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History General

Lookout, The

A History of Signal Hill

by (author) James E. Candow

Publisher
Breakwater Books Ltd.
Initial publish date
Apr 2011
Category
General
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781897174715
    Publish Date
    Apr 2011
    List Price
    $18.95

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Where to buy it

Description

For centuries, Signal Hill has dominated both the skyline of St. John's, Newfoundland, and the hearts and minds of its residents. The Lookout traces the hill's remarkable history as a military site and communications centre, with special attention to its most famous building, the former signalling station Cabot Tower.

 

Conceived in 1897 as an expression of Newfoundland nationalism, the tower's meaning would change drastically over the years. Those changes, however, were always in step with broader currents in Newfoundland society. Signal Hill was the site of the first attempted transatlantic wireless transmission by Marconi in 1901. It has also been the site of defenses for St. John's Harbour from the eighteenth century right up to the Second World War.

 

Signal Hill is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in eastern Canada.

Finalist for the Democracy 250 Atlantic Book Award for Historical Writing

About the author

James E. Candow is from Gander, NL, and is a graduate of both Memorial and Dalhousie universities. He has written numerous articles, book chapters, and reviews and is the author of five books, including Cantwells’ Way: A Natural History of the Cape Spear Lightstation and The Lookout: A History of Signal Hill, which was shortlisted for the Atlantic Book Award for Historical Writing. He lives in Dartmouth, NS.

James E. Candow's profile page

Awards

  • Short-listed, The Democracy 250 Atlantic Book Award for Historical Writing

User Reviews

The Lookout

Because I have never been to St. John's this book was a compelling read, which only has made me more determined to visit this historic area and hopefully have good weather while there. Most of us know how the weather can be in Newfoundland at any given time but when I visited the west coast of the Island back in the 1970's it was brilliantly sunny & warm. Here's hoping for a great return to the east coast.

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