FYI this morning... I like the ones about the beginning of New Zealand's Scottish Culture..of course the Henry mention from the Tourism department of the provincial Government should tick off the Cultural Affairs Department...and the Paul Revere one... happy seasons and much wassail to all... robTitle: Nova Scotia Historic Notes
Nova Scotia Historic Notes...Windsor, Nova Scotia, is the birthplace of World Hockey - 1820'sPossible landing of Prince Henry Sinclair at Chedabucto Bay, Nova Scotia, June 2 1398 The Mi'kmaq were North America's first native Americans to receive an European education at French Schools from 1633-1653. A Mi'kmaq was the first native American in North America to return from Europe as a teacher. North America's first Agricultural Fair was held in Windsor, Nova Scotia in 1752. The great immigration of 'New England Planters' to Nova Scotia in 1760, created a majority of Yankee citizens at the time of the American Revolution in 1776. Only the British naval base in Halifax prevented America's 14th English Colony from signing at the Declaration of Independence, which would have ended British rule in North America. The famous Paul Revere took his degree in Freemasonry near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia around 1772. George Washington's greatest regret was not being able to support the Nova Scotia Revolutionaries in 1776. Inventor Thomas Alva Edison's Grandfather was the town planner in Digby, Nova Scotia, 1773. The women saved Chester Nova Scotia from invading forces in 1782 by reversing their scarlet lined skirts - appearing as a British regiment. The largest single migration of English speaking people was in 1783, with the evacuation of 10,000 New York City Loyalists to Shelburne, Nova Scotia - then North America's 4th largest city. Sam Adams said: "America, love it or Nova Scotia" - in 1783. The first North American documented sighting of a UFO October 12th, 1786 at New Minas, Nova Scotia. A New England delegation to Halifax proposed that New England secede and join Nova Scotia - 1812 The White House and Washington D.C. were burned by General Ross in 1813, (buried in Halifax, 1813), resulting in the writing of the Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key and the painting of the President's Home - White. Benedict Arnold's son, Co. Arnold designed the initial plans for Halifax's famous Citadel Fort, 1818. Educated in Nova Scotia, he won fame in Egypt against Napoleon. Nova Scotia's first Policewoman (1830's) was Rose Fortune in Annapolis Royal. Her descendant, Daurene Lewis became Canada's first Black Mayor in Annapolis Royal, 1980's. John Quincy Adams, former president of the United States visits an old family friend in Halifax, 1840. Adele Hugo, daughter of world famous Victor Hugo fled to Halifax 1863-1866, creating one of the 19th centuries most notorious love scandals. New Zealand's Scottish Culture was established by Nova Scotia's Rev. Norman McLeod with 200 families, in 1851, at Waipu, New Zealand. Great southern hero, Capt. James Taylor Wood of Tallahassee, daringly escaped Union capture in Halifax in 1864. He soon returned to Halifax with other Southern Families. Taylor was the nephew of Jefferson Davis. Nova Scotia boasted the 4th largest private merchant marine until Canada ended Nova Scotia's right to Free Trade in 1867. Nova Scotians nearly went to war with Canada and Britain over this. Oscar Wilde declared 'his genius' as his only item of value he was bringing to North America when he went through Halifax customs in 1882. Prince George (future King George V) was saved from drowning in Nova Scotia in 1883. Most players on America's first basketball team were Canadian - three of whom established basketball in Canada in Halifax in 1892. Canadian Jim Naismith invented basketball. North America's first all electric papermill town was at Electric City, Nova Scotia in 1895. One of Canada's first automobiles was manufactured at Hopewell, Nova Scotia in 1898, named 'The Victorian'. The Mackay Motor Company of Amherst was a North American leader in 1910. North America's first Boy Scout Troop was in Port Morien, Nova Scotia in 1908. The Great Halifax Explosion of December 6th, 1917 was the greatest manmade explosion before the atomic bomb. In October 1940, Halifax secretly received the famous 50 U.S. warships loaned to Britain by President Roosevelt, the first time a British Flag flew over a U.S. Ship since the war of 1812. Neither U.S. or Canadian troops were allowed to greet each other as it would have officially put the U.S. in the war. Visits of Sir Winston Churchill September 14, 1943 and September 10, 1944. The Halifax Shopping Center was North America's second air-conditioned shopping mall, after the Yorkdale Mall in Toronto, 1962. Nova Scotia's 18th century vineyards were first re-planted by Californians from Napa Valley in 1970. The World's first Tidal Power Plant outside France opened in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, 1984. Purdy's Wharf Office Towers in Halifax are the world's first skyscrapers to use seawater for a computerized air-conditioning system, 1985. Halifax became North America's center for Buddhism - 'Shambhala International', 1986. World's first flooded mines to produce thermal energy in Springhill, Nova Scotia, 1987 (their depth of 3.2 km. heats water to 20-23 deg C) First Canadian sighting of a Supernova at St. Mary's University, Halifax, 1995. Royal Doulton's Famous Dinner Pattern 'Blossom Time' depicts the famous May blossoms of Nova Scotia's beautiful Annapolis Valley. The above statistics were compiled and written by Allan Doyle of Tourism Nova Scotia and reproduced here with permission and my thanks. Send me your comments... petermac@twrsoft.com Return to Peter MacCulloch Homepage. Return to Armdale Yacht Club Homepage.
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