Fairview
Historical
Society
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA
Preserving The Past…
Promoting The Future
Local Authors
We are very lucky to have such talented and dedicated authors who spend countless hours researching and writing about our history.
What’s New!
Recent Election Results
The Fairview Historical Society held its election of officers on Sunday Nov. 5th at the Fairview Legion. I am pleased to inform you that our Executive ran unopposed and were re-elected to office. Congratulations to our hard working Executive members:
- Don Edwards – President
- Audrey Matheson – Vice- President
- Judith Power – Treasurer
- Debbie MacKinnon – Secretary
Other appointed members of our Society who play an important role in the decision making, enabling us to operate at the high standard we expect of ourselves are as follows:
- Wayne Kelly – Genealogy Chairman
- Devonna Edwards – Archivist
- Robert Power – Website Specialist
- Denise Wolfe – Membership Chairwoman
- Peter Wolfe – Membership Chairman
- Don Poole – Life Member at Large
- Angus Matheson – Member at Large
- Dan Campbell – Member at Large
Thank You for your expertise and dedication.
Don Edwards
President FHS
Fairview Baseball Reunion
On Sunday Oct. 15 the 1970-71 Fairview Phillies, their Phillies (wives) and friends gathered at Freeman’s on Dutch Village Road for a reunion luncheon. Fifty three years ago they were a group of Fairview teenagers excited and eager to play the game of baseball. Fast forward to the year 2023, that same slightly older, little less energetic, grey haired group (of forever kids) embraced and hugged each other like lost family.
What a wonderful afternoon it was watching them renew old friendships. It was especially heartwarming and meaningful to “yours truly”, as these kids (now parents and grandparents) were “My Boys of Summer” such a long time ago!
Coach Don Edwards
Click here for more information on the Fairview Phillies.
A Special Note To All Fairview Historical Members
The Fairview Historical Society is pleased to announce that the 2024 Limited Edition Fairview Historical Calendar (300 only) are now available to purchase at the very reasonable price of only $15.00 each. All profits will go towards an annual bursary fund for a Fairview student graduating from Halifax West High School and who will be attending university.
This is a wonderful keepsake you don’t want to miss out on!
How To Get Your 2024 Calendar…
- Contact Don at 902-456-0091 or…
- Go to the Fairview Legion (upstairs) on the corner of Hillcrest Street and Main Avenue, Monday to Saturday 2 PM- 7 PM and ask for Mike, or…
- Go to Super Mike’s Convenience store 2 Central Ave.
“Bragging rights for a year!”
On August 10, 2023 on a beautiful day, at the well-groomed Scott Manor House grounds in Bedford the annual Quoit Championship competition took place once again. Society’s competing were Waverley, Bedford, Rockingham and Fairview.
Recently our Society made the decision to present an annual bursary of $300.00 to a Halifax West High School graduate.
The qualifying student must be a Fairview resident and attended Fairview Elementary School, Fairview Junior High as well as Halifax West High School, graduating from grade 12.
On June 29th, I had the pleasure of presenting (on behalf of our Fairview Historical Society) a bursary to a well-deserved recipient. Her name is Rianna Sicheran, a Halifax West graduate student, with exceptional high marks I might add.
Rianna will be furthering her education at university this fall and we wish her continued success in whatever field she chooses.
As an added note it will be our Society’s intention to increase the amount of the bursary in the coming years, if our fund raising allows us to do so.
Sincerely, Donald R. Edwards
President F.H.S.
Fairview Historical Society Membership
Help Us Preserve The Past and Promote The Future
Your membership helps us achieve our goal of promoting the history and culture of our community. From bursaries for students from Fairview attending Halifax West, to historical luncheons and advocating for interpretive panels…and it’s only $5 per year!
To become a member of The Fairview Historical Society simply etransfer $5 to: archives@fairviewhistoricalsociety.ca
The Community We Love
Our Sponsors
We could do our good work without the help of our generous sponsors!
What’s The Story About The Picture?
Fairview, a community in Halifax (HRM), Nova Scotia. It is a unique and diversified community. And always has been. The history of the area and it’s people is worth the pen of a few authors. Start here…
Find out about the picture above!
Watch videos on YouTube of Fairview history.
