Dikes (Engineering) | Acadia Archives Digital Collections

Chart of dyking sods at West Long Island, Grand Pre

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Chart of dyking sods at West Long Island, Grand Pre from June to July 2000. Includes a comparison between black grass and salt meadow hay, their field weight, weight after they were air dried and total amount of water each sod held.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/9

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Shoreline, dykes, aboiteaux and placement of dyke walls and aboiteaux

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three base maps of the dykes, aboiteaux and shoreline from Wolfville to Grand Pre from 1760 - 1973 altered by Sherman Bleakney. Bleakney has indicated, in colour, the system of dyke walls from 1760-1950. Probably compiled by Sherman between 1994 and 1997.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/004

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: map

Palmeter Dyke

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Two coloured photos of the Palmeter Dyke taken in Grand Pre, N.S. Inscriptions - First photo: "Palmeter Dyke, layer of wood chips." Second photo: "layer of wood chips at soil-turf boundary - Palmeter Dyke area, erosion undercutting old dyke wall."

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/23

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Labeled drawings of a dyking spade

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: A traced drawing of a dyking spade. The parts of the spade are labelled.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/11

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Breaks in Dyke and flooding in Wolfville

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three black and white photographs of the Wolfville Dyke. First photo shows a break in the dyke in 1913. The second photo shows the flooding of the dyke in 1913. The third photo shows the road to the Government Wharf flooded in 1913.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/16

Creator: Graham, Edson, 1869-1956

Type: photograph

Broken Wickwire Dyke

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Four black and white aerial photographs from 1931. First and second photos have Acadia University in the foreground and the broken Wickwire Dyke after a storm on March 4 1931. Third photo is of Grand Pre, N.S. Fourth photo is of likely of the Grand Pre area. Inscriptions - "Air photos 347, 340"

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/16

Creator: McCully, R.T., (19-- - 1974?)

Type: photograph

Old dyke wall northeast Grand Pre

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Black and white photo of old dyke wall taken at Northeast Grand Pre. Inscription - "Valuable photo of Planter dyke wall construction says archaeologists at N.S. Museum."

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/23

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Dyking spades

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three photos of dyking spades and a want ad that requests dyking spades for examination and photographing.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/11

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Notes on "Les Aboiteaux en Acadie"

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Notes taken by Sherman Bleakney from Yves Cormier's book entitled "Les Aboiteaux en Acadie" regarding early European marshland exploration and dyke building in the Maritimes.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/11

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Aboiteau and marsh at Houston Beach

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos taken of an aboiteau and marsh at Houston Beach, N.S. Inscriptions - First photo: "most recent aboiteau in secondary dyke, note use of sapling." Second photo: "posts were part of the oldest dyke wall." Third photo: "remnants of old aboiteau."

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/22

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Dyking spades from East La Havre

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured and labelled photos of dyking spades from East La Havre, N.S. Inscriptions - First photo: "East La Havre, Robin Wyllie = collector, found in Kings County 20 years ago." Second photo: "East La Havre, Robin Wyllie = collector, both spades from Kentville area 20 some years ago." Third photo: "East La Havre, Robin Wyllie = collector, found in Kings County 20…

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/18

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Dykes, shore, and erosion

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: An aerial photo that has been written on by Sherman Bleakney. Indicates 1760 shoreline, 1808, 1952, 1988 dykes, a lighthouse, old wharf, and erosion in 1955.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/16

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Exposed Acadian aboiteau at the Grand Pre Dykelands (1994)

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Report compiled by Sherman Bleakney. Includes a description and discussion of a log aboiteau found by Nancy and Sherman Bleakney near the guzzle in Grand Pre. Recommendations for the excavation site are noted. Also included is a summary and chart of the survey conducted in August, 1994.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/4

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Dead dyke wall at Deportation Creek

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Two photographs and three maps of the "Dead Dyke" at "Deportation Creek" on the Grand Pre marshlands, Nova Scotia. Includes notes about the Acadian dykes by Sherman Bleakney and lot numbers of the Dead Dyke area in Horton.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/014

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Aboiteau and marsh at Houston Beach

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos taken of an aboiteau and marsh at Houston Beach, N.S. Inscriptions - First photo: "overview of outer and inner dyke walls and sites of two aboiteaux." Second photo: "posts were part of older dyke wall, aboiteau was built behind it, is a newer wall set farther back in the marsh." Third photo: "upstream end of sluice box."

