Halifax Thanks Boston with a Christmas Tree
The Boston Tree - Photo by Sonja L. Cohen
Every year the Americans remember December the 7th as the day in 1941 that propelled the country into the Second World War. In the Halifax area it is December 6th, a day still remembered as the day when the city ceased to exist.
On December 6, 1917 the Imo, a ship carrying relief supplies for the citizens of war ravaged Belgium collided with the Mont Blanc, a French ship loaded with munitions from American factories. The resulting explosion was the size and destructive power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, the biggest man-made explosion before the Japanese city was bombed. The blast leveled almost one-quarter of the city and Dartmouth on the north side of the harbor. Over 1900 people dies and 9,000 were injured, some in horrible ways
As roads, hospitals and rail lines were non-existent after the blast calls went out allover the province, the country and into the U.S. Within 24 hours Boston had a train full of medical supplies, doctors and nurses heading to Halifax. The first to arrive was an American hospital ship out of Boston heading to Europe to help in the war effort. They provided badly-needed help and hospital beds. And this is not to underestimate the amount of financial help that was sent from Boston for the relief.
In thanks for the kindness of the citizens of Boston the city of Halifax donates a fine tree for the Christmas season. The tree is selected by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources based upon the following specifications:
* One of balsam fir, white spruce or red spruce
* 40-50 feet high
* Good, healthy color
* Good density
* Symmetrical
The tree is then trucked to Boston by the Nova Scotia government and delivered directly to the Boston Common. Once erected, the “Nova Scotia Tree,” as it is called, is decorated with thousands of lights and becomes the symbol of the Christmas season for Boston.
This year a 46 foot spruce was cut on the Clementsville, Nova Scotia property of Marina and Craig Cook for the lighting ceremny on December 4th on the Boston Commons.
Leave a comment!