Philatelic Photograph: Town Clock - Halifax, NS, Canada

Town Clock

Halifax, NS

Canada

N 44° 38.848 W 063° 34.648

Short Description: 

The Town Clock is located on the east slope of the Citadel Hill opposite Brunswick Street in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Long Description:

The Town Clock, a.k.a. Old Town Clock or Citadel Clock Tower, is an iconic landmarks of historic Halifax, Nova Scotia. The clock was commissioned by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and commander-in-chief of all military forces in British North America, in order to prevent lateness and establish better coordination of military activities in the Halifax Citadel. The clock was completed and running on October 20, 1803.

The three story, irregular octagon tower is built on top of a white clapboard building on the east slope of Citadel Hill facing Brunswick Street. The 4-sided clock has Roman numerals and is driven by three weights, gears, and a 13-foot pendulum. The mechanism is original and is wound twice a week. The bell sounds on the quarter hour. The façade of the Town Clock building was restored to its original Georgian appearance in 1960. In 2005 the clock's faces were stored.

The stamp was issued by Canada in 1984 as part of the Canada Day series of twelve stamps featuring paintings by Jean Paul Lemieux, who is shown in the lower right corner of the stamp.

Philatelic Photograph: Angus L. Macdonald Bridge - Halifax, NS, Canada

Angus L. Macdonald Bridge

Halifax, NS

Canada

N 44° 39.596 W 063° 35.251

Short Description: 

Angus L. Macdonald Bridge connects the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia to the city of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia across Halifax Harbor.

Long Description:

The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge is named for the former premier of Nova Scotia, Angus L. Macdonald, who had died in 1954. This suspension toll bridge crossing Halifax Harbor opened on April 2, 1955. The bridge was designed by Philip Louis Pratley and the contractor was the Dominion Bridge Company Ltd.

Bridge data from Wikipedia:

Design: Suspension bridge
Total length: 1.3 kilometers (0.81 mi)
Width: 11.5 meters (34.8 feet)
Height: 102.9 meters (337.69 feet)
Longest span: 441 meters
Clearance above: 54 meters (177.25 ft) at center-span
Clearance below: 46.9 meters (153.87 ft) at center-span
Construction begin: 1952
Opened: April 2, 1955

The stamp was issued by Canada in 2005 as part of a set of four stamps depicting Canadian bridges.

Fountain: Casino Nova Scotia Fountain - Halifax, NS, Canada

Casino Nova Scotia Fountain

Halifax, NS

Canada

N 44° 39.178 W 063° 34.598

Short Description: 

The Casino Nova Scotia Fountain is located left of the main entrance to the casino at 1983 Upper Water Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Long Description:

This eye-catching fountain in front of the Casino Nova Scotia Fountain has a red stone basin that matches the color of the brick walkway. Within the basin are four jets that spray water towards a spherical framework of rings representing the earth. Above the sphere is a 3' high copper sculpture of the schooner Bluenose.

The Bluenose was a famous Canadian fishing and racing schooner built in 1921 in Nova Scotia. "Bluenose" is also a nickname for Nova Scotians that originated in the late 18th century.

Abstract Sculpture: The Way Things Are - Halifax, NS, Canada

"The Way Things Are"

Halifax, NS, Canada

N 44° 38.624 W 063° 34.065

Short Description:

 "The Way Things Are" is comprised of three anthropomorphic street lamps. One pair is called "Got Drunk, Fell Down" and the third is called "Fountain." The abstract composition is located along the  Harborwalk in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Long Description:

Canadian artists Chris Hanson and Hendrika Sonnenberg created these three 181-kilogram, green, steel lampposts in the AWS metal fabrication shop in Brooklyn, NY in 2012. This three-part work was intended to suggest the rowdy behavior displayed by of some people along the Halifax waterfront.

The diptych called "Got Drunk, Fell Down" has one lamppost lying on the ground while the other is standing and looking over it, apparently out of concern or disgust. The third piece called "Fountain" stands over the edge of the pier in a posture that is meant to suggests it's performing a necessary biological function.

The street lamps are operational and are lit at night.