Watch Them
Memories Of The Deal Family
Researched and written by V.C. Deal and presented by Wayne Kelly.
This 66 page PDF eBook is a true narrative of memories was compiled as a true tribute to the late Stanley and Gwendoline Deal.
This document is dedicated to the Deal’s many descendants.
Read It Here
Letter written to Stanley Deal from the Halifax Shipyards in 1947 (PDF)
Read It Here
Articles Archives
Articles written by archivist Devonna Edwards
Tales, Ghostly Pirates and Buried Treasure on Historical Islands in the Bedford Basin! Part One
The island is located on the eastern side of the Bedford Basin on the Dartmouth side, near the Dartmouth Yacht Club and is approximately four acres in size.
The first inhabitants of the Island were the Mi’Kmaq and the nearby cove known as Wrights Cove formerly known as Stevens Cove.
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Tales, Ghostly Pirates and Buried Treasure on Historical Islands in the Bedford Basin! Part Two
The island is located on the north eastern side of the Bedford Basin near Long Cove, named as such because of the many spruce trees occupying the island. In later years it was called Queen Mary’s Hat because from a distance the island resembled the flowered hats worn by the Queen Mother. The island had many occupants since 1750, such as Magdelena How, the Honourable J. Butler, the Great Eastern Sardine Company and businessman Fred George who purchased it in 2015.
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The Dominion Store and Bayers Road Shopping Centre
In 1953 Samuel Butler, president of Butler Brothers Limited, bought a large piece of property along Bayers Road for $27,000. Later he sold off a few lots, four acres to the Dominion Store for $105,000 and a corner lot to an oil company for $40,000.
Butler Brothers Limited was a Real Estate and Construction Company who built the Bayers Road Shopping Centre, the first shopping mall in the city of Halifax.
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Mount Saint Vincent By-the-Sea
What a vision of grandeur it was!
How the Sisters of Charity built a Motherhouse and established a boarding school in the fall of 1873. In the early days, the Motherhouse of the Halifax Sisters of Charity was Saint Mary’s Convent located on Barrington Street.
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The Doukhobors, Lawlor’s Island and Disease
In January 1899, the SS Lake Superior arrived in Halifax Harbour with 2,000 Doukhobors aboard. The ship was flying a yellow flag, which signifies that there was disease aboard. When the Quarantine Officer went to check out the ship, he was told that an eight year old child had died of smallpox and was buried at sea.
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Operation “Fish”
Halifax’s Involvement in One of the World Best Kept Secrets.
During World War 11 Britain sent all its gold to Canada for safekeeping. A top secret mission began called “Operation Fish” with large amounts of gold shipped to Halifax before being transferred by train to Montreal and Ottawa.
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Native American Traditions revere the Willow Tree as a symbol of strength and stability in old age and experience, as well as a symbol of deep inner knowledge and open-mindedness.
The name “Willow Park” has a different meaning to various generations of Haligonians and can be quite confusing in regard to where it was located and what it stood for.
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Round Em Up, Move Em Out! Yee Haw!
Yes, if you are thinking cattle, you are correct, lots of cattle and right here in North End (Richmond) Halifax. A little known fact is Nova Scotia’s participation on a large scale in long distance livestock trade. Cattle arrived by the hundreds, at first from farms throughout Nova Scotia, then later..
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Grand-Mere’s Acadian Christmas
My Grand-Mere Mary Jane Angelique Broussard was born in 1891 in Upper Pomquet, Antigonish County in a house near Dragger’s Brook. The old house built by my great-great grandfather in 1867, still stands today. She grew up on a large farm in a close French Acadian community. Christmas at that time revolved around…
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A Time Of Remerbrance
One of Many Tales of Disaster that Lay Beneath the Waters of the Bedford Basin
The tragic story of the ‘Erg’ started at the Halifax Shipyard where it was built in 1915. It was one of the earliest steel vessels built in Halifax and was owned by the Halifax Shipyard. The steam tug was at first named the Sambro and was described as being 55 feet long and 15 feet wide with a depth of 7 feet and had a maximum tonnage of 28.
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Fairview Wins 2022 Brenton Cup In Quoits Tournament
n August of this year, the Historical Societies from Fairview, Rockingham, Bedford, Waverley and Sackville met at Historic Scott’s Manor House in Bedford for a Quoits Tournament.
