Battery Sheds and Battery Wharf

 

                                                      Battery Sheds, oil on canvas, 24" x 24", Steven Rhude


At the entrance to St. John's harbor, on the slopes of Signal hill, a neighborhood called the 'Battery' is located. Reminiscent of a pell-mell kind of out port, fishermen sheds and houses clung to the slopes like sea birds in all sorts of weather. A google aerial view will now show that gentrification has transformed it since the days when it was home to 'chain rock', a chain that connected it to Fort Amherst, in order to prevent the entry of enemy ships into St. John's harbor. Later it was replaced by an anti-submarine net as warfare was modernized with WW2.



                                     Battery Wharf, oil on canvas, 24" x 24", Steven Rhude


I still marvel at the Battery, knowing full well it will never be entirely gentrified. It's a time out of mind place where one can easily get lost. Thankfully there will always be some hold outs.


Steven Rhude, Wolfville, NS  

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