Deadman's Island..... a history lesson for me

 Tuesday we had a little bit of free time. We went to Halifax to visit a place called Deadman's Island.

We had heard quite a bit about Deadman's Island from our upstairs neighbor. 

This beautiful park was created by the Halifax Regional Municipality in 2005. 

To get there, we parked along the street and went down this lovely trail ~ it was pretty steep. 

Such a pretty little walk.....  

During the War of 1812, Canada was still part of the British Empire, 

and Halifax served as the Royal Navy's most important base in North America. 

U.S. POW's were held at a prison on Melville Island, just about 2 miles from Halifax. 

About 8,000 U.S. men were held there during the War of 1812, and 195 of them died there. 

Melville Island is not an island, but a peninsula; now it isn't a prison, it's a yacht club.  

Melville Island Prison has quite a history. Prior to the War of 1812, 

during the Napoleonic Wars, French and Spanish soldiers were held here. 

 During the War of 1812 the British offered liberty to any slave who fled to the islands 

they controlled along the Eastern Seaboard, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay area.

Over 1,000 slaves were housed in Melville following the end of the war in 1815. About 100 died there.  

As early as 1818 Melville Island was used as a quarantine station. In the summer of 1847, 

1,200 Irish immigrants fleeing the Potato Famine arrived in Halifax 

and were quarantined on Melville Island. Remarkably, this episode only recorded 30 deaths.

Those that died on Melville Island were wrapped in bits of canvas, 

rowed about 100 yards away and buried in shallow graves on what was originally called Target Hill. 

In time the name was changed to "Deadman's Island". This also is not an island, but a small peninsula.

This monument was added May of 2005 by the U.S. Government. 

Deadman's Island Park is not very large. 

The hill is to the right of the picture. It is covered with trees. 

I don't know if these will be readable, but I am going to try. 

The U.S. has a ceremony here each Memorial Day. 
We missed it this year. We hope to go next year. 

This isn't a large area, but the HRM has put up a lot of information. So appreciated.

We are learning so much about our history as it connects with Canadian history. 
We love it!

We are so grateful to be serving here in Nova Scotia!
The Lord blesses us so much!