Old Halifax

[someone123]

If you zoom in to the original image and scroll to the right of the exhibition building there is a castle-like structure in the background. I don't think I've ever seen pictures of it up close.

In front of it you can see the original Sacred Heart building, which still exists. Originally the school's centre tower had a flat roof and there were two symmetric red brick wings.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by someone123

If you zoom in to the original image and scroll to the right of the exhibition building there is a castle-like structure in the background. I don't think I've ever seen pictures of it up close.

In front of it you can see the original Sacred Heart building, which still exists. Originally the school's centre tower had a flat roof and there were two symmetric red brick wings.

Referring to this image - http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/N...ves.asp?ID=406 - I think the castle-like building is the Poor Asylum (it is in the right location according to the Halifax Atlas of 1878 page 15/220 of the pdf file - http://ia700208.us.archive.org/2/ite...cihm_13042.pdf ). According to the following image and description in the link, it burned down in 1882 so it would have existed at the time the picture of the Public Gardens from the Citadel Hill was taken in 1880. http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/h...ives.asp?ID=45

[someone123]

That's what I suspected it was. I found that photo a while ago but couldn't remember if it looked the same.

Very interesting building -- it would be nice to see a photo of it before the fire.

[Jstaleness]

Judging by the fire damage from all the windows I would guess that must have been a massive fire. A real shame how many buildings Halifax and other cities have lost to fire.

[-Harlington-]

Im not sure if this was posted before, but here is an interactive map of Halifax published in 1918 although the map is before the explosion, i thought it was quite interesting :



http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/explo...hives.asp?ID=1

[beyeas]

Originally Posted by -Harlington-

Im not sure if this was posted before, but here is an interactive map of Halifax published in 1918 although the map is before the explosion, i thought it was quite interesting :



http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/explo...hives.asp?ID=1

Are the solid squares on the map supposed to represent homes?
Love that map... my house was built not long after that map was done (roughly 1920), and it is obvious on the map that the neighbourhood largely it was just starting to develop. I have seen an older map from about 1890 or something many of the streets in my area either didn't exist or at least were shorter.
Very cool.

[someone123]

http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/N...es.asp?ID=2464

[-Harlington-]

Well thats different, aha

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by someone123

http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/N...es.asp?ID=2464

Lord Nelson upper left, former Dominion supermarket now the site of Park Lane upper center, what used to be (maybe still is) called the Halifax Insurance Bldg under construction, old wooden structures on site of what is now Spring Garden Place on the right.

[fenwick16]

What would have been at Dresden Row and Artillery Place (about 1/3 down from the upper, right-hand corner)? It is a 4 story, flat-roofed building that looks like a 1940's era hotel. Here is the current view in Bing Maps - http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rf6...NS&form=LMLTCC . I think it is currently the 5525 Artillery Place apartments (or condos?).

[ILoveHalifax]

I think it was the Dresden Arms Hotel. The Acadian Lines bus depot was on the west side of Dresden Row when I was a kid.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

I think it was the Dresden Arms Hotel. The Acadian Lines bus depot was on the west side of Dresden Row when I was a kid.

Thanks for the information. After seeing your post I was able to find a few pictures and information about the Dresdon Arms Hotel at this link - http://www.halifaxhistory.ca/other-photo.html. It would have existed at the time I left Halifax in 1980; so I can remember the name and probably even walked past it a few times.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by -Harlington-

Im not sure if this was posted before, but here is an interactive map of Halifax published in 1918 although the map is before the explosion, i thought it was quite interesting :



http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/explo...hives.asp?ID=1

Huh I just learned something.

I always thought the Hydrostone was a new street layout built after the Explosion. It looks like the grid existed beforehand but it was upgraded in the after math. The only new street was Young Street by Hydrostone Park.

---

On another note here's a Herald photo showing the Halifax Industrial Building that was on the current Canada Post lot;


Source: thechronicleherald.ca

"In January 1976, onlookers watch as Halifax’s Industrial Building is demolished to make way for a new $15 million postal station on Almon Street in Halifax. The building opened in 1927 as a display hall for the annual Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition, also serving as a military barracks, a vocation school, the city market and Atlantic Winter Fair displays"

[JET]

there was a basic st grid before the explosion, but the grid for one block West of Gottingen was very different after the explosion, with the back lanes and tree divided streets,

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by JET

there was a basic st grid before the explosion, but the grid for one block West of Gottingen was very different after the explosion, with the back lanes and tree divided streets,

Yeah - I think the streetgrid in the hydrostone area is quite different now from what is shown on that map

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

On another note here's a Herald photo showing the Halifax Industrial Building that was on the current Canada Post lot;


Source: thechronicleherald.ca

"In January 1976, onlookers watch as Halifax’s Industrial Building is demolished to make way for a new $15 million postal station on Almon Street in Halifax. The building opened in 1927 as a display hall for the annual Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition, also serving as a military barracks, a vocation school, the city market and Atlantic Winter Fair displays"

I remember being in the Industrial Building in the 1960s as part of the Atlantic Winter Fair. It was where they showed food and craft displays - blue ribbon-winning pies, quilts, etc. I never cared for that section too much. I much preferred going through the livestock barns.

It is interesting to read it was built in '27, so it was 50 years old when demolished. I recall in the '60s that it had bouncy, creaky floors and a general air that it was about to fall down when it was packed with people during the AWF. Contrast that to a 50 year old commercial building today, built in '62, and unless it was very cheaply built you would not expect that.

[fenwick16]

This is a fine old Halifax building. When it was built (around 1867?) it would have been one of the largest buildings in the city. It is now the Nova Scotia Art Gallery, shown here in Bing Maps Eye View - http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rf7...da&form=LMLTCC

(source: http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/Notma...ves.asp?ID=878 )

[Jonovision]

I love that old building. I am so sad that they took down the old cupula on top.

[someone123]

The courthouse on Spring Garden Road also had a cupola that was later removed.

Here's what the view down George Street looked back in 1920 or so. You can see the tall building on Barrington that was demolished around 1990. The cupola of the old post office building is visible in the background as well as the customs house. The old Royal Bank and Bank of Montreal buildings are shown in the background on the left, but they are hard to see. The foreground building on the left is the original TD building in Halifax:

[cormiermax]

Halifax could have been a spectacular European looking city if the 50s 60s and 70s didn't completely ravage everything. So many Georgian treasures were lost, I can't believe people thought building things like Harbour Drive or Scotia Square would improve the city.

Very sad.