Human Migration Monument: The Grand Dérangement (Great Acadian Upheaval) - Halifax, NS, Canada

The Grand Dérangement

(Great Acadian Upheaval)

Halifax, NS, Canada

N 44° 38.598 W 063° 34.058

Short Description: 

A monument erected by the Acadian Odyssey Commission in 2005 provides a map and explanation of the The Grand Dérangement or Great Acadian Upheaval that occurred in Nova Scotia in the 18th century. It is located along the Harborwalk in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Long Description:

The British conquered Acadia, present day Nova Scotia, in 1710. The subsequent Treaty of Utrecht of 1713 allowed the Acadians to keep their lands. Over the next forty-five years tension between the French speaking Acadians and their British rulers increased until in 1755, the British began a systematic deportation of the Acadians. This became known as The Grand Dérangement or Great Acadian Upheaval.

A monument in Halifax Harbor provided a map of the deportation/migration routes of the Acadians and explains the series of events that occurred in Nova Scotia in the 18th century. The monument was designed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Deportation. The Grand Dérangement is explained in both French and English plaques.

The English version is inscribed:

L'Acadie, established by France in 1604, was a strategically located and highly coveted colony. In 1713, it was handed over to England and renamed Nova Scotia. The foundation of Halifax, in 1749, led part of the Acadian population to move to French territory. The remaining Acadians were still perceived as a threat, and in 1755, the British authorities launched their systematic deportation, splitting up families and communities, seizing all lands and possessions.

This was the Grand Dérangement, of Great Upheaval. Nearly 10,000 men, women and children were piled into ships and deported to the Anglo-American colonies, to England and to French territory and forming a resistance. Over the next ten years, almost half of the Acadian nation was lost at sea of died from disease and famine. By 1765, a mere 1,600 survivors remained in Nova Scotia, their fertile land now occupied by settlers from other areas.

Some Acadian families returned to their former homes, but most never again set eyes on Acadie. Many took root in Quebec and France, while in Louisiana they gave rise to a new community that produced the rich Cajun culture. Yet, the Grand Dérangement was unable to wipe out the Acadian presence on its native soil. L'Acadie lives on in Atlantic Canada, speaking French and offering to the world its proud and dynamic culture.

Last of its Kind: HMCS Sackville - Halifax, NS, Canada

The Last Corvette

The HMCS Sackville

Halifax, NS, Canada

N 44° 38.837 W 063° 34.185

Short Description: 

The last of 269 Allied corvettes built during World Wat II, the HMCS SACKVILLE, is located in Halifax Harbor along the Harborwalk opposite the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

Long Description:
A corvette is the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper, rated, warship. The modern corvette appeared during World War II as an easily built patrol and convoy escort vessel. The HMCS Sackville was build in Saint John Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company Ltd., New Brunswick, Canada, and launched on May 15, 1941. It served in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II and was decommissioned on April 8, 1946.

Currently, the HMCS Sackville is a museum ship owned by the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust and designate as a National Historic Site of Canada. A sign on the dock next to the ship gives a brief history. It is inscribed (in part):

THE 

LAST 

CORVETTE

COME ON BOARD

HMCS SACKVILLE is Canada's Naval Memorial. During World War II, SACKVILLE distinguished herself in engagements with enemy U-Boats and along with the other corvettes helped win the crucial Battle of the Atlantic. Experience first-hand what is was like to serve at sea in these rugged little warships.

A CENTURY OF HISTORY

HMCS SACKVILLE is the last of 269 corvettes built and sailed by the Allies during the war, 123 of them built in Canada. Commissioned in 1941, SACKVILLE has been restored to her wartime configuration. As the years pass it is important that future generations remember the service and sacrifice of Canada's sailors who helped preserve democracy.

Human Migration Monument: The Emigrant - Halifax, NS, Canada

The Emigrant

Halifax, NS

Canada

N 44° 38.486 W 063° 34.008

Short Description: 

"The Emigrant" is a monument that honors those who left their homes to find a new life in Canada. It is located on the Harborwalk near Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Long Description:

The Halifax Port Authority erected the bronze and marble monument called the “The Emigrant,” which is installed on Halifax Seaport district a short distance from Pier 21, where thousands of people first landed in Canada from foreign countries seeking a better life.

