The WHHS is pleased to present some of the winning entries from our 2014 Student Essay Contest. The WHHS was a sponsor of this contest, awarding a prize for excellence in historical research in West Hants.
The winning essays were both written by students from Ms Kate Sircom’s grade 3 class at Windsor Forks Elementary School. Essays are presented as submitted by the students with no additional editing.
The WHHS is pleased to present some of the winning entries from our 2014 Student Essay Contest. The WHHS was a sponsor of this contest, awarding a prize for excellence in historical research in West Hants.
The winning essays were both written by students from Ms Kate Sircom’s grade 3 class at Windsor Forks Elementary School. Essays are presented as submitted by the students.
The West Hants Historical Society is sponsoring an essay contest for all school ages! This contest makes an excellent class or individual project.
Veronica Connelly Prize for Excellence in West Hants Historical Research
West Hants is rich in history. It is our good fortune that there are depositories for information, artifacts and pictures for these historical records. There are several heritage properties, farms, Fort Edward (national historic site managed by West Hants Historical Society), black settlements and evidence of Acadian settlements. It is the society’s intent to encourage the community to actively participate in and benefit from these treasures.
The Story of Winckworth Tonge
by John Wilson
[excerpt from January 2013 newsletter]
A rather strange combination of obscure surnames, they were carried by one of the early estate owners of Windsor township and an influential member of the colonial government. Traces of the name, or corruptions thereof, can still be found locally as place names, in particular, Tonge Hill and Wentworth.
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).
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.
Let’s all go to the Fair!
Hants County Exhibition – 247th anniversary
Crisp September days have arrived and that can only mean one thing: It is time for the Hants County Exhibition. With the first exhibition being held May 21, 1765, the Hants County Exhibition claims the title of the oldest agricultural exhibition in North America with this year marking its 247th anniversary.
Thoughts From Places: Fort Edward Check out a wonderful new video by Kerri Beazley, summer student at the West Hants Historical Society. If you haven’t had a chance to visit Fort Edward yet, please take a trip up and experience
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.
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.
