Lawlor’s Dyke

This stone dyke is traditionally attributed to the Jamaica Maroons who came to Halifax from the Caribbean in 1796. Most left the province in 1800 and resettled in Africa. Some of the land that was purchased for the Maroons abutted this little piece of marsh at the top (northern) end of Cole Harbour on Lawlors Point. By dyking it with rocks it was possible to keep the high tides out and create a couple of acres of upland hay field. The Maroons didn’t take to farming for the most part and found Nova Scotia cold and inhospitable.