The monument depicts a man wearing a suit and fedora hat leaving his home country with a single piece of luggage as he steps off a pier onto the deck of a ship. A bas relief sculpture in the back of the monument has a vignette of a woman carrying a baby and holding the hand of a small child who is waving goodbye. A bell tower in the background is indicative of the old country.

A bronze plaque in front of the monument is inscribed in English, French and Italian:

THE EMIGRANT

The pain of separation he overcame, 

with faith and hope his heart aflame...

La souffrance de la separation il a surmontée, 

le coeur brûlant de foi d' espérance...

Vinse il dolor della lontananza, 

spinto dalla fede e dalla speranza...

Created by Sculptor

ARMANDO BARBON

and donated by his family to the:

HALIFAX PORT AUTHORITY

SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

Historic Figure: Samuel Cunard, Halifax, NS, Canada

Samuel Cunard

Halifax, NS

Canada

N 44° 38.466 W 063° 33.995

Short Description: 

A monument honoring shipping magnate Samuel Cunard is located in the Halifax Seaport District near Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Long Description:

A monument to Samuel Cunard contains a 10' high bronze statue of the Halifax born shipping pioneer and founder of the Cunard Lines. The statue was created by Halifax native Peter Bustin and cast by Artcast Foundry in Georgetown, Ontario.

Cunard is wearing a three piece suit and a bow tie. He is standing on a bronze plinth attached to a polished black granite base while looking over his right shoulder. He has his right hand resting on an engine order telegraph device. Inscribed on the front of the base is:

Samuel Cunard 

1787 - 1865

Haligonian - World Benefactor

The left side of the base is simply inscribed:

CUNARD

A bronze plaque in front of the monument contains his biography and the history of the Cunard Line.

                      SAMUEL CUNARD 
Samuel Cunard was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on
November 21, 1787. He was the eldest son of Abraham
and Margaret Cunard, United Empire Loyalists who
emigrated from Philadelphia (Germantown) to Nova
Scotia in 1783. His marriage to Susan Duffus produced
nine children, all born in Halifax. For more than half
a century, the S. Cunard & Company wharves on the
Halifax waterfront were the centre of a vast shipping
empire engaged in the West Indies trade. Samuel Cunard
became the foremost entrepreneur in Halifax and one
of the largest owners of sailing vessels in the 
Maritime Provinces.

Samuel Cunard was a visionary who foresaw steam power
replacing sail on the North Atlantic. he became the pioneer
of ocean steam navigation when the paddle steamer Britannia,
first flagship of the British & North American Royal Mail
Steam Packet Company later known as the Cunard Line,
arrived in Halifax on its maiden voyage from Liverpool,
England on July 17, 1840. The advent of steam on the North
Atlantic forever altered commerce and communication
between the Old and New Worlds.

RMS Britannia, first flagship of the British
& North American Royal Mail Steam
Packet Company (Cunard Line) and her
three sister ships, Acadia, Caledonia
and Columbia commenced the 
first regularly scheduled 
transatlantic delivery of the 
mails by steam power in 1840.

Bronze plaques on the base indicate that:

THIS MONUMENT WAS RELOCATED ON AUGUST 24, 2010

AND WAS REDEDICATED IN A PUBLIC COMMEMORATIVE

CEREMONY DURING THE INAUGURAL VISIT OF

CUNARD LINE'S QUENN ELIZABETH ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

THE 

HALIFAX

FOUNDATION

and

THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY THE HALIFAX FOUNDATION

WITH THE SUPPORT OF THESE PUBLIC SPIRITED CORPORATIONS

CN

Cunard Line

Halifax Foundation

Halifax Port Authority

Secunda marine Limited

The Bank of Nova Scotia

Waterfront Development Corporation

The Cunard Steamship Society

Relief Sculpture: Fisherman's Monument - Peggy's Cove, NS, Canada

Fisherman's Monument

Peggy's Cove, NS

Canada

N 44° 29.633 W 063° 54.855

Left Side

Right Side

Short Description:

The Fisherman's Monument is a large bas relief sculpture carved from native granite by William Edward deGarthe. The monument off the road and near the parking area for Peggy's Point Lighthouse.

