Paper of Record

Green Lane, Old Ferry Road, Lawrencetown Road

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old ferry road

Here is one of, if not the earliest plans available showing Old Ferry Road as far as Cole Harbour (at left), which was originally known as the road to Lawrencetown. Now, Old Ferry Road, Portland Street and Cole Harbour Road. A few modern features added at right to give context. More on this road as it traversed through Woodlawn in the 1780s and 1820s.

The initial construction of this road, at least the part beyond the hill according to Martin, is noted in the Halifax Gazette on June 8th, 1754:

Thursday the 16th past, the Settlers of Lawrence Town set out from this Town in order to go by Land for that Place, having a strong Guard of 200 Regular Troops, exclusive of Officers, commanded by Capt. Stone, with a Number of Rangers; which Place they arrived at the Saturday following, having made a Road from Dartmouth Side to the said Town, which is but little more than 11 Miles distance from us…

From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

Old Ferry Inn. Farmers stabled horses here, and sailed to Halifax with produce. Road in foreground extended easterly to the Passage. This sketch was made about 1820.

This is the lower part of Old Ferry Road, once known as “Green Lane” The curve in the foreground leads to the Old Ferry Wharf. The fence on the left encloses the South End Lawn Tennis Courts, and from there to the shore stood Regal willow trees. Two of them were named for King George III and Queen Charlotte, and two others for Mr. and Mrs. James Creighton of “Brooklands” who had them planted perhaps in the late 1700’s. When this picture was taken about 1900, they were of an enormous size. The whole road was a beautiful shady walk from the wharf all the way up to the present Portland Street.

The fence on the right borders Dr. Parker’s fields at “Beechwood”, and ran along near the location of the new house at 71 Newcastle Street.

The route of the obliterated road to the shore is identified by manholes of the sewer pipe running to Parker’s Wharf.

The remains of what used to be the Old Ferry Wharf at the foot of Old Ferry Road still remain visible, particularly at a very low tide – seen here the morning after Hurricane Juan:

Highway robbery

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The steamer Druid was last evening towed round into the cove at Dartmouth to be fitted up into a gunboat for the protection of the fisheries.

The provincial government has offered a reward of $100 for the capture of four deserters from the 16th Regiment, who recently committed a highway robbery at Porter’s Lake, near Dartmouth.

Halifax Citizen, April 10 1866, Page 3 Column 6. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=D90uR9ClOh8C&dat=18660410&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

USS Augusta, USS Miantonomoh, Asylum Accomodations

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The American Consulate paid an official visit to the U.S. warships in harbour today, and was saluted in due form by the Augusta.

The U.S. Monitor Miantonomoh and steamer Augusta sailed this afternoon for St. Johns, Nfld. We are informed that since their arrival here some 15 of the crew deserted, only one of whom was recaptured.

It is said that over one hundred men are employed in the extension of the Lunatic Asylum. If the Legislators Mr. Archibald set down as lunatics from Tupper down to Longley, in the Pictou railway debate, are to be accommodated there, the work cannot proceed too fast.

Halifax Citizen, May 17, 1866. Page 3, Column 4. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=D90uR9ClOh8C&dat=18660517&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Ottawa’s a Hard Road to Travel

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Oh listen to the East! oh listen to the West!
Oh listen to the fifing and the drumming!
The heart of Nova Scotia beats happy in her breast,
For HOWE and the people are coming!
Take off the coat boys, roll up the sleeve,
Howe and the people are a-coming!
Take off the coat boys, roll up the sleeve,
Howe and the people are a-coming I believe

The people cannot rest, they see the land opprest
With Tupper’s cruel nightmare “Botheration,”
And Johnathan’s warhorse tramples down our rights by force,
Till the people cry “confound Confederation.”
Take off the coat boys, roll up the sleeve,
Ottawa’s a hard road to travel,
Take off the coat boys, roll up the sleeve,
Howe and the people are a-coming I believe.

Tupper and McCully try to bluster and bully,
And never let the people put a word in;
But we’ll teach the tricky knaves that we were not born their slaves,
When we drive them to the other side of Jordan!
Woe to the turncoats who laugh in their sleeve,
We’ll give them a hard road to travel,
Woe to the turncoats who laugh in their sleeve,
For Howe and them people are a-coming I believe

Halifax Citizen, May 22, 1866. Page 1, Column 6. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=D90uR9ClOh8C&dat=18660522&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Drowned on the way to Dartmouth

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“One Day last week a Serjeant of Grenadiers belonging to Col. Lascelle’s regiment, and who was upon the Dartmouth command, came to this town about some business, and having drank pretty plentifully with a Corporal and a private soldier of the same company to which he belong’d, they all set out in a small canoe with a Spritsail in order to go to Dartmouth, but the wind blowing a little fresh, and they not being capable of managing the Canoe, she overset and they were all three drowned. The Serjeant’s Hat has since been taken up at George’s Island.”

Halifax Gazette, Feb. 16, 1754. Page 2, column 2. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=4p3FJGzxjgAC&dat=17540216&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Valuable Property in Dartmouth

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For sale or to let. That waterside property (second wharf south from the steamboat) now occupied by Mr. Elliott as a lumber wharf.
It has a commodious wharf, a house on the street, and large carpenter’s shop, Garden, with a good well of water. The house is in good condition and immediate possession can be had.
The whole will be sold at a bargain, or the House and Garden to be let, with or without the Wharf and Carpenter’s Shop.
For particulars apply to James Farquhar. Estate Agent, 76 Barrington Street.

 

Morning Chronicle, Oct 16, 1868. Page 2, Column 7, bottom. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ggMJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YjsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6413%2C2611273

“Unfortunate Accident”

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This stood out to me as an example of what was obviously a brutal age where life wasn’t particularly valued.

Last Tuesday Evening an unfortunate Accident happened here; a Child of about 15 Months old, being left alone in a Room while the Mother step’d to a Neighbour’s House, the Child fell thro’ a Hole in the floor into the Cellar, where a Quantity of Water was, in which it was drowned. ‘Tis remarkable, that this is the eighth Child the Parents have had, none of which liv’d to be 18 Months old, and chiefly dying by some Accident.

Halifax Gazette, Aug 11, 1753. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=4p3FJGzxjgAC&dat=17530811&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Whale, sharks

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The latter End of last Week, a Whale of about 25 or 30 Foot long, and of proportionable Bigness, whose Tail was upwards 7 Foot wide, as he was in Pursuit of the Mackrel, which are exceeding plenty in this Harbour, ran himself in between two Rocks near a Place call’d Dunk Cove, a little within Jebucta Head, and got himself so jam’d in that he could not recover himself; which being perceiv’d by some people then at Work on Shore, they took their Boat went to him and kill’d him with their Axes, and afterwards tow’d him on shore. ‘Tis remarkable, that altho’ Sharks are very seldom seen in this Harbour, yet they were so thick about the Whale ‘after he was kili’d that it was with considerable Danger as well as Difficulty they got him off the Rocks, many of them taking great Pieces out him 7 or 8 Pounds weight. We hear they expect to make about 30 Barrels of Oyl out of him.

 

Halifax Gazette, Sep 1, 1753. Page 2, Column 2. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=4p3FJGzxjgAC&dat=17530901&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

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