Most of these authors wrote numerous books about nova scotia. Another great read is a book about the halifax explosionthe day the town diedcant. An online version of the book with all the names, plus additional information, is available from the nova scotia archives. Jul 14, 2017 a newly discovered diary tells the harrowing story of the deadly halifax explosion on the eve of the disasters centennial, a sailors 1917 journal details a rare eyewitness account of the. The halifax explosion of 1945 canada history and mysteries. Halifax explosion infosheet maritime museum of the atlantic. Halifax explosion book of remembrance maritime museum of. In 1917, the thriving seaport of halifax, nova scotia, was leveled by a munitions explosion of unprecedented force when two ships collided in the citys harbor. World war i had brought activity and prosperity to the port. The countdown to the explosion is rather nervewracking and the description of halifax after the explosion is sobering. It devastated the busy port city, leveling more than a square mile of the waterfront, killing. Halifax explosion story map on wednesday, december 6, 2017 we will commemorate 100 years since the halifax explosion.
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. The nova scotia home for colored children restorative inquiry presented its final report to government at its closing ceremony in halifax today, nov. The bedford magazine explosion was a conflagration resulting in a series of explosions from july 18 to 19, 1945, in bedford, nova scotia, canada. The halifax explosion devastated the north end of the city, killing nearly 2,000 and injuring 9,000.
Collision of two ships detonated 3,000 tons of explosives that leveled 2. Bacon, whose previous books have focused on athletics and university of michigan sports, will read from and discuss the great halifax. Fiction about the halifax explosion disaster that occurred in 1917 and killed 2,000 people. The halifax explosion has shaped what the city is today. Nov 30, 2017 ken cuthbertsons the halifax explosion and john u. Bacons the great halifax explosion trace the reverberations of the deadly disaster. Halifax explosion biggest explosion before hiroshima. If not, then hang your head in shame and read our article on the halifax explosion of 1917. Information is presented in sequential order under the themes of. A light haze hung over the harbor, but visibility was generally very good. The imo can been seen beached on the far shore the james collectioncity of toronto archives in a final, fatal maneuver both captains bellowed out orders to. A newly discovered diary tells the harrowing story of the deadly halifax explosion on the eve of the disasters centennial, a sailors 1917 journal details a rare eyewitness account of the. But what started out as a typical day did not end that.
A book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Each section provides a brief overview of a portion of the event with links to relevant photographs, interactive maps, true stories of survivors, animated. An entire neighbourhood was destroyed, thousands killed and injured, thousands more left homeless. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism bacon, john u. In 1917, halifax, nova scotia was the main base of the new canadian navy and housed the most important army garrison in canada.
In nova scotia, where ceremonies and media flashbacks dutifully mark each anniversary, everyone seems to have a family story to tell my. Army and navy personnel worked shouldertoshoulder with. The characters are well done in fact, the city of halifax and the countdown to the explosion itself are characters in their own right. Protestant orphanage, 1274 barrington street, halifax, nova scotia. The nova scotia archives is pleased to host the online version of a project recently completed by the halifax foundation. The halifax explosion was the greatest nonnuclear detonation in history, killing 2,000 people and obliterating homes and businesses over a large swath of the city. The halifax explosion of 1917 canada history and mysteries. Beside the name of each victim is listed the age and local residential addresses at the time of the explosion, in addition to their burial sites. The halifax explosion in fiction the birth house by ami mckay. Halifax harbor in nova scotia supports the communities of halifax on the west shore and dartmouth on the east shore. On the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, two new books. Dec 06, 2017 the resulting blast was the biggest manmade explosion of the preatomic age, according to analysts.
Bacon is the author of the national bestseller the great halifax explosion and four bestselling books about college football, including three and out, fourth and long, endzone, and bos lasting lessons, coauthored with michigan coach bo schembechler. Lessons learned 100 years after halifax explosion the star. There are other books that are much more detailed but this book is certainly a good beginning. Residents have been asked to sign books of remembrance placed at halifax city hall and halifax central library. Halifax explosion nova scotia canada 1917 about 2000 people killed. Army and navy personnel worked shouldertoshoulder with civilians on rescue, recovery and reconstruction. We are posting the first story, an important element of halifax history. Halifax author janet kitz says the photo shows how difficult it was for babies to be identified if their mothers were dead. Halifax is and was home to a variety of ethnic and cultural groups, all of which were affected by the halifax explosion. Halifax explosion infosheet in december 1917, halifax, nova scotia, was the hub of the dominion of canada. A history of the destruction of a canadian city by an explosion as powerful as a nuclear weapon. That accident sparked a fire and an apocalyptic explosion that was the largest manmade blast prior to the 1945 dropping of the atomic bomb on. Website developed and maintained by nova scotia communities.
The halifax explosion still reverberates the globe and mail. Learn more about the multicultural history of the city and the province of nova scotia in these titles. New books remember the great halifax explosion the star. Dec 05, 2017 other communities affected by the halifax explosion. That accident sparked a fire and an apocalyptic explosion that was the largest manmade blast prior to the 1945 dropping of the atomic bomb on hiroshima. Black snow nimbus publishing and vagrant press black snow is a love story set during the halifax explosion. Jul 04, 2011 the city of boston played a large role in helping to rebuild halifax. Perhaps the most poignant reminder of the tragedy, and the response to it, is the large christmas tree cut every year from the nova scotia woods and erected in central boston a gift of thanks from the people of halifax to a city that provided essential relief and support in the wake of the explosion. Over its fouryear mandate, the inquiry has held multiple processes to examine the history, experience and legacy of the nova scotia home for the colored children and its implications for respo. On the morning of december 6, 1917, two passenger trains en route to the port city of halifax, nova scotia were stopped in response to a brief, cryptic telegraph message sent from halifax station. Have you visited, are a business owner or live in nova scotia.
