And I have finally done what I should have done long ago, consulted Winthrop Bell's "Foreign Protestants". Section 50 has some useful commentary on the question of blockhouses, the isthmus, and the German settlers living in that area. However, I'm afraid it is too late at night for me to attempt any kind of summary -- the best I can say is that at a glance I see nothing contradicting the conclusions which have already been drawn. Perhaps more on this another day... John On [2010-05-14 at 11:20pm] John Cordes <[email protected]> wrote: > Thank you John -- another most helpful contribution. This > passage from Raddall really seems to pin down very clearly the > meaning of "Block House and the Isthmus". I must try to find > my copy! > > I also found a few interesting hits by googling on the > following string: > > halifax ns "dutch village" history german > > One was this file: > http://suburbs.planning.dal.ca/Docs/Fairview%20Community%20Profile.pdf > > which has some useful history in its early parts. > > One sentence: > > "By 1763 land grants were created and Dutch Village was divided > into nine properties to be used for agriculture." > > is illustrated by a sketch map of these original 9 > properties, labelled by name (one of which I think is Deal). > > John Cordes > > > > On [2010-05-14 at 10:55pm] John D. Wilson <[email protected]> wrote: > > Source: Raddall, Thomas H., Halifax, Warden of the North, McLelland & > > Stewart Limited, Toronto 1946 > > p. 40 - The "Dutch" folk were settled on a pair of rough lanes running > > north from the Cidadel slope which they called Brunswick and Gottingen. > > Later immigrants were granted land on the peninsula as far out as the > > isthmus. (the narrow strip of land between the North West Arm and > > Fairview Cove on Bedford Basin.) To protect them Cornwallis built three > > blockhouses at intervals from Bedford Basin to the head of the North > > West Arm, connected by a narrow military road which was patrolled by > > redcoats and rangers of the garrison. The south blockhouse stood in > > what is now the angle of Chebucto Road and Armdale Road, nearly opposite > > the entrance to Simpson's department store. The central blockhouse > > stood in what is now the north angle Bayers Road and Cannaught Avenue. > > The north blockhouse was near the present entrance to Fairview cemetery > > on Windsor Street, and the central driveway of the cemetery is all that > > remains of the old military road. >