After the Great Fire of 1897, which devastated the town of Windsor, efforts began to rebuild the town and its infrastructure. Many saw the fire as an opportunity to significantly improve the buildings of the town. This is how Windsor’s Opera House…

Though the bicycle got its start in Europe, it quickly arrived in Nova Scotia in the hands of the son of Mr. Poole, the owner of the Caledonia Mine. By 1868, cycling had made its mark on the province, largely thanks to the Hanlon Brothers of New…

Many are familiar with the tragic history of the Acadians and their expulsion in 1755, but some may not know the amazing history before that. The French Acadian settlement of Piziquid was large, including the areas known today as Windsor, Ste.…

Strategically placed, overlooking the confluence of the St. Croix and Avon Rivers, Fort Edward blockhouse has played an interesting role in the many and varied fortunes of our Maritime and National history since its erection in 1750. Complementing…

The West Hants Historical Society was established in 1973 as a volunteer, not-for-profit organization. The Society grew out of the Fort Edward Restoration Committee, which successfully campaigned to open theblockhouse at Fort Edward to the public.…

Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres was born in 1721, probably in Switzerland. He came to North America after studying at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. In 1756 he was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal American Regiment and took part in the…

The 19th century in Nova Scotia was a time of legendary shipbuilders. Around the province, they conceived and constructed hundreds of wooden ships– and no one was better at the trade than Maitland-based W. D. Lawrence(1817-1886). Lawrence was born…

The first half of the 20th century was a challenging time for indigenous peoples across Canada, including for the Mi'kmaq in Nova Scotia. The federal governments of the era were generally disregarding the treaties of the 18th century and…

If you came to Nova Scotia in the 19th century to hunt or fish – and there were quite a few who did – you hired a guide. You wanted someone who knew the woodlands and wetlands like the back of their hands. Nine times out of ten that meant a…