The City of Halifax was founded in 1749 by Edward Cornwallis acting on the orders of Kind Edward the Third to create a military presence in response to the French settlement of nearby areas. The location of the settlement was chosen because of its harbour potential and the fact that a fort (the citadels first incarnation) could be built upon a nearby hill and be able to cover the river as well as see any incoming ships.
The city would later suffer from the largest man made explosion before the invention of atomic weapons. In 1917 a French munitions ship named MONT-BLANC collided with a Belgian relief Ship named the IMO. When the two ships collided a fire started on the deck of the Mont-Blanc. Twenty minutes later it exploded in the largest man made explosion using conventional explosives. The massive blast killed 1500 people outright and wounded 9000. The massive blast levelled almost two square kilometres of Halifax and even caused an eight-teen metre tsunami.
During both World Wars Halifax was a major launch point for the Atlantic Convoy crossings. It saw several submarine attacks as well as the odd submarine. Halifax today is a bustling port city with a strong economy and a hardy people. Having pulled through two world wars and the largest conventional explosion in the world, it is a testament to the people who live there and continue its strong traditions.
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