Halifax - York Redoubt National Historic Site

The first defense works outside Halifax are about 10km (6mi) away at Sandwich Point are now the York Redoubt National Historic Site. They were built in 1793 and substantially reinforced on the orders of Prince Edward, who had a tower built as part of his telegraph signaling system. The fort was later extensively renovated and named after Edward's brother, the Duke of York. It remained in military use until the Second World War, when it was the center for coordinating defense of the harbor and city against possible German attack.

This command post, a labyrinth of underground passages below the tower, is open to visitors. The tower itself, with displays on Halifax's fortifications, has a splendid view of the harbor on a clear day.

Along the walls of the redoubt there are 250mm (10in) front-loader cannons, and the adjoining buildings have such items on show as a furnace for heating up cannon-balls, and transport to take the hot cannon-balls to the cannons (cannon-balls were only heated for smooth-bore cannons).