McNabs History
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Situated on the eastern side of the entrance to Halifax Harbour, McNabs Island has provided a scenic and historic backdrop to the lives of metro residents for over two centuries. Its strategic location was utilized by the military to guard the harbour, her fertile soils provided an important source of food for early settlers, and the beaches, woodlands, open fields and scenery have attracted local residents for leisure-time pursuits since the 1700's.
In 1974 the Province of Nova Scotia acquired most of the northern half of McNabs Island and the following year approved the designation of both McNabs and nearby Lawlor islands as regional park under the Halifax-Dartmouth Metropolitan Regional Development Plan. The intent of the regional park designation was "to protect areas of unique natural significance against adverse effects and to reserve sufficient open space for recreational purposes." In 1983, responsibility for the acquisition, management and development of the islands as park land was reassigned to the Department of Lands and Forests (now Natural Resources) through the Provincial Parks Program.
Currently, ownership of the islands is divided between the Province, the federal Government and private landowners. Of McNabs Island's total area of approximately 975 acres (395 ha), the Province owns 62 percent, the Federal Government 35 percent, and 3 percent is privately owned. The Federal Government owns all of Lawlor Island (125 acres - 51 ha). Most Federal lands on McNabs and Lawlor are administered as park reserve by the Department of Heritage, under the responsibility of Parks Canada.

THE MCNAB FAMILY (1782-1934)
The McNab family's association with McNabs Island has spanned three centuries and has had a tremendous impact on the development and use of the island. Several McNabs in particular have played a prominent role in island affairs. Peter McNab I's purchase of the island in 1782 set the stage for the family's long involvement in the affairs of the island. His son, Peter II, later inherited the island and undertook numerous improvements. Ownership of much of the island then passed from Peter II to his sons, Peter McNab III and James McNab. By the 1860's, descendants of Peter III had begun to sell his land outside of the family. James McNab controlled most of the island, however, and transferred ownership of his property to three of his sons-in-law: Roderick Hugonin, Westcote Lyttleton and Robert Cassels. In 1867, however, Lyttleton's property had been sold to the Imperial Government and Hugonin's had been offered for sale. The McNabs family's last ties to the island ended in the early 1930s when Ellen McNab, daughter of Peter III, sold the few remaining acres of the family's land on the island shortly before her death.

CHOLERA EPIDEMIC
In April of 1866, the S.S. England, a steamship from Liverpool, England, bound for New York with 1202 passengers, suffered an outbreak of cholera. With many of its crew stricken, the England found it necessary to seek refuge at Halifax.
Cholera, one of the most dreaded diseases of the nineteenth century, was no stranger to the citizens of Halifax. In 1834, a major outbreak had occurred in that city which claimed 600 lives.
Port authorities in Halifax, well aware of the potential devastation which could occur if the disease reached the city, ordered the England to anchor in the shelter of McNabs Cove. Those passengers from the England that appeared healthy were then removed to McNabs Island where they were initially housed in buildings used by workers who were constructing Fort Ives. When all passengers and crew had been removed the Cunard Company, owner of the England, began to clean and fumigate the ship.
Little Thrum Cap, at the extreme south of McNabs Island, was designated as an appropriate burial site for those who had succumbed to the dread disease. Additional burial pits were also dug in the vicinity of Hugonins Point by "volunteers" from the city prison.
All of the passengers were subsequently removed to the south end of the island, near Lyttleton's home and close to present-day Fort McNab. Two days later the England sailed for New York with its healthy passengers and crew. Fifty-five from the ship remained on the island for several more days. Although reliable statistics were not kept, an estimated 200 cholera victims are believed to have been buried on McNabs Island. The graves at Little Thrum Cap have since washed into the sea while the remaining burial site on Hugonin Point lies hidden beneath the underbrush.

MAUGHER BEACH
Peter McNab's house was located within easy reach of his fishery business on Maugher Beach. Curing fish, however, was not the only use made of the beach. From the 1780's until the second decade of the nineteenth century, military authorities maintained gibbets at the seaward end of the beach. These gibbets were, in fact, a framework from which the bodies of executed military personnel were displayed as a grim warning to others who might consider mutiny or desertion. The bodies, often tarred to slow the action of the elements, were visible to all ships entering or leaving the harbour. On one occasion, four men held responsible for an August, 1809, mutiny aboard H.M.S.Columbine were executed on September 18 and later left to dance from the gibbets on Maugher Beach.
Tradition recalls that Peter McNab was greatly upset by the presence of the gibbets so close to his home. On a particularly stormy night, when several bodies hung from the gibbets, the rattling of chains and creaking of the structure so angered Peter McNab that he and several tenants cut down the bodies and destroyed the gibbets.
The lighthouse was later the scene of an incredible display when, in 1852, the Nova Scotia Government placed the facility under the exclusive control of Dr. Abraham Gesner for one month. In December of that year Gesner used his newly discovered kerosene fuel to operate the light atop the lighthouse. It is said the experiment was so successful that mariners veered off course to witness the amazing spectacle.