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/22

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Minas Basin shoreline from Grand Pre area

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos of Minas Basin shoreline from Grand Pre area. Inscriptions - First photo: "Old Palmeter Dyke" Second photo: "black 'onion layers' old Palmeter dyke area, Grand Pre." Third photo: "Old Palmeter dyke, Grand Pre."

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/23

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Aboiteau, old sluice and marsh

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos taken of an aboiteau, old sluice and marsh at Houston Beach, N.S. Inscriptions - First photo: old sluice - functioning, intake. Second photo: brush in aboiteau wall. Third photo: Houston Beach marsh, old aboiteau.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/22

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Aboiteau construction

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Sketches of aboiteau construction, likely done by Sherman Bleakney.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/015

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: technical drawing

Paddle mallets from Kings County

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos of paddle mallets from Kings County. Inscriptions - First photo: "Newport Landing Museum, Hants County, possibly a paddle mallet for compressing the sods on face of new dyke." Second photo: "Newport Landing Museum, Hants County, could be a mallet for packing face of new dyke; operator stands on top of dyke (Ellis Gertridge)." Third photo: "Newport…

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/18

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Harrow, hay, ditching and barn manure forks from Upper Falmouth

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Two coloured photos of harrow forks, hay forks, ditching forks, and barn manure forks from James Eldridge's farm in Upper Falmouth. Inscriptions - First photo: "1. "harrow" fork for breaking up ground around stumps of newly cleared land in order to plant oats. 2. hayfork. 3. ditching fork, for clearing drain ditches, and for hauling/clawing sods from ditches being cut by other…

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/18

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

N.E. Grand Pre

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos taken in N.E. Grand Pre, N.S. Inscriptions - First photo: "new erosion cave and "cave in" has exposed a layer of wood chips; a work area outside of 1940's dyke (what purpose?)" Second photo: "area of old dykes from Long Island to Little Island. Row of Marsh Elder shrubs = old dyke wall??" Third photo: "new erosion just in front of old…

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/23

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Jonathan Crane : On dyking

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: An essay entitled "Crane, Jonathan: On Dyking" for the Acadian Recorder. Included is a summary of Crane's qualifications, the construction of access roads, aboiteau and sluice, sluice construction, incorporation of brush during construction, work teams and organization, the construction of the running dykes and repairs, blocking sluices and cross-connecting canals. Also included…

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/015

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Drainage patterns, maps and seros cycles

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: General Comments and Queries on the Grand Pre Acadian Dykelands compiled by Sherman Bleakney. Also includes: a Grand Pre Map with drainage patterns, comments on tidal creek drainage patterns on his 1994 base map, and a table of seros cycles.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/4

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Flooded Port Williams dyke and road

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: A black and white photograph of the flooded Port Williams Dyke and Road. Inscription - "Dyke broken at left of photo."

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/16

Creator: Graham, Edson, 1869-1956

Type: photograph

Horse tidal marsh clogs from Kings County

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos of horse tidal marsh clogs from Kings County. Inscriptions - First photo: "horse tidal marsh clogs, somewhat complex system of tightening, Marshall Rand, Delhaven, N.S." Second photo: "horse marsh clogs, Jon Rand, Wellington Dyke Road, N.S." Third photo: "horse tidal marsh clogs, Jon Rand, Wellington Dyke Road, N.S."

