westhants

The West Hants Historical Society is a non-profit organization based in Windsor, NS and serving the Avon area. The WHHS has been in operation since 1973, and operates a Museum, genealogy department and the national historic site of Fort Edward in Windsor, NS.

WHHS Newsletter: November 2012 – Great Fire of Windsor, 1897

2 Comments / Hants County History, News

The Great Windsor Fire of 1897 [excerpt from November 2012 Newsletter]
On October 17, 1897, disaster struck the town of Windsor, Nova Scotia. At three a.m. that Sunday morning, a fire started that would destroy most the town and leave most of its residents homeless and penniless.

The fire started in the rear of the Marine Block on Water Street and spread throughout the town from King Street to Clifton Avenue, and from the waterfront to the area of Windmill Hill (location of the old Elms Nursing Home).

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GreatFireWindsor1897

WHHS Newsletter: October 2012 – Thomas Chandler Haliburton

Hants County History, Museum, News

The Life of Thomas Chandler Haliburton
by Mark MacGillivray
Thomas Chandler Haliburton was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia on December 17, 1796. He was the son of a known political figure named William Haliburton. His mother died as Thomas was only a year old, so he was raised by his stepmother named Susanna. Growing up in an aristocratic household, young Haliburton attended King’s College from which he received a B.A. in 1815 at the age of 18, beginning his carrier which would eventually land him a job as a judge.

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CliftonHouse_WindsorNS

Windsor and the first Prime Minister of Israel

Fort Edward, Hants County History, News

Israel’s first Prime Minister

What does the town of Windsor and the first Prime Minister of Israel have in common? Need a hint? (It dates back to World War One.) Well, here is the answer. During the Great War the British Army used Fort Edward as a training ground for Jewish men preparing to fight the Ottoman Turks in Palestine. This unit would become known as the Jewish Legion and would see action in 1917. One of the men in this unit was named David Ben-Gurion, who in 1949 became the first Prime Minister of Israel.

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Fort_Edward_soldiers

WHHS Newsletter, June-July 2012

Hants County History, News

Upcoming Events

Hello everyone!

We’ve got an exciting event coming up at Fort Edward; for the second year in a row, the 84th Regiment of Foot will be holding a Military Encampment at Fort Edward for the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. There will be live military drills, black powder demonstrations, a sunset ceremony, as well as many other interesting performances. Everyone who attended last year had a great time talking with the soldiers and watching them re-enact a part of our history.

WHHS Newsletter, June-July 2012 Read More »

Gypsum at Cheverie wharf

WHHS Newsletter, April-May 2012: Editor’s Note, Snoop Corner

News

Snoop Corner

‘Who’s in the News’ and ‘Can you Identify this Photo’ have been replaced with the ‘Snoop Corner’. Since some of the volunteers are now filling in for the members who have stepped down, one being genealogy researcher, we are finding articles, newspaper clippings, photos, scrapbooks, family history, etc. that we never knew existed until now. We had two headings to choose from: The Treasure Find and the Snoop Corner. Though the former has a much nicer sound, the latter really explains it because if we did not look into that particular file we may never have found the below photo…

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Logging Industry Ponhook NS

Welcome to our website and blog!

Hants County History, Museum, News

Since much of this area’s history was shaped by the water it seems only fair to have the first blog topic relate to this theme. The WHHS has many photographs of the bridges that have spanned the Avon River. The photo here shows the Windsor Covered Bridge and Train Bridge and dates to sometime before 1887. Before the construction of a bridge across the Avon travel was more of a waiting game. One would have to wait for the tide to come in to cross by boat or risk crossing the sandy floor bed at low tide-neither being great choices for a traveller in a hurry.

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Windsor Covered Bridge, c.1887
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