Halifax:
The scenery is magnificent at any time of the year. Whatever the interest of the visitor, access is only minutes away. Camping, skiing, swimming, canoeing, scuba diving, fishing, hiking, and bird watching are only a few of the possibilities in this natural paradise. Halifax, Nova Scotia's capital, lies on one of the world's most extensive natural harbors, midway along Nova Scotia's south Atlantic shore. It is located on a peninsula between the harbor and an inlet called the North West Arm. Halifax harbor’s 16 miles are second only in size to the harbor in Sydney, Australia. It was this feature that attracted Colonel Edward Cornwallis and 2500 others who settled there in 1749 and established a naval and military depot. The site was named in honor of Lord Halifax, President of the British Board of Trade at that time. Halifax was intended to serve as a counterbalance to the French fort in Nova Scotia's far east.Pier 21 in Halifax became to Canada what Ellis Island was to the US. Between 1928 and 1971 over a million immigrants entered Canada there, including 48,000 war brides and their 22,000 children. During World War II, nearly half a million troops departed from Pier 21 for Europe. In 1999, the Pier was transformed into a colorful national historic site with a museum featuring a large pavilion, boutiques, cafes and multimedia exhibits.
