Halifax: the Last Hundred Years

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Halifax, Nova Scotia has grown significantly over the past one hundred years. It has developed immensely economically, geographically as well as in population. Many factors have contributed to the evolution of this traditional Atlantic Ocean port city into one of the most modern cities in Canada. Its growth has been mad possible by many of its important geographical characteristics that have become the envy of many seaboard towns across North America. Its drastic incline in population since confederation, has been helped by Pier 2 and 21 which was where many immigrants set foot on Canadian soil for the first time.(1) As the population of Halifax increased the city needed to expand geographically in order to house the thousands of new many people arriving in Halifax in search of work. Many settled in nearby Bedford as well as across the harbour in Dartmouth. With the increase in population and geographical land space, Halifax erupted into economic prosperity at the turn of the twentieth century, using shipbuilding and the navy to bring many people to Halifax.(2) With the importance of Halifax to the allied forces during World War I came a drastic increase in traffic in the harbour, with the increase in traffic as well as the explosives that these ships carried it became a horrible reality on December 6th, 1917 when two ships collided and the largest man made explosion prior to Hiroshima occurred in the harbour wiping out much of the city.3 Rebuilding the city would be a long and arduous task but one that the people of Halifax took head on and were successful, these events and passions reinforced the passion of the residence of Halifax and their love for their city.

The population o...

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