Fort Gary (The Citadel) being so tardy all the time. In their defence, none of the soldiers were paid well enough to afford a watch. (As an aside, one of the additional roles of the bag pipers at the Fort was to play specific tunes at different times throughout the day, so that the watchless infantry would know what time it was.)

The Clock Tower was built in the classic Palladian style of Venetian architect Andrew Palladio, which was a favourite of The Prince. It began keeping time for the garrison on October 20, 1803. It's mechanisms are wound by Citadel employees twice a week, but for some reason the clock seems to chime on the half-hour whenever I have been in the vicinity.

The Clock Tower was the inspiration for the character "Chimney" in the wonderful children's television program Theodore Tugboat.

HRM Point of Interest #10: Point Pleasant Park

The largest forested park on the Halifax peninsula, Point Pleasant Park is home to the annual Shakespeare by the Sea festival, and was once part of the strategic defence system that kept Halifax safe from attack during four different wars. The park is home to two National Historic Sites, the Prince of Wales Martello Tower, and the Atlantic Bulwark Coastal Defence Fortress. It is also one of my favourite places in Halifax.

(Based on the Gatehouse at Hughenden Manor, in Buckinghamshire, UK, the lodge at Point Pleasant Park was built in the 1800s to house the park superintendent.)

(Built in 1868, the Cambridge Battery was named in honour of the Duke of Cambridge, who was head of the military during the reign of Queen Victoria. It was abandoned though, by the start of WWI.)

(One of two lovely summerhouses built at Point Pleasant Park in 1882, at the bequest of Halifax business man, Walter West.)

(Stunning views of the Northwest Arm and the Atlantic Ocean are the norm at Point Pleasant Park, rather than the exception.)

HRM Point of Interest #9: Halifax Waterfront

Walking along the 3 km board walk on the Halifax Waterfront is a favourite past time of both locals and tourists, especially those departing from the cruise ships docked at Pier 22. Open 24 hours a day, it is also one of Yours truly's favourite places to spend a sunny afternoon, as it is always full of buskers, tourists, and interesting ships (during the summer at least).

(One of many tall ships docked at the Waterfront. Halifax tall ships can often be hired for Harbour cruises and tours.)

(A highlight of any trip to the Waterfront is seeing one of the large cruise ships entering or leaving port.)

(The Halifax Waterfront is the home of Theodore Too tugboat, star of the superb children's television program Theodore Tugboat.)

(Here, Theodore Too puffs merrily along as he passes in front of the Georges Island, a National Historic Site, while taking passengers on a tour of Halifax Harbour.)

(There are even real tugboats at the Waterfront. Halifax tugboats have been and continue to be invaluable assets in Atlantic Ocean rescue and salvage missions since before, and during, WWII.)

HRM Point of Interest #8: Melville Island and Regatta Point Trail

Originally named the "Sandwich River," the Northwest Arm is a narrow inlet that separates Mainland Halifax from the downtown peninsula. Nearly all the way to the end of the Arm is the scenic Regatta Point Trail and the historic Melville Island.

Once the site of a War of 1812 British Prison, Melville Island (in the background of the above picture) is now a private boat club. The prison still stands, but is barely visible behind the trees and yachts, and is not accessible as Melville Island is now private property.

Today, the main reason to walk along the Regatta Point Trail beside Melville Cove, is to see the charming boats peacefully bobbing up and down on the water; their rhythmic undulations guaranteed to melt away any tensions brought on by a stressful day.

HRM Point of Interest #7: Camp Hill Cemetery

Camp Hill Cemetery is a burial ground in the heart of Halifax that was established in 1844. It was built to replace the old cemetery known as the Old Burying Ground, which still exists, that had been established nearly a century earlier in 1747. According to one long-time Haligonian I interviewed, Camp Hill Cemetery is purportedly one of the finest examples of a Victorian era cemetery in Canada.

Camp Hill Cemetery contains the graves of more than thirteen prominent historical figures, including Abraham Pineo Gesner - the inventor of kerosene - and John Taylor Wood - a Civil War Confederate Naval Officer and grandson of the nephew of Confederate President Jefferson Davis - as well as many others.

(The final resting place of Joseph Howe, widely considered to be the greatest Nova Scotian who ever lived. Howe was a champion of free press, responsible for Nova Scotia becoming the first British colony to secure responsible government, and Canada's first ever federal separatist.)

(Memorial to Alexander Keith - former mayor of Halifax, former president of the North British Society and founder of Alexander Keith's brewing company.)

HRM Point of Interest #6: Leighton Dillman Park & Scenic Gardens

Named after the long serving, diligent volunteer garden keeper, Leighton Dillman, this park and public garden is the most prominent area in the Dartmouth Common - originally a 300 acre (1.2 square-km) piece of land set aside by the government in the 1700s for the common use of the settlers.

Behind the Scenic Gardens is one of two burial grounds. Normally I dislike walking through cemeteries, but the old Victorian cemeteries in HRM offer amazing photo taking opportunities that simply can't be missed.

HRM Point of Interest #5: Sullivan's Pond

Sullivan's Pond is an artificial lake, and the first body of water in the historic Shubenacadie Canal System that travels from Halifax Harbour, across Nova Scotia, to the Bay of Fundy. After the Shubenacadie Canal System was largely abandoned in the 1860s, Sullivan's Pond fell into disrepair. In the 20th century the City of Dartmouth endeavoured to clean up the various lakes in the Shubenacadie Canal System, in an attempt to live up to its alternate name of "The City of Lakes." Today Sullivan's Pond is part of a park that includes Sullivan's Pond and the nearby Lake Banook.

The most notable feature of Sullivan Pond today is this totem pole on a small island in the centre. The totem pole was a gift from British Columbia to the City of Dartmouth when it hosted the 1969 Canada Summer Games.