Purcell Family of America

An association to help those trace the Purcell family line

Purcell's Cove

A little history of Purcell's Cove in Halifax.

LOCATION:

The cove is located along Route #253, what today is known as Purcell's Cove Road, opposite the tip of Point Pleasant Park on the North West Arm.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

The community was named for Samuel Purcell, an early settler. Before the Purcell family arrived it was known as Mackerel Cove. The Purcell’s lived in the area for a number of years but did not buy any land until 1828.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS:

In 1853, a descendant, John Purcell, operated a ferry between the cove and Point Pleasant Park. The family used rowboats and sailboats to ferry passengers across the Arm for more than a century. There is still evidence of these once serviceable piers on both sides of the North West Arm.

Granite and ironstone were cut from the quarries near Purcell's Cove and were used to construct military forts in Halifax as well as many of the buildings on the Dalhousie University campus.

Comments

• Comment from Dianne Purcell Collier (07 August 2008 at 7:25 a.m.)

  I found this information very interesting as I am from Halifax although I don't have any relatives from Purcell's Cove. I would love to correspond with other Purcells who have a Nova Scotia connection. Cheers.

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