In the final, Championship Game, Fairview beat out Waverley to claim victory and the Brenton Trophy. The trophy has quite a history in itself.
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Memories of Old Time Halifax Covered Rinks
Prior to indoor rinks, ice skating and hockey were conducted on frozen ponds and lakes in the Halifax area. The Halifax Harbour and Bedford Basin in earlier years would freeze over and provide winter recreational activity. These popular activities on a gusty cold day, although enjoyable, could be unpleasant when frozen toes and fingers began to unthaw.
Briar Cottage and Briar Lane
Prior to indoor rinks, ice skating and hockey were conducted on frozen ponds and lakes in the Halifax area. The Halifax Harbour and Bedford Basin in earlier years would freeze over and provide winter recreational activity. These popular activities on a gusty cold day, although enjoyable, could be unpleasant when frozen toes and fingers began to unthaw.
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Echoes of Long Lost Fairview Industries
In 1854 the building of the railway began at Richmond in the North End of Halifax, with two lines both under construction at the same time. The first railway completed was the Halifax to Windsor line in 1858, later that same year, the Halifax to Truro track was completed.
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The Royal Naval Burying Ground also known as the Naval Cemetery, and the Battle of the HMS Shannon and the USS Chesapeake
In memory of seamen who were lost during the famous battle of the Shannon against the Chesapeake during the War of 1812…
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Popular Old Inns Taverns And Hotels
Various taverns and hotels that were popular and well used…
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Fairview Christmas Angels and the Angel Hair Tree
Growing up in the quaint little village of Fairview in the 1950s especially during the Christmas season, brings back precious memories…
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Simpson’s Never Tells Eaton’s Their Business!
The Simpson’s and Eaton’s Department Stores developed a friendly but competitive rivalry through the years of operation. Both department stores had…
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The Prohibition Era and Rum Running
The Temperance Movement brought about prohibition. Temperance members wanted to bring about the total abolishment of the “Evil Alcohol”. They believed…
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Dutch Village Omnibus Line
The Omnibus was a large, enclose wheeled vehicle that was horse powered. It was used for passenger transport before the introduction of motor vehicles…
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Thomas Garvey
Mount Olivet Cemetery can lay claim to having the oldest Canadian resident buried on its grounds…
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Relief Camp at Citadel Hill
The Canadian National Railways (C.N.R.) and the Canadian Pacific Railways (C.P.R.) hired “bulls”(brutal guards) to make sure the trains carried only paying customers…
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Three Special Fairview People
Read about three special Fairview people that made their mark….
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Old Roads and Streets of Fairview
The history of the roads and streets in Fairview, past and present….
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Nova Scotia Cotton Factory and The Factory Girls That Worked There
The Nova Scotia Cotton Manufacturing Company was a cotton mill located on the corner of Kempt Road and Robie Street in Halifax….
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Fairview Legion Branch 142
The Fairview Legion is located on the corner of Hillcrest Street and Main Avenue. The idea to start a legion in Fairview all began in October of 1951 when…
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How Bayers Rd. Got It’s Name
In the Halifax City Directory 1912 to around 1934 it stated that Bayers Road commenced at Oxford Street and ran west to Dutch Village Road…
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Jones Hill
Located in Fairview, on Dutch Village Road (today that part of the road is renamed Joseph Howe Drive). Jones Hill was a large hill on property owned by…
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Monument To Unidentified Dead
On one of the mass graves of the unidentified dead, there is a monument. It is at the rear end of the Fairview Cemetery, close to Bayers Road…
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Wartime Rationing 1939-1945
A 1940s newspaper advertisement for War Saving Stamps depicts a housewife dishing up supper to her children. The youngsters smile with enthusiasm as the mother declares to the readers…
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Through The Gates Of Hell And Back
John O’Brien relates: “Our ship moved out to sea, behind the main convoy that carried our Regiment and others of the First Canadian Division. On the third day out the loud speaker announced we were on our way to attack Sicily”…
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Ashburn Golf Club
The course was played by Babe Ruth, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, U.S. President Bill Clinton, Gordie Howe and professionals…
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Andrew Downs Zoological Gardens
