“Dartmouth, with its pretty chain of lakes… (is) well worth a visit” Anderson, Thomas F. “Vacation days in Nova Scotia” Kentville, N.S. : Dominion Atlantic Railway, 1908. https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.71101/52?r=0&s=1
“John Prescott, a third son (of Dr. Jonathon Prescott), purchased and lived at Maroon Hall, Dartmouth, for many years.” Campbell, D. A. “Pioneers of medicine in Nova Scotia” [Halifax, N.S.? : s.n.], 1905. https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.76132/1?r=0&s=1
Considering that most of the literature I’ve encountered on the eugenics movement downplays or ignores its history in Nova Scotia, this amazing dissertation is proof one can’t always rely on what little is initially apparent in order to guide the search for information. Whether the eugenics movement in Nova Scotia finally came to an end during the deinstitutionalization movement of the 1990s, or whether it’s simply changed form and/or moved underground, is not readily apparent. The abstract will hopefully entice you to give this a read. “Between 1890 and 1927 hundreds of Nova Scotian children and adults were identified as either feeble-minded or mentally deficient through investigations conducted by physicians and philanthropists in the province. The earliest of these studies were not commissioned by the provincial government but instead reflected the middle-class internalization of the eugenic discourse. Reformers, drawn often from medical, religious, educational, and philanthropic vocations, sought with ever-increasing …
“The first municipal institution built to house the county’s poor and mentally ill was constructed in about 1887 in Cole Harbor.” https://www.memoryns.ca/halifax-n-s-county-halifax-county-home-and-mental-hospital
After piecing together several Crown land grant maps, you can see the path of the Old Annapolis Road much more clearly. Open the image in a new tab, to see it in more detail. Below you’ll find a few representations of the road as a contiguous route, as opposed to what is left recorded on the Crown Land Grant maps. (You can find find the individual Crown Land Grant maps here: https://novascotia.ca/natr/land/grantmap.asp) One of the first representations of the Old Annapolis Road, “Road markt out by Gov. Parr’s orders in 1784” One of the last representations of the Old Annapolis Road: Fifteen years later, by 1927 (perhaps because it wasn’t fit for automobile travel), the Old Annapolis Road disappears.
Speaking of the Colonies reminds us that the Montreal Sun of the 28th ultimo editorially refers to the political condition of Canada in rather a striking manner. It states, we observe, that even the Toronto Globe has been forced to admit that Ontario is within the category of Provinces where the “canker of corruption” is eating out the life of the Government, where there exists a premeditated system of thieving from the public purse, an organized system of ballot-stuffing and ballot-switching. “Added to this,” says the Sun, “we have just witnessed the horrifying perjury in connection with the Gamey charges, the partisanship of the judges and the chaos of the Legislature in both parties when the report came up for discussion. This marks the lowest stage ever reached by any province in the history of Canada. God help Ontario! Happy are we who live in the province of Quebec. Our …
From: Geological Survey of Canada, Multicoloured Geological Map no. 1019, 1908, 1 sheet, https://doi.org/10.4095/107885 (Open Access), https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/starweb/geoscan/servlet.starweb?path=geoscan/fulle.web&search1=R=107885
From: “Glimpses of Halifax and surroundings along the lines of the Dominion Atlantic and Central Railways: Beautifully illustrated with views of Halifax, Dartmouth, Weymouth, Digby and the Annapolis Valley”, 1900 https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.64895/25?r=0&s=1
“This first picture was taken at the intersection of Prince Albert Road and Ochterloney Street on Saturday, September 14, 1907 (Below, as it looks in more modern times). The length of the shadow of the telephone pole indicates that the morning is not far advanced, yet there is almost a complete absence of pedestrian or vehicular traffic because by this time of day the market wagons and ice-carts have passed along to the ferry. An occasional delivery team from a downtown store might go by, otherwise, the quietude remained unbroken until noon hour when workmen came out of the Skate Factory for dinner. The picket fence (hard to see, poor photo quality) at the left enclosed the vacant field of B. H. Eaton (later, Eaton Ave). The fenced-off level due north of the Starr Factory (middle ground) was the route of Bridge Street. Traffic to and from downtown Dartmouth crossed a …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: Marine Street was Point Street. South Street was