Long Description:

William Edward deGarthe emigrated from Helsinki, Finland to Canada in 1926. He lived in Halifax before moving to Peggy’s Cove in 1955. He began sculpting “Fisherman’s Monument” from a 100' long granite outcrop near his home in the 1970's. The monument honors the men and women of Peggy's Cove who make their living from the sea. The sculpture depicts 32 fishermen, their wives and children, at the left is St. Elmo, the patron of sailors, with wings spread. Next is the , and the legendary Peggy of Peggy’s Cove and finally a series of workers.

After his death, his home, now a museum, and the monument were given to people of Nova Scotia. A nearby bronze monument explains the purpose of the monument. It is inscribed:

FISHERMAN'S MONUMENT
BY WILLIAM E. DEGARTHE, ARTIST ANS SCULPTOR

THIS WORK OF ART IS A LASTING MEMORIAL TO THE GALLANT MEN OF
PEGGY'S COVE, NOVA SCOTIA WHO HARVEST OUR OCEANS. THE MONUMENT
DEPICTS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: FISHERMAN'S FAMILY; PEGGY OF THE COVE;
FISHERMEN AT WORK.

THIS MONUMENT WAS DONATED TO THE PROVINENCE OF NOVA SCOTIA BY
MRS. R. AGNES DEGARTHE IN 1984 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WISHES OF
HER LATE HUSBAND, WILLIAM E. DEGARTHE.

Philatelic Photograph: Peggy's Point Lighthouse - Peggy's Cove, NS, Canada

Peggy's Point Lighthouse

Peggy's Cove,  NS

Canada

N 44° 29.507 W 063° 55.112

Short Description: 

Peggy's Point Lighthouse (a.k.a. Peggy's Cove Lighthouse) sits on a huge granite outcrop at the eastern entrance to St. Margaret's Bay in the small fishing village of Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia.

Long Description:

The iconic, picturesque Peggy's Point Lighthouse is one of the most well known, busiest, and photographed attractions in Nova Scotia. It is less than a scenic hour's ride from the major city of Halifax.

The red and white lighthouse is located on a large granite outcrop and operated by the the Canadian Coast Guard. It was first built in 1868 as a wooden house with a oil lamp beacon on the roof. The current 15 meter (49') high, octagonal, reinforced concrete, structure was built in 1914 and automated in 1958. At that time the beacon light was changed from red to white. In the 1970's the light was changed to green and back to red in 2007 to conform to world lighthouse standards.

The die cut self adhesive stamp was issued by Canada in 2002 as part of the long running Tourist Attractions series of stamps.

Roadside Attraction/ Zippy the Pinhead Location: Theodore the Tugboat - Halifax, NS

Theodore the Tugboat 
"Tug Nut"

Halifax, Nova Scotia 

Canada

N 44° 38.964 W 063° 34.281

Link to Zippy the Pinhead Comic Strip

Short Description: 

A working replica of the Canadian television character Theodore the Tugboat is docked on Lower Water Street along the harbor walk in Halifax, NS, Canada.

Long Description:

Theodore the Tugboat is a Canadian children's television series that aired from 1993 to 2001. Theodore lives in the Big Harbour with his friends. The show originated and was set in Halifax, Nova Scotia and filmed using radio controlled tugboats.

The Theodore Too replica is a working tour boat in Halifax Harbor. It was designed by Fred Allen and naval architect Marius Lengkeek and built by Snyder's Shipyard in Dayspring, Nova Scotia.
The hull and wheelhouse are made of wood and the hat and smokestack which forms Theodore's face is made of fiberglass.

Theodore Too was launched on April 19, 2000, weighs 105 tons, is 65' long and 22' wide with a draft of 7.25'. It is propelled by a 400-horsepower, 300 kilowatt CAT 3406 turbocharged diesel engine.

U.S. National Memorial: General Grant National Memorial - NY, NY

General Grant National Memorial

NY, NY

N 40° 48.796 W 073° 57.789

Short  Description: 

The General Grant National Memorial, commonly referred to as Grant's Tomb, is not a tomb. It is the largest mausoleum in North America. It's located at Riverside Drive and West 122nd Street in New York City.

