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Beechville black refugee settlement recognized as historically significant by N.S.

Facebook/ Beechville Baptist Church

A Halifax-area community settled by black refugees who escaped enslavement in the United States two centuries ago has been named a provincial heritage property.

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The settlement in Beechville contains land plots settled by black refugees during the War of 1812.

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Tony Ince, the minister of African Nova Scotia Affairs, announced the designation under the Heritage Property Act during a ceremony Tuesday at Beechville Baptist Church.

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A developer has proposed a subdivision in the area, and the community had sought the heritage designation.

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The province says it will ensure “the defining elements of the site’s character are preserved for future generations.”

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According to the Beechville Baptist Church web site, the first Black Loyalists arrived in 1816, and the province granted the refugees 1,000 acres of land.

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