Titanic's Connection to Nova Scotia
On her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic the night of April 14, 1912. Less than three hours later, the ship that would never sink descended to its final resting site. Of its 2,228 passengers and crew, 1518 lost their lives. The story of Titanic, a remarkable engineering feat of the early 20th century, continues to captivate our interest, hearts and emotions.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, played a specific role in the Titanic story. White Star officials in New York at first believed that the damaged Titanic would sail to Halifax, the closest major port and trains with relatives and immigration officials departed from New York to Halifax. Hours after Titanic sank, White Star Line commissioned cable ships based in Halifax to recover the bodies of victims. Of the 209 bodies brought to Halifax, 150 were laid to rest at three local cemeteries:
Titanic Exhibits in Halifax
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, located on the Halifax waterfront, is home to a permanent display of the largest and finest collection of wooden Titanic artifacts in the world. From April 12 to October 31, 2012, discover the role Halifax cable ships and their crews played in the Titanic recovery effort as you visit the cable ship exhibit at the Museum. Diaries of crewmen and mementos from their Titanic aftermath experiences will be on display and will provide a touching reminder of the enormity of the disaster and of the Titanic’s tragic end.
Nova Scotia Archives carries material including images, records and unique British magazines that are not digitized anywhere else on the internet. In April, additional information will be added to the existing online resource. You can view their virtual collections online.