Halifax

Halifax city (1991 pop. 114,455), provincial capital, S central N.S., Canada, on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the largest city in the Maritime Provinces and is one of Canada's principal ice-free Atlantic ports. Halifax is the eastern terminus of Canada's two great railroad systems and of its transcontinental highway. Its many industries include commercial fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, oil refining, and the manufacture of automobiles, electronics, clothing, and furniture. It is the home port of the Canadian Atlantic fleet and the headquarters of its eastern army. Halifax was founded in 1749 as Chebucto and was then renamed for the earl of Halifax, then president of the Board of Trade and Plantations. It was intended originally to be a British naval stronghold comparable to that of France at Louisburg . It served as a naval base for the expedition against Louisburg in 1758, against the American colonies in the American Revolution, and against the United States in the War of 1812. The first transatlantic steamship service, from Halifax to Great Britain, began in 1840. During both world wars the port was an important naval and air base, convoy terminal, and embarkation center. In 1917 a French munitions vessel carrying explosives was rammed in the harbor by a Belgian relief vessel, causing an explosion that killed about 1,800 people, injured about 9,000 more (one-fifth of the population), and destroyed the northern part of the city. Places of interest include the Citadel fortress (1856); Province House (1818); St. Paul's Church, the oldest (1750) Anglican church in Canada; the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic; and Point Pleasant Park. The Halifax Gazette, founded in 1752 and the first newspaper in Canada, is no longer published. Educational institutions include Dalhousie Univ. (1818), the Univ. of Kings College, Mount St. Vincent Univ., St. Mary's Univ., and technical and art schools.

Bibliography: See S. H. Prince, Catastrophe and Social Change (1920, repr. 1968); T. H. Raddall, Halifax: Warden of the North (rev. ed. 1971); J. Payzant, Halifax: Cornerstone of Canada (1985).

Halifax, Australia, Canada, UK, USA 1. Canada (Nova Scotia): originally a French fishing settlement, it was developed from 1749 by the British as a stronghold and named after George Montagu Dunk (1716–71), 2nd Earl of Halifax, and at the time the president of the Board of Trade, who helped in the development of the city.2. UK (England): formerly Halyfax, ‘Nook of Land with coarse Grass’ from the Old English halh ‘nook’ and feaxe, or something similar, ‘coarse’ or ‘rough grass’.3. USA (North Carolina): a historic site first settled c.1723, it was named in 1760 after the 2nd Earl of Halifax.4. USA (Virginia): named after the 2nd Earl of Halifax.

Halifax City and seaport in e Canada, on the Atlantic Ocean; capital of Nova Scotia. Founded in 1749, it developed as naval base. In 1912, many of the victims from the Titanic were buried here. In 1917, it was the scene of a huge explosion on a munitions ship, which killed 2000 people. Industries: fishing, shipbuilding, oil refining. Pop. (2001) 359,183.