Armdale, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Armdale is a Canadian
urban
community located in Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
.
Situated at the head of the Northwest Arm
, from which it derives its name, Armdale borders the southern part of an isthmus
connecting the Halifax Peninsula
with the larger Chebucto Peninsula
.
. In 1751, there were two attacks on blockhouses surrounding Halifax. Mi'kmaq attacked the North Blockhouse (located at the north end of Joseph Howe Drive) and killed the men on guard. They also attacked near the South Blockhouse (located at the south end of Joseph Howe Drive), at a saw-mill on a stream flowing out of Chocolate Lake into the Northwest Arm
. They killed two men. (Map of Halifax Blockhouses)
In 1753, when Lawrence became governor, the Mi'kmaq attacked again upon the sawmills near the South Blockhouse on the Northwest Arm, where they killed three British. The Mi'kmaq made three attempts to retrieve the bodies for their scalps.
Original names for the community included Dutch Village, North-West Arm, and Armdale District. During the 1960s, the city of Halifax
amalgamated Armdale and neighbouring Spryfield
, Fairview and Rockingham
in a westward expansion off the Halifax Peninsula
.
From 1969 until the creation of Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996, Armdale and its neighbouring communities west of the Halifax Peninsula were grouped under the colloquial term "Mainland Halifax".
The community was at the head of the Northwest Arm, west of the Canadian National Railway
tracks leading to downtown Halifax. Armdale Station was once located near the Chebucto Road underpass. The community also extended for a short distance up the St. Margaret's Bay Road, Herring Cove Road, and Purcell's Cove Road but was mostly concentrated in the valley near the junction of these roads.
The largest employer during the 20th century in the Armdale area Simpson's
and later Simpsons-Sears, which operated a large warehouse for its catalogue division beside the railway line. This was later superseded by Maritime Life Assurance Company, which was absorbed by Manulife Financial
in 2004.
Prior to and following amalgamation with the City of Halifax, Armdale developed into a residential neighborhood consisting of single family homes and small apartment
buildings. A nearby commercial district in West End Halifax centred on the Halifax Shopping Centre
and West End Mall has kept Armdale relatively free from retail development.
Today, the name Armdale is mostly associated with a traffic circle
located at the junction of Herring Cove Road, St. Margaret's Bay Road, Quinpool Road, Chebucto Road, and Joseph Howe Drive.
Endnotes
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
community located in Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
Situated at the head of the Northwest Arm
Northwest Arm
The Northwest Arm, originally named Sandwich River, is an inlet in eastern Canada off the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.-Geography:...
, from which it derives its name, Armdale borders the southern part of an isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
connecting the Halifax Peninsula
Halifax Peninsula
The Halifax Peninsula is a community and planning area located in the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Peninsula is home to Downtown Halifax, the financial and economic heart of the region, which was also the site of the original settlement and...
with the larger Chebucto Peninsula
Chebucto Peninsula
The Chebucto Peninsula is a Canadian peninsula located in central Nova Scotia entirely within the Halifax Regional Municipality on the Atlantic coast....
.
History
The Mi'kmaq people attacked the British blockhouse at Armdale numerous times during Father Le Loutre's WarFather Le Loutre's War
Father Le Loutre’s War , also known as the Indian War, the Micmac War and the Anglo-Micmac War, took place between King George's War and the French and Indian War in Acadia and Nova Scotia. On one side of the conflict, the British and New England colonists were led by British Officer Charles...
. In 1751, there were two attacks on blockhouses surrounding Halifax. Mi'kmaq attacked the North Blockhouse (located at the north end of Joseph Howe Drive) and killed the men on guard. They also attacked near the South Blockhouse (located at the south end of Joseph Howe Drive), at a saw-mill on a stream flowing out of Chocolate Lake into the Northwest Arm
Northwest Arm
The Northwest Arm, originally named Sandwich River, is an inlet in eastern Canada off the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.-Geography:...
. They killed two men. (Map of Halifax Blockhouses)
In 1753, when Lawrence became governor, the Mi'kmaq attacked again upon the sawmills near the South Blockhouse on the Northwest Arm, where they killed three British. The Mi'kmaq made three attempts to retrieve the bodies for their scalps.
Original names for the community included Dutch Village, North-West Arm, and Armdale District. During the 1960s, the city of Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
amalgamated Armdale and neighbouring Spryfield
Spryfield, Nova Scotia
Spryfield is a community in Mainland Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was founded about 1770, by Captain William Spry, who purchased land there and established the settlement with the aid of stationed soldiers from the nearby Halifax garrison...
, Fairview and Rockingham
Rockingham, Nova Scotia
Rockingham is a community located in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality. It is part of a large suburban area along the western shore of Bedford Basin, north of Clayton Park and south of Bedford.-Geography:...
in a westward expansion off the Halifax Peninsula
Halifax Peninsula
The Halifax Peninsula is a community and planning area located in the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Peninsula is home to Downtown Halifax, the financial and economic heart of the region, which was also the site of the original settlement and...
.
From 1969 until the creation of Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996, Armdale and its neighbouring communities west of the Halifax Peninsula were grouped under the colloquial term "Mainland Halifax".
The community was at the head of the Northwest Arm, west of the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
tracks leading to downtown Halifax. Armdale Station was once located near the Chebucto Road underpass. The community also extended for a short distance up the St. Margaret's Bay Road, Herring Cove Road, and Purcell's Cove Road but was mostly concentrated in the valley near the junction of these roads.
The largest employer during the 20th century in the Armdale area Simpson's
Simpson's
The Robert Simpson Company, or Simpsons , was a Canadian department store chain, founded by Robert Simpson. The chain was eventually bought by the Hudson's Bay Company.- History :...
and later Simpsons-Sears, which operated a large warehouse for its catalogue division beside the railway line. This was later superseded by Maritime Life Assurance Company, which was absorbed by Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial Corporation , is a Canadian insurance company and financial services provider. Manulife Financial's global head office is located in Toronto, Canada and the Company has operations in 21 countries and territories worldwide.The Company operates in Canada and Asia through the brand...
in 2004.
Prior to and following amalgamation with the City of Halifax, Armdale developed into a residential neighborhood consisting of single family homes and small apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
buildings. A nearby commercial district in West End Halifax centred on the Halifax Shopping Centre
Halifax Shopping Centre
Halifax Shopping Centre is a Canadian shopping mall located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The mall is owned by 20 VIC Management Inc., headquartered in Toronto, Ontario...
and West End Mall has kept Armdale relatively free from retail development.
Today, the name Armdale is mostly associated with a traffic circle
Armdale traffic circle
The Armdale Traffic Circle is a roundabout in the Armdale district of Halifax, Nova Scotia.The traffic circle receives vehicles from five different directions: Chebucto Road and Quinpool Road on the Halifax Peninsula, Herring Cove Road and St. Margaret's Bay Road on the Chebucto Peninsula, and...
located at the junction of Herring Cove Road, St. Margaret's Bay Road, Quinpool Road, Chebucto Road, and Joseph Howe Drive.
Endnotes