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/18

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Proposed enclosures of the Grand Pre dykelands in 1755

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Chart of the Proposed Enclosures of the Grand Pre Dykelands in 1755. Length of the new dyke walls, the additional area for each aboiteau and the enclosure numbers are included.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/4

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Aboiteau and old sluice

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos taken of an aboiteau and old sluice at Houston Beach, N.S. Inscriptions - First photo: "old sluice - outflow opening." Second photo: "old sluice box, clapped iton straps and one plank in gate." Third photo: "sluice hinge, old dyke, Houston Beach, N.S."

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/22

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Reports about Grand Pre dykes

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Report entitled "Question re: Grand Pre Dyke Walls" by Sherman Bleakney about the placement and sequence of the extensions of the Acadian dyke walls and aboiteaux from 1682-1755. Includes a description and analysis of the drainage maps and marshland, a "Block by Block Sequence of the Acadian dykes" and a chart on the "Hypothetical Dyking Sequence of Grand Pre by Acadians…

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/4

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Dyking spades from Birmingham, England and Sackville, N.B.

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured and labelled photos of dyking spades from Birmingham, England and Sackville, N.B. Inscription - First photo: "Lewis Millett's spade, made in New Brunswick by Charles Siddal, blacksmith." Second photo: "Lewis Millett old spade, New Minas, N.S." Third photo: "upper is a C.AD.S made spade, belong to Lewis Millett, New Minas, N.S. Lower is a Birmingham…

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/18

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Aboiteau and old sluice

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos taken of an aboiteau and old sluice at Houston Beach, N.S. in the winter. Inscriptions - First photo: "location of the old sluice box and brush wall - is encased and buried by ice." Second photo: ""aboiteaux creek" to right of French Glass site." Third photo: "from top of sand bank and ice - creeke - French Glass site and sluice at extreme…

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/22

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Aboiteau and old sluice

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three coloured photos taken of an aboiteau and old sluice at Houston Beach, N.S. Inscriptions - First photo: "site #4 - old sluice, note crossed tie down stakes. Are timbers drilled all the way through?" Second photo: "downstream from sluice #1." Third photo: "site #4 - old sluice box (where Acadian period glass was found)."

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/22

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: photograph

Spade catalogues

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: A selection of spade measurements taken from spades analyzed by Sherman Bleakney. One photo of a spade is included that corresponds with the spade measurements of spade #14. Inscription - "West Hants Sco. Mus. #295 made by Brades and co.*096"

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/11

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Dyking procedures

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Memo from Sherman Bleakney about his calculations of Acadian dyking procedures at Grand Pre to "Those who may not have noticed yet." Includes a descriptive note, a table of calculations and calculations of work days needed for the constructions of the dykes.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/4

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Horse drags used in dyke construction

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: A description of horse drags, used in dyke construction, and their loads of sods. Included is a chart of the estimates of loads of sods on a horse drags and a diagram of a horse drag.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/011

Creator: Bleakney, John Sherman, 1928-2019

Type: textual record

Break in the Wolfville Dyke

Collection: Sherman Bleakney

Description: Three black and white photographs of the Wolfville Dyke. First photo shows a break in the Wolfville Dyke in 1931. Second photo shows the road to Wolfville Light flooded in 1931. The third photo is of the flooded road to the Government Wharf in Wolfville in 1913.

Accession Number: 2004.039-BLE/016

Creator: Graham, Edson, 1869-1956

Type: photograph

Correspondence concerning building a running dyke, with attached plan

Collection: Grand Pre Marsh Body

Description: Letter to Waldon Kennedy from the Grand Pre Marsh Body regarding a deed for a running dyke to be built by the M.M.R.A. Amount of compensation is described and prices listed. Attached is a plan of the breakdown of a section of the right of way required by the M.M.R.A. on the east dyke on the Grand Pre Marsh and a hand written list of proprietors and possibly estimates of compensation for damages…

Accession Number: 2007.032-GMB/006

Type: map