LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Halifax Explosion
built 643 days ago
The most important archival resource for studying the Halifax Explosion is the nearly 60 meters of records accumulated by the Halifax Relief Commission, 1917-1978. View a brief description of this material to plan for in-depth research.
Source:
The Halifax Explosion took place on December 6, 1917 when a French munitions ship and a Belgian relief vessel collided in the harbour. The munitions vessel drifted into the North End and exploded, killing more than sixteen hundred people instantly, wounding more than nine thousand others, and damaging or destroying approximately twelve thousand buildings. The complete devastation covered an area of 325 acres, and hardly a window in the city was left intact. This book, the most comprehensive ever written on the explosion, details the terrific devastation, the aftermath and the restoration. It encompasses dozens of previously unpublished stories, photographs, and documents, along with some thought-provoking coverage of the inquiry into the disaster. A best selling book from its first printing in 1989, this new updated edition includes a comprehensive index, and is sure to be a must-have for readers.
Source:
Along with the human tragedy of 1917's Halifax Explosion (see Fort Needham Memorial Bell Tower), 325 acres- almost all of north-end peninsular Halifax-were destroyed. Rebuilding began immediately after and included 328 houses in the area bordered by Young, Agricola, Duffus and Gottingen streets. The houses were built from "hydro-stone" cement blocks and--unusually for the time--had treed gardens in front, and modern plumbing and electricity. This area, known as the Hydrostone, is still considered one of the more desirable residential areas of Halifax and has recently been declared a National Historic Site. Check out the shops of the Hydrostone Market.
Source:
There is no evidence of Germans spies or saboteurs in Halifax in World War One during or before the explosion. Military records from both Allied and German records show no spy network operated in Halifax. German intelligence officials complained it was "almost impossible" to send intelligence agents to North America in the face of the superior English intelligence network. The limited intelligence gathering from the German embassy in Washington became "quite impossible" after the US entry into the war in 1917. This led to almost "complete abandonment" of any attempt to keep up a secret service, let alone carry out organized acts of sabotage. There were lots of public rumours about German spies in World War One and later in World War Two but these were based on wartime paranoia and ethnic stereotypes.
Source:
As St. Paul's Church had not suffered any serious damage during the Halifax Explosion on 6 December 1917, the church became an emergency centre for the injured and dead. The injured were taken to the Parish Hall across the road to be treated. Assistance such as clothing collection and a bank for names of the missing was created. This book, used to record residents who volunteered their homes to explosion victims and to record who needed clothing, is one of three books used by aid workers in the Church's collection.
Source:
Desingnated a National Historic District, the Hydrostone was built as part of the restoration process in the aftermath of the 1917 Halifax Explosion. Completed in 1920, a total of 325 houses were built from concrete blocks know as hydrostones. The area is considered one the more attractive and desirable parts of Halifax in which to live. The Hydrostone includes a unique collection of shops set in a European-style market. Picnic tables available.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Halifax Explosion