FORTIFICATIONS
Fortifications developed on McNabs Island represent one element of a system of defenses that have evolved around Halifax Harbour since the founding of Halifax in 1749. These fortifications include Citadel Hill (1749), Georges Island (1750), Point Pleasant (1762), York Redoubt (1793) and several defensive works on McNabs Island.
In 1965, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada declared that Halifax was "one of the four principal naval stations of the British Empire during the 18th and 19th centuries and as such was "of great national significance to Canada.

Sherbrooke Tower
Following the outbreak of the War of 1812, it was decided to protect Halifax Harbour with a fortification on Maugher Beach.
In 1815, construction began on a Martello Tower, similar to the one still standing at Point Pleasant, at the seaward tip of Maugher Beach. Sherbrooke Tower was the first of several such towers built in Halifax that was designed to be bomb-proof. Originally planned as a two-story structure, a third story was added in 1828 to house a lighthouse. The ground floor was designed to accommodate four guns while three were intended for the second floor. Of the latter, one was to guard the harbour entrance, another faced up the harbour and the third could be aimed in any desired direction.

Fort Ives
Halifax's defences underwent a complete re-assessment in the 1860's as a result of deteriorating relations with the United States and rapidly changing military technology. The age of sail and smooth bore guns had come to an end and were being replaced by steam power, armour plate and rifled guns. To meet the new challenges, old forts were being rebuilt and new ones planned. Among the new forts was Fort Ives, at the northern end of McNabs Island.
In 1865, work began on Ives Point Battery on the site that was initially cleared in 1762. Built to protect the inner harbour channel between McNabs Island and York Redoubt/Point Pleasant, the original fortifications incorporated the newest advances in British coastal defence. It was a typical fort with two faces. The southwest face covered the waters between Maugher Beach and York Redoubt. The west face covered the channel toward Point Pleasant. The rear of the fort was enclosed by an earth parapet and a wooden palisade. An enemy attempting to reach the inner harbour would face a devastating broadside from Fort Ives.
Given its strategic location it is not surprising that Fort Ives underwent modifications to keep pace with technological improvements. The first improvement took place between 1888 and 1892. Much of the alteration was associated with Fort Ives' increasing importance to the submarine mining system for the harbour. The main field was located in the strategic channel between Ives Point and Point Pleasant.. Indicative of Fort Ives growing importance to the mine field were the construction of a test room and observation station by 1898.
When Canada assumed responsibility for the Halifax defences in 1906 a complete re-assessment was initiated. By this time the importance of the mine field had lessened. The chief threat was perceived to be light, fast torpedo boats. To meet this threat it was decided that the Quick Fire and searchlight defences at Halifax should be concentrated in the vicinity of the strategic Ives Point/Point Pleasant channel to prevent access to the inner harbour. All agreed that the illuminated area in front of Fort Ives had to be enlarged. By 1912 four permanent searchlight emplacements with support facilities had been constructed.
Ives Point Battery was one of the more important components of Halifax's defences during World War I. The fort's electric lights were the only dispersed beams available for illumination of the main channel until the fall of 1915. Efficient searchlights and QF batteries had become even more important with the growing German submarine threat in the western Atlantic. Submarine nets were placed across the harbour; one running from Ives Point to Point Pleasant breakwater. Fort Ives was essential to the protection of this critical line of defense.
With the end of the First World War Fort Ives was closed down and placed in reserve status. During the 1920's training continued to be held at the fort. When Halifax's defenses were analyzed in the 1930's it was found that Fort Ives had become redundant. The decision to move the submarine net seaward to the area between Maugher Beach and York Redoubt confirmed the obsolescence of Fort Ives. The actual closing was delayed, however, because of the time needed to construct new forts further seaward and the rapidly deteriorating political situation in Europe. When war broke out in 1939 Fort Ives was partially operational. The searchlights were used until September of 1940 when the new emplacements at Strawberry Battery became available. While the fort continued to be used as a barracks until 1943 for all intents and purposes Fort Ives' active service in the Halifax Fortress had come to an end.

