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162 MOWATT |
Nova Scotia Tourism Region : South Shore
Description From Owner:
- During the latter stages of the American Revolution in 1783, the place was settled by black Loyalists.
- They named their settlement to honour Brig.-Gen. Samuel Birch, British commandant of New York City, who earned the goodwill of the refugees by giving them shelter and rations before they left for Nova Scotia.
- About 4,000 people moved to the area. By 1792 most of the black people had moved to Sierra Leone.
- A small park in Birchtown, Shelburne County is a memorial to black Loyalists evacuated to Nova Scotia from NY in 1785. About 1,500 of them came to Birchtown, which then became the largest community of free blacks outside Africa.
- When the Americans demanded the return of their property.' (many were runaway slaves), Sir Guy Carleton, acting commander of British forces, refused to abandon the black Loyalists to their fate as slaves.
- He created a list of those who had served the Crown during the American Revolution, declaring they had permission to go to Nova Scotia or 'wherever else they may think proper.'
- With permission from 'Nova Scotia Place Names' David E. Scott 2015
Address of this page: http://ns.ruralroutes.com/Birchtown
