A Walk in Fort Needham Memorial Park - Halifax Explosion Remembered

Artistically forged metal and stone structures line the walkways of Fort Needham Memorial Park - giving insight into the magnitude of loss as a result of the Halifax Explosion on December 6, 1917.

It's a cold December day in Halifax and my cousin Linda Landry Horne and her husband David are giving me a tour of this reverent and peaceful park.

The steep grade of the stairs leading to the summit is evident as the individual letters of the word "RICHMOND" lead the way toward the summit of Fort Needham Memorial Park.  

Photo by Cal Shook

Richmond is the area in the North End of Halifax that suffered the greatest loss and destruction from the explosion.

Linda's grandfather Daniel Landry (age 25) and my grandfather Joseph Landry (age 28) co-owned the family home, not far from the base of these stairs, at what was 38 Union Street in 1917.

Tall cut-out steel posts baring the names of  churches, schools, and businesses destroyed support the hand rail to the left of the stairs.

Photo by Cal Shook

At the summit is the Memorial Bell Tower.  It overlooks the section of the narrows in Halifax Harbor where a fully loaded munitions ship, the Mont Blanc and a Belgium cargo ship, the Imo collided causing the horrific explosion - the Halifax Explosion. 

Photo by Cal Shook

The Memorial Bell Tower's carillon bells were donated by Barbara (Orr) Thompson

in memory of her family, the Samuel Orr family, that perished during the explosion. 

Barbara was 14 years old at the time.

Anna Bella Landry Bradley, Linda's and my great aunt and one of Dan and Joseph Landry's younger sisters, was also 14 years old that fateful day. She too, would survive.

Heading down the hill are statistics etched in stone:

Photo by Cal Shook

1 in Every 10 Left Homeless.

1 in Every 10 Was Military.

Photo by Cal Shook

1 of  Every 5 Injured.

1 of  Every 25 Killed.

This was a beautiful yet humbling walk.  So grateful for family members Linda and David for this opportunity and their insights.

Do you have family members that were forever changed by this horrific explosion?
Have you had a chance to check out this memorial park?

Note:  Newspaper clippings and minutes for original planning and dedication in 1985
           Hope and Survival Quilt