Georges Island has long stood guard in Halifax Harbour. Used in the seventeenth century as a place to dry fish by a nearby Acadian/Mi’kmaq village, the island came under control of the British with the founding of Halifax in 1749. The first wooden battery, established in 1750 and rebuilt as a stone fortress in the 1790s, was continuously modernized and manned by both British and Canadian soldiers right up until the Second World War.

The historical tour describes the fascinating evolution of Georges Island, from the site of the town’s first gaol and quarantine station, to a detention centre from which Acadians awaited their fate. Further chapters describe the features that bring the island to life, such as secret tunnels, ghosts, and the lighthouse that still guides ships to port. Includes over 150 photos, paintings, maps, and contemporary letters.

DIANNE MARSHALL considers herself an amateur historian, but her two previous books have won her positive reviews from historians as well as award nominations. She was born, raised and educated in Halifax and worked as a senior civil servant in the Nova Scotia government. She is also the author of and Heroes of the Acadian Resistance, which was nominated for the 2012 Dartmouth Book Award. She appears regularly on CBC Radio's Information Morning telling true stories of Nova Scotia's past and is a frequent contributor to the Sunday Herald.

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