Fort McNab
The protection of exposed overseas ports, such as Halifax, would be the responsibility of improved coastal fortifications.
The home authorities decided to strengthen the advanced line of defence for Halifax. A new fort with long range breech loading guns was planned for the southern end of McNabs Island. Construction of Fort McNab began in 1888 and was completed in 1892.Since Fort McNab was built at a time of rapidly changing technology, it is not surprising that major renovations were needed within a dozen years of its completion. The main changes involved the guns and their mounts. More powerful guns on central pivot mountings were introduced by 1906. By this time, however, Britain had concluded that war with the united States was only a remote possibility and that her forces at Halifax could be withdrawn. The Canadian Government agreed to take over all the defences, including the newly renovated Fort McNab.
Searchlight emplacements were constructed in 1914 to enable the fort to carry out its additional role more effectively. Throughout the war Fort McNab also remained one of the more important counter-bombardment batteries in the Halifax defence system. Substantial improvements were made to the living quarters of its large garrison. All this activity came to an end with the signing of the Armistice. The examination battery remained partially manned until January of 1919 when the fort was officially closed down.
Fort McNab had three main roles during World War II. First of all it was a counter bombardment battery for close in defence. Secondly it controlled the searchlights on the southern end of the island. Thirdly, Fort McNab oversaw the examination anchorage.
When the war ended Fort McNab was entirely dismantled and placed in "heavy maintenance." By 1948 the Department of National Defence was having second thoughts about the closure and ordered its reactivation. The final armament change occurred in 1953. The fort operated until January of 1960 when its was dismantled and closed for the last time.

Fort Hugonin
Hugonin Battery, situated a few hundred yards south of Ives Point Battery, was constructed in 1899-1900. The fort was simply designed, with emplacements for four quick-firing guns, subterranean magazines, crew shelters and a few free-standing buildings. During World War I some temporary buildings were erected and by the mid-1920's most were in a poor state of repair. In 1922 two of the guns were removed to the practice battery near Sandwich Point. The remaining guns were still in place at the outbreak of the Second World War and the fort was manned for the first winter as an interim measure. In 1940 Hugonin Battery was taken out of action and the guns mounted at Strawberry Battery. Hugonin Battery continued to be used in other capacities by the Department of National Defense until the early 1990s.
Strawberry Battery
Strawberry Battery, located just north of Fort McNab, was constructed in 1939-40 to replace Hugonin Battery. Two QF guns from Hugonin were installed at Strawberry in May, 1940, at which time the emplacements, searchlights and associated features were substantially complete. At the end of World War II the works were left unaltered for two years and then totally dismantled between November 1947 and January 1948, the guns being removed to Fort McNab. Later in 1948 the military had second thoughts and the rearmament of Strawberry Battery was ordered in September, 1948. The fort was finally decommissioned in 1956.

Rifle Ranges
At the south end of McNabs Island, near Fort McNab, two 800-yard rifle ranges were constructed, one for use by sailors and the other by soldiers who regularly camped on the island.

FOLKLORE
Buried Treasure
About 1845, island residents saw two men walking near the head of Finlay Cove with a mineral rod. The men soon left, however, claiming they could not find what they were looking for. Several nights later, though, strange noises were heard and the next morning a hole, with the appearance of something having been taken out, was found near where the men had earlier been seen. Over the hole was a cherry tree and the spot was marked by five stones which had been placed one in each corner and the fifth in the middle. The men were believed to be from an American vessel.
In 1905, further evidence of buried treasure on McNabs Island was reported. Renewed searches proved unsuccessful, however.

Ghosts
According to some, Devils Island is the location of one of metro's most famous legends.
... many years ago one of the residents [of Devils Island], old Casper Henneberry, invited some friends for a party on the island. During the festivities, Henneberry went outside for a few moments then came back looking white and shaken. He told his friends that his time was up; he'd seen the Devil "in the form of a halibut." The next day he was rowing back to the island from Halifax. He was found drowned, his head and shoulders hanging over the side of the boat. Another version of his strange death has it that there were signs of a fight or scuffle on the beach, and that one of the people involved had "cloven hooves," judging by the prints in the sand.
A second story about Devils Island concerns another of her residents.

McNABS ISLAND, Halifax Co, Nova Scotia: An Historical Overview
Brian Kinsman / Parks and Recreation Division, NS Dept of Natural Resources: April '95