W D No 6, Canada Science and Technology Museum, Ottawa ON - Canadian Benchmarks on Waymarking.com

More than 200 years ago, the British military established a significant presence in the Halifax area now known as Point Pleasant Park. The Point Pleasant property still belongs to Britain and is leased to the city of Halifax.

In the late 1890s, the British War Department placed eight granite markers to identify the boundary of Point Pleasant Park. All four sides of each marker were identified by letters W and D (for War Department) cut into the granite, separated by the broad arrow, a survey symbol still used throughout the former British Empire. One side of the marker, also includes an identifying number.

The markers measure 41 cm by 41 cm and over a metre in height. From this particular marker, it is interesting to see how much of the monument was actually buried under ground.

W D No 6 was originally on the western edge of Point Pleasant Park, along Francklyn Street, across from Balmoral Road. The approximate co-ordinates are N 44° 37.475' W 063° 34.435'.

In a 1965 survey, this particular marker was found to be damaged and was removed from its original site in Point Pleasant Park, Halifax. As a fine example of the British War Department era markers, this marker was added to the Canadian Landmarks Collection. By 1973, the marker had become part of the artifact collection at the Canada Science and Technology Museum.

In 2018, the marker is on display a short distance beyond the museum entrance, on the right. To view this survey marker, museum admission fee is required.

The Science and Technology Museum has assigned this marker the date of 1858, the year in which the Point Pleasant Park property was granted to the British Secretary of War. However, it is more likely that this marker dates from 1895, the year in which eight similar markers were set in place as part of the British War Department perambulation plan for Point Pleasant. Even so, there are surviving War Department survey markers in Point Pleasant dating from 1875. See waymark WMD3E4.

Unique Designation: WDNo6HALIFAX Marker Type: Other Condition: Toppled or Moved

Visit Instructions:
To post a log for any benchmark, a photo will be required. When visiting any site please respect any private property rights that may exist. Given the number and age of the benchmarks, they may not be all accessible or even exist at this time.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   07/25/2022 jiggs11 visited it 11/04/2018 petendot visited it

View all visits/logs