Little Dutch (Deutsch) Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Dutch Church |
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| 44°39′20.95″N 63°35′8.34″W / 44.6558194°N 63.5856500°W | |
| Location | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Anglican (Lutheran traditions) |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1760 |
| Events | 1760: steeple added |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 1756 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. George |
| Diocese | Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island |
| Province | Canada |
| Official name: Little Dutch (Deutsch) Church National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 22 September 1997 |
| Type: | Provincially Registered Property |
| Designated: | 27 October 1981 |
The Little Dutch (Deutsch) Church is a very old and important building in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It's the second-oldest building in the city, right after St. Paul's Church. This church was built for a group of immigrants called "Foreign Protestants" who came to Halifax. It's also the oldest place in Canada connected to the Lutheran faith. Today, it's recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada.
Contents
Church History
The story of the Little Dutch Church begins with a group of "Foreign Protestants". These were mostly German Palatines who settled in Halifax between 1750 and 1752. The land where the church stands might have been set aside for their religious use as early as 1750. However, the church itself was built a few years later.
When these immigrants arrived in Halifax, the city was facing many epidemics, which are widespread outbreaks of disease. For example, from September 1749 to April 1750, many people got sick. In late 1750, more "Foreign Protestants" arrived, increasing Halifax's population. One ship, the Ann, arrived with many sick and dying passengers. After this, the health of the community got worse, and more people were buried. By October, Governor Edward Cornwallis started quarantine measures to keep sick people away from healthy ones. The disease eventually slowed down. Experts think the disease might have been typhus.
The Mass Grave Discovery
Around the same time as the epidemic, about thirty people were buried in a mass grave on the land where the church would later be built. These people were buried without any personal items or even much clothing. Rope samples suggest that at least one person might have been buried in a simple cloth or shroud. The grave was covered with large stones, possibly to stop animals from disturbing it. The church was built right above this grave, which might mean it was put there on purpose.
In the 1990s, scientists studied the bones from this grave. They found that the people buried there were a mix of men, women, and children, but most were adults. Their bones did not show signs of injuries or long-term health problems. This suggests they died quickly from a disease that affected their soft body parts.
At first, people thought all the buried individuals were European. But later, one skull was found to belong to a man in his twenties who might have been Indigenous. His skull had features more common in Indigenous North Americans than in people from Central Europe or Africa. Also, his teeth showed wear patterns like those of people who ate a hunter-gatherer diet, including dried meats and seeds. We don't know who this man was, but some think he might have been a Mohawk. Records from St. Paul's mention the burial of a "Protestant Indian" named John Tray in 1750. There was also some evidence of people with possible African ancestors in the grave, though this is not fully confirmed.
Building and Restoration
The Little Dutch Church was built in 1756 and officially opened in 1760. The steeple, which is the tall pointed tower, was added in 1760. The church was started by Otto William Schwartz. It is the oldest church in Canada still standing that is connected to the German-Canadian community. It was an official chapel of St. Paul's Church.
The church was used regularly until 1800. After that, the growing church community moved to the larger St. George's "Round" Church nearby. The Little Dutch Church was then used less often. The churchyard was used for burials until the mid-1800s. Burials stopped then because of public health concerns and the city growing bigger. In 1896, during repairs, workers found bones under the church. These bones were reburied in a different pit, which was also found during later studies.
In 1994, a fire at St. George's Church meant the Little Dutch Church was used regularly again. This led to people looking closely at its condition. There were concerns about its foundation, so a restoration project began. The government of Nova Scotia became interested, and in 1996, archaeologists confirmed the 1896 discovery of bones. A bigger excavation happened in 1998 when a new concrete foundation was laid for the church. After the archaeological work, the bones were reburied in a new common grave. A special ceremony was held, involving the church, descendants of the original German settlers, German-Canadian groups, and Mi'kmaq spiritual leaders.
In 1997, the Little Dutch Church was named a National Historic Site of Canada. This helps to recognize the German heritage in Canada and is a symbol for German-Canadian identity.
Notable People Buried Here
Many important people are buried in the cemetery or beneath the Little Dutch Church.
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Otto William Schwartz (his tablet was moved to St. George's Round Church in 1831)
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Robert Fitzgerald Uniacke
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Johann Matthäus Holland, a Hessian (soldier)
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Anthony Henry Holland
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Anthony Henry (Printer)
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Rev Bernard Michael Houseal (a Loyalist from New York; friend of Prince Edward)
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- Major Leonard Lockman, who has a street named after him (now Brunswick St.)
- Elliot and Ella, children of Mark P Seward, from the 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot
- Elizabeth, wife of John Fraser, a Surgeon with the Nova Scotia Fencibles
- Johann Nikolaus Batz, a Hessian (soldier), in an unmarked grave
See also
- List of oldest buildings and structures in Halifax, Nova Scotia
- List of oldest buildings in Canada
- History of the Halifax Regional Municipality
- Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (Lunenburg)
- Hillcrest Cemetery (Lunenburg, Nova Scotia)
- Old Burying Ground (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
