So, these aren't really related to the Forum Gates in question but I thought I would post them for the sake of interest. The more I dig around the more rich history I'm uncovering about this piece of land.
I'm sure this one has probably been posted before but this is what the view would have looked like from the Forum's grandstand seating in OldDartmouthMark's photo from above.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48843839042_2a9a3dfea5_n.jpg)
Source: NS Archives -
https://gencat1.eloquent-systems.com...=aerial+ladder
The date on the photo says Aug. 11, 1952. Interesting to note the Piercey's smokestack in the upper left hand of the photo. Most noteably though is that the race track is gone and replaced by the Wellington Court housing. If I'm correct the army used this during WW2 then it was used as residential housing until 1976 when it was demolished to make way for the current Canada Post office.
I found these one day on a visit to the NS Archives. You'll have to forgive the absolute atrocious quality of the photos though. I didn't have my USB drive with me so in a pinch I used the camera on my phone.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48844465606_f1665da8e8_n.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48844663187_bbd9c03113_n.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48844466476_a1c9b3154f_n.jpg)
Source: NS Archives - Taken with the camera on my phone of images on their monitor
NS Archives has titled the first two images "Exhibition: Girl making a high dive". The third picture is a note written by the photographer on the back of one of the photos that reads "2 views taken by first camera I owned. Both taken at annual exhibition of Halifax. One shows girl making high dive, she is in the air - the other is taken from the Pavilion". Photo Drawer: Hfx: Exhibition
I found these photos particularly interesting because if you look closely you can see the back side of the Nova Scotia Cotton Manufacturing Company in the background. The photos did not have a date on them but the Cotton Factory did not open until 1883 so they were taken sometime after that. I was also interested in what the "Pavilion" was that the photographer mentioned in his note. To my surprise (or I just suck at Google, lol) I wasn't able to find any photos/information on what it was.
I'm taking a guess here but I'm assuming that it was the original seating at the Exhibition Grounds before the 1917 Explosion and the construction of the new Grandstand seating at the Forum racetrack. I found this postcard of the original Grounds with what I thought might be the Pavilion seating:
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48844653957_675bb468a9_n.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48844451951_c7109d80c0_n.jpg)
Source: Halifax Public Libraries -
http://digitalcollections.halifaxpub...ndle/10960/232
But then I found this advertisement for the 1897 Provincial Exhibition which shows different grandstands again. Interesting to note that the fence along the front of the grandstands is drawn somewhat similar in the advertisement as it appears in the undated photos above. Same time frame I wonder?
Anyway, the search for the Forum Gates continues.....
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48844633207_156de87ce2_n.jpg)
Source: Kijiji -
https://www.kijiji.ca/b-rideshare-ca...ved=1349775917