For more than two and a half centuries Halifax has experienced both war and peace, growing from a frontier outpost to one of Canada's most appealing and forward-looking cities. For many years the fate of the city was determined by the rivalries among Britain, France, and the United States: conflict meant prosperity for Halifax in 1812 and again during the U.S. Civil War. During the Victorian era Halifax enjoyed lively commerce and manufacturing and an active and progressive social and cultural life. The early decades of the twentieth century, punctuated by economic depression, world war and the devastation of the 1917 Explosion, were difficult for the city. It was not until the 1960s that Halifax started to prosper again, its growth fuelled by government policies and trends favouring urbanization. Halifax: The First 250 Years brings together extensive research into the diversity of the city's development with more than 300 illustrations, many in colour, providing a vivid portrait of the city and its diverse residents through the years.