New book details 1917 halifax, nova scotia, explosion. The halifax explosion of 1917 the canadian encyclopedia. If youd like to learn more about the halifax explosion, try. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Cbc news interactives has recreated the city of halifax as it existed in 1917 to show how the halifax explosion unfolded and its effects on the people who lived there. Nov 07, 2017 a history of the destruction of a canadian city by an explosion as powerful as a nuclear weapon. The halifax explosion 1917 nova scotia, canada youtube. Images from the halifax explosion that happened back in 1917. If you are unfamiliar with the explosion in halifax, nova scotia in 1917 then this book would be of interest to you. A former feature writer for the detroit news, his writing has been recognized three times in the best american sports writing series. A fire on board the french ship ignited her cargo, causing a massive explosion that devastated the richmond district of halifax. Dec 02, 2017 new books remember the great halifax explosion. Americas response to the accident warmed relations betweeen canada and the u. Halifax explosion books tagged halifax explosion librarything.
The author relates the circumstances of the accident that caused the explosion, as well as the recovery efforts and subsequent inquiry into the event. The port was a major hub of wartime activity and halifax harbour was crowded with warships, troop transports and. Devastation after the halifax explosion, showing what is left of the richmond neighbourhood. Josephs convent, located on the southeast corner of gottingen and kaye streets, halifax, nova scotia halifax explosion nova scotia building with walls bent outward and floor collapsing canada bore the brunt of his attacks the climax. Its a very good read as are maclennans other works. This canadian history for kids, sketches of our canada, looks at the devastation created by the halifax explosion of december 6, 1917 on december 6, 1917, as world war i continued in europe, ships carrying troops, supplies and munitions filled the harbour of the port city of halifax, nova scotia. The halifax explosion remembrance book was originally developed in 2002 as a commemorative project sponsored by the halifax foundation and its chair, the late edmund morris, a former city mayor, to mark the 85th anniversary of the halifax explosion. New book details the halifax, nova scotia, explosion of 1917.
It has been called the worst manmade explosion in history. A collision between two ships in halifax harbour in 1917 set off an explosion unrivalled until the atomic bomb. The halifax explosion occurred on december 6, 1917, when the city of halifax, nova scotia, canada, was devastated by the detonation of the ss montblanc, a french cargo ship that was fully loaded with wartime explosives. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism. Bacon is the author of the national bestseller the great halifax explosion andfour bestselling books about college football, including three and out, fourth and long, endzone, and bo s lasting lessons, coauthored with michigan coach bo schembechler. The halifax explosion of 1917 canada history and mysteries in many ways it was a typical early winter day in halifax that december thats the day of the halifax explosion. To me, its a double tragedy not only that more than 1800 people died on that day and over 9000 were injured 200 blinded by flying glass right here in nova scotia, but that this isnt taught in schools. Dec 01, 2017 cbc news interactives has recreated the city of halifax as it existed in 1917 to show how the halifax explosion unfolded and its effects on the people who lived there.
If youd like to learn more about the halifax explosion, try this web sites. Dec 18, 20 images from the halifax explosion that happened back in 1917. Ss montblanc, a french cargo ship laden with high explosives, collided with the norwegian vessel ss imo in the narrows, a strait connecting the upper halifax harbour to bedford basin. To this day, haligonians send their thanks by shipping a large nova scotia christmas tree to grace bostons prudential plaza. The blast released an explosive force equal to about 2.
A fire on board the french ship ignited her cargo, causing a massive explosion that. Babies whose mothers had not been located and children injured in the halifax explosion on dec. On december 6, 1917, the french munitions ship mont blanc and the norwegian warrelief vessel imo collided in the harbour at halifax, nova scotia. During world war ii, the adjacent cities of halifax and dartmouth, provided heavy support for canadas war effort in europe. Collison of 2 ships ignited 3,000 tons of explosives that left 2,000 dead and 25,000 citizens homeless.
On wednesday, december 6, 2017 we will commemorate 100 years since the halifax explosion. Top 10 books on nova scotia best book recommendations. I am sure that all of you have heard of the halifax explosion of 1917. Dec 06, 2017 the nova scotia home for colored children restorative inquiry presented its final report to government at its closing ceremony in halifax today, nov. This nonfiction is an account of a tragedy which occurred in halifax, canada, at the end of the fourth year of the great war. The sun was bright in a clear sky and the ground was clear of snow. Niniskamijinaqik ancestral images by ruth holmes whitehead. In many ways december 6th, 1917 was a typical early winter day in halifax. The accidental explosion that erased a canadian city in 1917. The halifax explosion was a disaster that occurred in halifax, nova scotia, canada, on the morning of 6 december 1917. Dec 05, 2017 lessons learned 100 years after halifax explosion.
The city of boston played a large role in helping to rebuild halifax. While the halifax explosion of 1917 was a calamity, it was not the only major wartime explosion suffered by the locals. In many ways it was a typical early winter day in halifax that december 6, 1917. Approximately 2,000 people were killed by the blast, debris, fires. The halifax explosion dec 6, 1917 was the largest manmade explosion before hiroshima. The halifax explosion and the road to recovery is a 1989. The book has a fairly large print and many contemporary photos.