Boggs Street. Portland Street was Front Street, Princess Charlotte Street and Hartshorne Street. At the lower Canal bridge, Portland Street followed the route of the present Prince Albert Road, and continued north to the Town boundary at Carters Pond Queen Street was Quarrell St., and appears to be unchanged from its location of 1750. Ochterloney Street was “the road from Skerry’s Inn”. Park Avenue was Stairs Street. On early plans, the hillside near Edward Street, is marked “north range”. Commercial Street was Rockingham St., and Water St. Prince Street was Prince Edward Street. Edward Street from Queen St., to Park Avenue was Prince Edward St., but the block between Ochterloney and Queen was long known as Chapel Lane. King Street is King William St., on some plans. Wentworth Street was Fourth Street., Tremain …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: By 1909 efforts were still being made to start construction work on the Nova Scotia Eastern Railway. Rumors that the Provincial Government were considering an advance of one million dollars to promoters of the railroad, aroused strong protests from County Councilors that winter. They passed a resolution pointing out to the Government that such a financial outlay would benefit only a certain section of Halifax County, whereas if the same amount were applied to the macadamizing and widening of trunk roads, ‘the money would be expended to much better advantage. Speaking for the resolution, Councillor W. A. Temple of Waverley said that macadamized roads would be the forerunner of better means of communication. In the very near future, automobiles would be manufactured at a lower cost than at present, and could then serve the needs of farmers equally as well as …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: A major change in educational arrangements was made by an Act of the Legislature in, 1908 when all districts outside the boundaries of Dartmouth were separated from the Town, as far as school accommodation was concerned. Ever since incorporation in 1873, Dartmouth had provided for the education of pupils living in the vicinity of Tufts’ Cove, of Cole Harbor Road and of Woodside. Residents of these places then paid school taxes to the Town, and general taxes to the County. The new Act authorized the organization of the Woodside-Tufts’ Cove School Section, having its own Board of Trustees. The County subsequently purchased from the Town of Dartmouth the two school buildings in these areas. The price paid was $7,435. Down at the ferry, some sweeping changes were made in commutation tickets. For instance, the family ticket of $3 per month was …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: In 1907 a move was made to bring Woodside into the Town. (Woodside had always been linked with Dartmouth, as regards schools.) The Sugar Refinery, whose 20-year exemption from County taxes had expired, now wished to make an arrangement with Dartmouth to obtain a fixed assessment for a further 20-year period. Thereupon the Town Council prepared a bill providing for the extension of Dartmouth boundaries to include Woodside. This measure met defeat in the Legislature largely because of the protests of County Councilors who called the scheme unethical. About that time, long distance racing was all the rage. Seasoned athletes shook their heads when 17-year-old Gordon Wolfe left to participate in the Boston ‘Marathon of 1907 which had 102 starters. “Tom” Longboat won, and Gordon finished in 23rd position. Upon his return he was presented with a silver tankard and addresses …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: In the winter of 1906 Ropework employees marched in a body to attend the funeral of Hon. William J. Stairs at Halifax. Mr. Stairs was the founder of their establishment, and the man whose spirit of enterprise and purpose was largely responsible for developing the northend of Dartmouth. Prior to the coming of Ropework families after 1868, there were vast areas of woods and pasture in that section of town paying only a few dollars taxes. Mr. Stairs also lived on our side of the harbor for several summers. At a cost of £600 in 1854 he bought “Fernwood Cottage” at South Woodside from John P. Mott who had been his schoolmate at Horton Academy. It is said that H. Y. Mott had Henry Watt build “Fernwood” for his son before the latter’s wedding in 1848. Besides his Ropeworks investments, Mr. …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: The year 1905 ushered in the winter of the big snow when drifts around the streets and on the sidewalks accumulated to a height of over ten feet. Traffic was either at a standstill or was so tied-up that milkmen from rural Dartmouth had to use two horses tandem to haul light sleigh-loads. On a dozen different nights that winter, the thermometer went below zero, reaching a minimum of 22 below on February 6th. In those years