In the 1818, or perhaps as late as 1820, that part of the north common known as Camp Hill, since appropriated as a public cemetery, as also all the swampy space westward of the drill ground, was in a state of nature, covered with cradle hills, laurel bushes and ground juniper. The butchers' boys kept their sheep there, and in autumn the swampy portions afforded to the sportsmen good ground for snipe, plover and curlew. An old building, known as the St. Andrew's Cross, stood on the hill at the corner where Quinpool Road, so-called, now meets the common. On the opposite side an old two story house called Quinpool, which had been the residence of a Mr. O'Brien, stood in a field to the north of the road. This old house became uninhabited and was afterward taken down by Dr. Cogswell, the proprietor of the property, when he divided the fields into building lots. There were two main roads leading from town to the Basin, both meeting at what was called the Three Mile House, a building erected by Mr. Shaw, a member of Assembly, as a hotel, afterwards known as Increase Ward's country house. The Wistermont Road was known as the Blue Bell Road from a very old house with a swinging sign which stood at the corner before you arrive at the Willow Park property. Mr. John Young, known as the author of the letters of Agricola, had then lately purchased this latter place, had improved the house and gardens, and was commencing to work it as a model farm. Further north were the old Dutch farms of Philip Bayer and Jacob Shefforth on either side of the road, surrounded by groups of old willow trees. The Bayer's house has disappeared, but that of the Shefforth family fell to the late Mr. Henry Vieth, who repaired the old buildings. The other road, known as the Fort Needham or Lady Hammond Road, was a prolongation of Gottingen Street. After passing the farms of the late John and James Merkel, it turned to the westward down the hill to the shore of the Basin at the Three Mile House. The Kempt Road had not yet been opened though for some time in contemplation. Two block houses, the remnant of the old fortifications of Halifax, overlooked these roads. The first or nearest blockhouse, was at Fort Needham on the hill south of the Governor's north farm. The other surmounted the hill just above the cottage of the late John Steel, called Three Mile Cottage, at the termination of the Blue Bell Road, near the present Three Mile Church. The old house at the Governor's north farm known as Lady Hammond's house was then in good repair, since fallen down. This house was erected by Lieut. Governor Hammond as a country residence for his family. The north farm, as it was called, extended eastward to the shores of the narrows and included the beech grove near the old railway station. This beautiful grove has been lately cut up by one of the Government Railway Superintendents who caused building lots to be laid off and sold in the grove. This fine collection