The Zoo was located on Dutch Village Road, today known as Joseph Howe Drive. Andrew Downs was a naturalist, taxidermist and zoologist who…
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Memories Of Three Fairview Seniors
The interesting lives of three Fairview seniors, Lorraine (Daine) Rozee, Ann (Veniotte) Tattrie, John Hurst…
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The Mi’kmaq (formerly known as Mic Mac) In The Fairview Area
Chief Lonecloud married seventeen year old Elizabeth Paul and they had four daughters and two sons. Lonecloud’s father Abram, joined the Union Army when the Civil War began…
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Fairview People Gone But Not Forgotten
“Oscar Sandoz did not do espionage”
There was a rumour among some people in the Fairview area, during World War Two, that…
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Dairy Farms
Dairies listed in the City Directory for 1909 in the Fairview and surrounding areas…
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Old Churches Of Fairview
Read about the history of Fairview churches past and present…
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Earlier Schools in the Fairview and Surrounding Areas up to The Present Day
Many would have gone to, and are going to, this comprehensive history of Fairview schools past and present…
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Halifax Municipal Airport – Also Known As Chebucto Road Airport
In the newspaper dated September 1928, it announced that the Bluehill Farm property was chosen for the site of the new Halifax Municipal Airport…
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No 6 District Depot (Chebucto Barricks)
The Depot opened in November 1941 on the northern section of the Municipal Airport Field which was then undeveloped land. Today that area is known as…
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The Blue Caps Women’s Softball Team – Fairview 1930s
The Blue Caps Women’s Softball Team was composed of 15 year old Fairview girls. At home, they played on…
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The Provincial Penitentiary
It was located one-half mile from the city of Halifax, on fourteen acres of land overlooking the eastern shore of the North West Arm…
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Rockhead Prison – Also Known As City Prison
The prison was located one mile north of downtown Halifax, on a high hill above Africville and overlooking the Bedford Basin…
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Devlin’s Pond in Fairview and the Polio Epidemic in the early 1950s
Devlin’s Pond was located on Melrose Avenue; between Melrose Avenue and Sunnybrae Avenue in Fairview, just below Alex Street…
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The Old Tannery and Area
The Old Tannery was located three miles from Halifax, on the Bedford Highway. A Rock Quarry occupied the site after the Tannery…
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Plane Crash In Fairview, 1953
Two airplanes, a Sea Fury and an Avenger, collided over Fairview with a deafening roar on April 9, 1953…
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Constable Charles Russell Fulton
Constable Charles Russell Fulton, was Halifax Police Department’s first police officer killed in the line of duty…
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St. Patrick’s Boys Home
Located on Mumford Road. The first St. Patrick’s Home for boys opened on October 2,1885 on the old Murphy homestead, known as…
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Geizer’s Hill or Geizer’s Mountain
Today the areas location is described as the top of Main Avenue and Washmill Lake Drive. Years ago the lower part of Main Avenue was known as…
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Susie’s Lake and Quarry Lake
Many will remember hiking back to either of these lakes for a swim on a hot summer day. Years ago, before the Bi-Highway was built…
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Both Fairview Signs Now Up
The long awaited “Welcome to Historic Fairview” sign is now up by Shoppers Drug Mart on Dutch Village Road.
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Fairview Middlemore Home
Located in Fairview on the Bedford Highway. It was situated on a high hill next to the Rock Quarry (now a car dealership occupies the site).
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British Home Children Monument
Over 130,000 British Home Children were brought from England to Canada as Child Labour between the 1860’s and the 1940s.
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Flooding Of The Fairview Underpass
The Fairview Underpass and surrounding area endured many years of flooding. The Underpass formerly referred to as the Fairview Bottleneck was…
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The Fairview Post Office
The Fairview Post Office was located on the corner of Main Avenue and Titus Street. Today a KFC occupies the site. In 1931 Bert MacDonald’s family…
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Deals Of Fairview
The Deals were among the very first settlers who came to the Dutch Village (Fairview) in 1751. Dutch Village was originally called “Deutsch Village…
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Gold in the Hills of Fairview
Alexander Taylor strikes it rich on Geizer’s Hill (Main Ave.) at the Dutch Village (Fairview).
