This year celebration included Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and

from dim awareness to full appreciation

canada goose clearance For a few weeks, the tree became a centrepiece of the downtown, canada goose victoria parka outlet with its soaring height and spreading branches against canada goose outlet toronto the urban skyline. It was an impressive sight to a young kid, especially during the tree lighting ceremony. On that festive night, as the crowds gathered to watch the lights flicker on, you knew Christmas had officially arrived in the city. canada goose clearance

uk canada goose But it wasn just any tree. My Canadian relatives would often remind me that they send Boston the tree as a gift. When my canada goose outlet vancouver aunts and uncles on Cape Breton Island used the word they, it didn just mean Canada to them it meant Nova Scotia, from which the tree canada goose outlet nyc is cut and sent each year. uk canada goose

canada goose uk black friday Having a mother from Atlantic Canada, I familiar with the connection Massachusetts has with Nova Scotia. Both were settled as British colonies and share a similar blue blood culture. Historically, Boston and canada goose outlet london Halifax are sister ports with a maritime tradition of fishing and commerce in the North Atlantic. canada goose uk black canada goose outlet washington dc friday

canada goose uk shop Yet, as a kid, I didn understand the significance of the annual Christmas tree canada goose outlet 2015 gift until I heard an aunt speak of the Great canada goose parka outlet Halifax Explosion of 1917 that killed 2,000 people. My aunt, who was a nurse in the Canadian army during the Second World War, said that after the explosion the people of Boston quickly sent doctors, nurses, and medical supplies to Halifax by train despite a raging snowstorm. canada goose uk shop

buy canada goose jacket And she softly added that her uncle, Joseph Quirk, (my great uncle) was working in Halifax the day of the explosion on Dec. 6, 1917. That was the first time I had ever heard our family had a connection to that tragic event. buy canada goose jacket

Canada Goose Parka Uncle Joe worked on boats his entire life, but I never knew the details of his past. It sounded very curious and I couldn help wondering about him and the explosion. My mother family is rooted in the highland area of Cape Breton (five generations) and as you might imagine, her relatives appreciate a good tale of facts mixed with a little fiction. Was this one of them? Canada Goose Parka

canada goose black friday sale Somehow my uncle, the Halifax https://www.radondenvercolorado.com Explosion and a Christmas tree in Boston were connected. canada goose black friday sale

canadian goose jacket It wasn till I was older that the pieces came together. While researching the archives of the Cape Breton Post, I found Joseph Quirk obituary, dated 1940. It confirmed that he was present during the Halifax Explosion, working on the tugboat Hilford, escorting ships in Halifax Harbour. canada goose outlet england canadian goose jacket

canada goose coats The blast flattened buildings along the shoreline and it sent a large tidal wave across the harbour that lifted the tugboat and canada goose outlet eu smashed it onto Pier canada goose outlet in chicago 9. The captain and three of his crew died. My uncle Joe and another crewmate barely survived. He spent two weeks in the hospital before returning home to Cape Breton. canada goose coats

uk canada goose outlet Uncle Joe escaped an early grave and went on to live an interesting life. Dunelm. Noel name is listed on the Sailors Monument in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax. uk canada goose outlet

Canada Goose Outlet Learning that my uncle was a survivor of such a horrible explosion, I developed an appreciation for that time period and how past generations managed to keep moving forward despite overwhelming odds. Canada Goose Outlet

cheap canada goose uk In 1917, it was uncertain times. The First World War was the dominant factor in the economy. Resources were under ration. And a cold winter had gripped the maritime coast. Yet nothing stopped Boston quick response with financial and medical support once news crossed the border into America. cheap canada goose uk

Canada Goose Coats On Sale Upon hearing of the devastation in Halifax, Boston Mayor James Curley and Massachusetts Governor Samuel McCall quickly offered unlimited support to Halifax Mayor Peter Martin. A relief fund was created and within hours the fund received $100,000. Due to the generosity of Massachusetts citizens, $750,000 would eventually be raised. Canada Goose Coats On Sale

Canada Goose online A major component of the relief response was medical assistance provided by the staff at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Twelve hours after canada goose outlet phone number first hearing of the devastation, an emergency relief train loaded with medical supplies, doctors, nurses and support staff pulled out of Boston heading north through the snowy countryside of Maine, over the border into New Brunswick, and then Nova Scotia. Boston doctors worked side by side with Halifax doctors, performing surgeries and amputations on 9,000 wounded. Canada Goose online

canada goose uk outlet This shared experience tightened the bonds between the two cities despite borders and political differences. canada goose uk canada goose outlet los angeles outlet

buy canada goose jacket cheap The next year, Halifax canada goose outlet factory sent Boston a Christmas tree as a token of appreciation for the money and medical assistance during canada goose outlet uk the darkest hours of the tragedy. This gesture of thanks eventually started a tradition that continues today. Time hasn diminished the canada goose outlet black friday significance of the Halifax gift tree. The sentiment is still strong. And this year canada goose outlet belgium marks the 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion. Both cities have special celebrations to commemorate the occasion. buy canada goose goose outlet canada jacket cheap

canada goose clearance sale In Nova Scotia, the tree committee received a 53 foot white spruce donated by a Cape Breton family. After a grand farewell parade through Halifax, the tree truck headed for the highway to Massachusetts. Halfway along the journey, the tree made a quick stop in Maine capital, Augusta, to recognize the help the state gave the Boston relief train as it passed along the railway toward the Canadian border. canada goose clearance sale

canada goose Canada Goose Outlet store Once in Boston and mounted on the Common, the tree was surrounded with staging and decorations for the lighting ceremony buy canada goose uk that drew upwards of 20,000 people. This year celebration included Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil, along with a bagpiper, the Royal Mounted Police and, of course, Santa Claus! The ceremony ended with a small fireworks display. canada goose store

canada goose coats on sale And though all the pomp and ceremony canada goose outlet miami is fun, it also acts canada goose shop uk as an opportunity for people canada goose outlet location of all ages canada goose jacket outlet sale to learn about the Halifax Explosion and the history of that time era. Too often, we get caught up canada goose outlet authentic in the complications of life and we tend to forget things. canada goose coats on canada goose outlet real sale

canada goose factory sale Though the actual explosion was a dramatic event, the real story is in the aftermath, the coming together of various people to rescue and rebuild a city in panic. Acting with civil obligation and benevolence, New Englanders rose up and met the challenge, in the spirit of Christian fellowship that was still an influence in that time period. canada goose factory sale

Canada Goose Jackets It should be no surprise that after a century of change, we face a whole new world of challenges beyond the safety of our backyards. Disasters have only gotten worse since 1917. Canada Goose Jackets

Canada Goose sale The 21st century is dynamic, full of many large scale catastrophes both natural and man made. Horrible events such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and terror attacks have become more frequent, with long term impacts on urban infrastructure and its citizens. Americans and Canadians are now dependent on full time professional disaster agencies to provide quick response and recovery action. For better or worse, there no turning back. Canada Goose sale

canada goose So, let this year 100th anniversary commemoration reassure both countries that our relationship is a special connection that cannot be weakened. Boston appreciates Nova Scotia Christmas tree gift and the legacy it represents. Hopefully this tradition will continue to thrive and give encouragement to the next generation, because it worth remembering canada goose.

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