there was a specific part of Dartmouth from which the law required that snow be shovelled from sidewalks. This was called the “snow district.” Roughly it comprised the old town-plot streets, with the addition of the whole of Ochterloney and that part of Pine Street northward to Dahlia. Occasionally residents were summoned for violation. By mid-February of 1905, it was physically impossible to comply …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: Dozens of householders moved on May day. As winter broke up, cardboard signs would appear in porch windows reading: “To Let, Possession May 1st.” Houses that remained vacant for a year or more were looked upon as being haunted. For $10 or $15 a month you could rent dwellings of eight or nine rooms with large backyards and driveways. For $25 per month you could almost have the pick of the Town. The Telephone Company purchased the residence at 69 King Street in 1904, and moved from 19 Edward Street. The arrangements were the same as at the latter place. George MacDonald the lineman, continued to live in the house with his family, paying rent to the Company. Two rooms on the King Street level were taken over for the installation of switchboard and battery equipment. When the “hello” girl went …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: In January of 1903 Captain J. Taylor Wood of Halifax, lectured before the Dartmouth Literary Society on his experiences while in command of the “Tallahassee” during the American Civil War. An Act to incorporate the Banook Canoe Club Limited we passed by the Legislature in April. The capital stock was $3,000, an the incorporators were Arthur Weston, Robert E. Finn, Kenneth I Forbes, W. H. Sterns, jr., and J. P. L. Stewart. At Ottawa in May, James D. McKenna of Dartmouth, enthralled everyone in the darkened House of Commons by singing a beautiful love-song from the press-gallery after an electric-light failure had interrupted regular proceedings. In July 1903, young people under the leadership of James Buchell arranged a monster fair called “Casazo” on the Common field. Nearly $600 was realized to improve that playground. As a holiday had been proclaimed for …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: In February 1902 the last of the old-style “Town meetings” was held. The question discussed that night was the purchase of Daniel Donovan’s pasture-land which drained into Lake Lamont. On a show of hands, the proposal was rejected by a vote of 42 to 27. Within the next few weeks, legislation was obtained providing that in future all such matters must be decided by a plebiscite. In 1902 a frightful epidemic of smallpox struck at Dartmouth. The dreadful disease raged from February until the end of June. It began in Halifax. Twenty-three cases broke out in various parts of the Town, and one death resulted. Watchmen in sentry-boxes maintained a 24-hour vigil outside each yellow-flagged house. Dr. Joseph Doyle of Halifax, whose services were engaged, devoted full time to the task. He had his own quarters, and kept himself isolated from …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: In January 1901 died Queen Victoria. Shops and public places everywhere were draped in mourning. At Dartmouth the school children were assembled one afternoon in the auditorium of St. Peter’s Hall where appropriate orations were delivered, and where many of those present sang for the last time the familiar anthem of four generations, “God Save the Queen”. At 18 Prince Street that winter died Postmaster John E. Leadley who had come from Windsor in 1864 to work at Symonds’ Foundry. Mr. Leadley afterwards operated an Inn at the present 19 Ochter-loney Street. In the large barn which still stands in the rear of the premises, he set up what is said to have been the first livery stable in Dartmouth, and he also was the first man to put a cab on the stand at the ferry. The appointee to the …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: Whether the 19th century terminated at the beginning, or at the end of the year 1900, was a topic which occasioned lengthy newspaper discussions about that time. Readers who will be alive at the end of the present century should look up the articles. In reviewing important events during the first decade of the 20th century, we note that in 1900 Victoria Road between Quarrell and Ochterloney Streets was widened sufficiently to allow wagons to pass each other. A start was made cutting away the cliff of slate rock just north of Ochterloney, so that vehicles would be able to proceed straight up Victoria Road. Thistle Street was also extended from Pine Street to Victoria Road, after trees and stumps had been uprooted on a 50-foot-wide strip of land donated to the Town by William L. Barss and Herbert E. Gates. …
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: 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 …