Long Description:

Ulysses S. Grant was a Civil War hero how was instrumental in the defeat of the Confederacy and later became the 18th President of the United States. He died in New York City of throat cancer on July 23, 1885 at age 63.

Before his death the Grant Monument Association was formed to raise funds for constructing a monument in his name. Ninety thousand donors raised $600,000. Mayor William Grace chose the present site in Riverside park on the upper west side of Manhattan.

New York architect John Duncan created the original Neoclassical design for the monument. His elaborate plan, however was scaled back due to a shortage of funds. The impressive dome of the memorial, supported by a colonnade of ionic columns, survived the cutbacks.

On April 17, 1897 Grants remains were transferred to the present memorial and placed in a red granite sarcophagus. The mausoleum was dedicated on April 27, 1897, Grant's 75th birthday. Grant's wife, Julia Dent Grant, died in 1902, five years later. She was placed in a matching sarcophagus and beside her husband.

General Grant National Memorial visitor center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The mausoleum is open to visitors, Wednesday through Sunday:

10:00 AM-11:00 AM
12:00 PM-1:00 PM
2:00 PM-3:00 PM
4:00 PM-5:00 PM

Epic Beings: Athena as Alma Mater - Columbia University, NY, NY

Athena as Alma Mater

Columbia University

NY, NY

N 40° 48.468 W 073° 57.729

Short Description: 

The sculpture of Athena as Alma Mater is located on the steps of the Low Memorial Library on the campus of Columbia University at 116th Street and Broadway in Manhattan.

Long Description:

In ancient Greek mythology the goddess Athena was associated with many noble characteristics including: wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, mathematics, strength, war strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.

A bronze sculpture of the goddess Athena, under the name Alma Mater, was created by Daniel Chester French. A 8.6' by 5.9' by 6.2' the figure of the goddess of Greek mythology wearing an academic gown and a crown of laurels is seated on a throne. The throne rests on an upper marble and lower granite base. The arms of the throne end in a pair of lamps, representing wisdom and learning. She holds a book on her lap representing knowledge. In her right hand she holds a scepter composed of four sprays of wheat topped by a the crown of King's College. Columbia was founded by royal charter as King's College in 1754.

The sculpture was donated in the memory of Robert Goelet, class of 1860. It was created in 1903 and installed in its present location in 1904. Since then this sculpture, in the center of the campus, as become the universally recognized symbol of Columbia University.

The front of the granite base is inscribed in raised copper letters: ALMA MATER

The back of the sculpture shows the seal of Columbia University with the image of Athena surrounded by children and the Latin motto of Columbia University: IN LUMINE TUO VIDEBIMUS LUMEN (In Thy light shall we see light)

The back of the marble base is inscribed: IN MEMORY OF ROBERT GOELET CLASS OF 1860.

Philatelic Photograph: Low Memorial Library - Columbia University - NY, NY

Low Memorial Library

Columbia University

NY, NY

N 40° 48.476 W 073° 57.727

Short Description: 

The Low Memorial Library is at the center of the campus of Columbia University (formerly King's College) at 116th St and Broadway in the upper west side of Manhattan.

Long Description:

The Low Memorial Library was commissioned in 1895 by Columbia University President Seth Low. It was designed in the Neoclassical style by the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White and financed with a $1,000,000 donation by President Low. He named the library in memory of his father, Abiel Abbot Low.

Since the nearby Butler Library was completed in 1934 the building houses the central administrative offices of the university. The sculpture "Alma Mater" by Daniel Chester French on the steps of the Library has become the symbol of the University. A stone tablet embedded in the plaza is inscribed:

CHARLES FOLLEN McKIM

ARCHITECT

MDCCCXLVII - MDCCCIX

DESUPER ARTIFICIS 

SPECTANT MONUMENTA 

PER ANNOS

Latin to English Translation:

THE MONUMENTS OF AN ARTIST LOOK DOWN UPON US THROUGHOUT THE AGES

The Low Memorial Library was named a New York City landmark in 1967 and a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

The stamp was issued by the United States in 1954 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the college, then called King's College.