Halifax County, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Halifax County is a county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
in the Canadian province of 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...
.
The Municipality of the County of Halifax was the municipal government of Halifax County, apart from the separately incorporated towns and cities therein. It was dissolved in 1996, together with those town and city governments, in their amalgamation into Halifax Regional Municipality
Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Regional Municipality had a 2006 census population of 372,679, while the metropolitan area had a 2010 estimated population of 403,188, and the urban area of Halifax had a population of 282,924...
.
History
Deriving its name from George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax (1716-1771) Halifax County was established by Order-in-Council on August 17, 1759. The boundaries of four other counties - AnnapolisAnnapolis County, Nova Scotia
Annapolis County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia located in the western part of the province on the Bay of Fundy. The county seat is Annapolis Royal.-History:...
, Kings
Kings County, Nova Scotia
Kings County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Kings County is located in central Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bay of Fundy with its northeastern part also forming the western shore of the Minas Basin....
, Cumberland
Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
Cumberland County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:The name Cumberland was applied by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monckton to the captured Fort Beauséjour on June 18, 1755 in honour of the third son of King George II, William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, victor at...
and Lunenburg
Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia
Lunenburg County is a county located on the South Shore of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, It ranges from Hubbards to the east and Vogler's Cove to the west.-History:...
- were specifically defined at that time, with Halifax County comprising all the part of peninsular Nova Scotia that was not within their limits.
Following the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
was formally annexed to Nova Scotia. For a time it formed part of Halifax County.
The boundaries of Halifax County were modified in 1822. That part of St. Mary's Township (established in 1818) which had been in Halifax County was annexed to and included within Sydney County.
The dividing line between the Districts of Halifax and Colchester was confirmed and established on May 3, 1828. In 1835, Halifax County was divided and the Counties of Colchester
Colchester County, Nova Scotia
Colchester County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:The appellation Colchester was applied in 1780 to the district previously called "Cobequid," and was derived from the town of Colchester in Essex...
and Pictou County
Pictou County, Nova Scotia
Pictou County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It was established in 1835, and was formerly a part of Halifax County from 1759 to 1835. It had a population of 46,513 people in 2006, which represents a decline of 6.3 percent from 1991. It is the sixth most populous county in Nova...
were created out of parts of what had hitherto been Halifax County. Eventually in 1880 the boundary between the Counties of Halifax and Colchester was fixed.
The boundaries of the county are also the boundaries of the Halifax Regional Municipality, plus the Native Indian Reserves of Cole Harbour
Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia
Cole Harbour is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality. It is the hometown of Sidney Crosby.-Geography:...
, Sheet Harbour
Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia
Sheet Harbour is a small community on the eastern shore of the Halifax Regional Municipality, in Nova Scotia, Canada in the Musquodoboit/Sheet Harbour region of the Marine Drive on Trunk 7, 87.44 kilometers from Halifax.-History:...
and Shubenacadie
Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia
Shubenacadie is a community located in Hants County, in central Nova Scotia, Canada. As of 2006, the population was 2,074.In the Micmac language, Shubenacadie means "abounding in ground nuts" or "place where the red potato Shubenacadie (['ʃuːbə'nækədiː]) is a community located in Hants County, in...
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Halifax County continues to exist as a county in Nova Scotia, however all municipal government and service delivery is provided by either the Regional Municipality
Regional municipality
A regional municipality is a type of Canadian municipal government similar to and at the same municipal government level as a county, although the specific structure and servicing responsibilities may vary from place to place...
or the Native Indian Reserves, with no additional county level government or administration.