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Fairview Volunteer Fire Department
The Fairview Volunteer Firefighting Unit began in 1940 during the Second World War with the establishment of the Air Raid Patrol (A.R.P.)…
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Fairview Senior Volleyball
In June of 2016, the Fairview Aces Senior Volleyball Team of 1954-1965 was inaugurated to the Maritime Sports Hall of Fame….
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W. D. Piercey
William Drysdale Piercey was born in Dutch Village, Halifax County, Nova Scotia on June 9, 1877, son of Charles E. Piercey and Eleanor Jane Drysdale…
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Peninsula Road and Blockhouses
The Peninsula Line of Defence was a chain of outposts on the isthmus separating the Halifax peninsula and…
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Titus Smith Jr.
In order to tell the whole story about Titus Jr. I have to talk about his equally interesting father- Titus Smith Senior…
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Bayer’s Lake Mystery Walls
A dry-stone wall (no mortar was used in its construction) was discovered several years ago during an expansion of…
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Duc d’ Anville’s Armada
Duc d’ Anville’s Mighty French Armada sailed into the Bedford Basin in 1746 lookin for revenge of the loss of Louisburg.
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The Bedford Basin
The Bedford Basin, known for it’s convoys, has seen explosions, log jams, even a number of sea monster sightings…
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Fairview Cove and Bert Cooper
Fairview Cove was a beautiful place before the government railroad cut up the area for its tracks in the 1850s. The Cove remained a popular swimming spot…
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The Railway and Fairview
The Railway played an important part in Fairview’s history not only visually but years ago, many people who lived there depended on it for their livelihood.
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Lightin’ Hill Gang
The Lightn’ Hill Gang was the most infamous, nefarious, dangerous and fightingness (if that is a word) gang of individuals in the history of Fairview!!!!!! Have your attention yet? Who were the members of this notorious, dastardly, Lightn’ Hill Gang anyway and where was Lightn’ Hill located in Fairview?
Submitted by: Danny Campbell
Read it here
Campbell House
Campbell house was built in the early 1940’s, purchased and owned by Mrs. Ellen Campbell. The civic address, at the time, was 406 Dutch Village Road. (presently 3818 Joseph Howe Drive) It is the last house still standing on the Bedford Basin end of original Dutch Village Road. (the area where the original Howe Avenue met with Dutch Village Road leading to the Bedford Highway.
Submitted by: Danny Campbell
Read it here
Fairview Youth Centre And The Fairview Phillies 1970
John O’Brien, owner of O’Brien’s Pharmacy, was the backbone and the reason for the Centre’s existence. He was an original Founding Member of the Fairview Legion and it was through his intellectual prowess and sincere want for youth participation that kept the Youth Centre on its course of success.
Submitted by: Don Edwards
Read it here
Suburban Hockey League
The longest running hockey league in North America, The Suburban Hockey league, all started on Deal’s Pond in 1927. The pond was located behind the old Henderson’s store on Dutch Village Rd. and players from all over Halifax, Dartmouth and other areas would come to play. The competition became so popular that they decided to have a league that would allow all players from different areas of the city to play.
Submitted BY: Don Edwards
Read it here
Fairview Little League
In 1970 Little League Baseball made its debut in Fairview and it was a very exciting day for players, coaches and fans.
Submitted BY: Don Edwards
Read it here
Christmas In Fairview – 1961
Around the end of September, the first words uttered when home from school, were “did it arrive yet”? “After supper when your homework is done, you may look at it” was the normal response from my mother. A bright shiny cover, lots of toys in color, page upon page of new and familiar items.
Submitted by: Peter Wolfe
Read it here
Fairview Wins NS Junior Hockey Championship
It was the inaugural Nova Scotia Junior “D” championship. We were playing in a Junior “C” league in Halifax. There was no Nova Scotia Junior “C” championship so they the winner of our league was put in the Nova Scotia Junior “D” championship.
Submitted by: Rupe Power
Read it here
Fairview Convenience
One of my fondest memories as a kid was finding a pop bottle or getting one from the old man that he brought home from work. I would run over to the store to buy some candy, or if I had enough money, a comic or hockey cards. There are still a few corner stores in Fairview but at one time there were a lot more stores, some more obscure than others.
Submitted by: Rupe Power
Read it here
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