NEWFOUNDLAND TOWNS

Few and Far Between

TWILLINGATE Ice berg capital of world

 

     The quaint scenic old fishing village, one of Newfoundland’s oldest seaports, has a famous lighthouse overlooking picturesque Notre Dame Bay. Residents have made their living from the sea for two centuries. Today it remains a fishing and sealing town. Four main islands are connected by causeways. The population of the islands is approximately 5000 divided among 17 communities in an area called the Kittiwake Coast.

     Settlers arrived in the 1700s. The area acted as a trading station for merchants from England in the mid 1700s. The village had its own newspaper 1883-1953.

Unique pit saw

     We visited Prime Berth, a private museum created and run by David Boyd. Dave a 60-year old fisherman started at age six with his dad. Here I saw a replica of a pit saw. With no power of any kind the logs had to be cut by hand. By building the saw into a hill one man could be above and one down below so that a long saw could be pushed and pulled through the log. It didn’t produce a perfect board like saw mills do but it worked. Electricity did not arrive in this part of the world until 1963.     Always looking for something different and new I was fascinated with that pit saw.

    Later we moved on to the shed over the water which is called a stage. We were told every fisherman has a stage. It is where the fish are prepared. To demonstrate he took a cod and broke off its head, then cut away the backbone. The cod resembled a kite when laid flat. It was then salted and left for days to cure before being moved out into the sun to dry. The liver was removed and put in a bucket of water where after a few days cod liver oil could be collected and bottled.

    From the head the tongue and the cheeks were cut out. The cheeks are like scallops and both the tongue and cheeks are eaten by the family, not marketed.

    Two small round bones removed from under the cheeks are ivory-like and called ootlith. If sliced crosswise, growth rings can be counted to determine the age of the cod. Today these little bones are finding their way into jewelry, especially ear rings.

    At one time the cod was so thick in this area one could walk on them. They were over fished and the stock was badly depleted when the steel boats and nets came into practice. It was necessary to put a moratorium on cod fishing, which was particularly hard on fishermen who had fished for generations. One year there was no cod fishing at all.

After leaving this very interesting and informative visit we stopped at the 331 foot high Long Point Lighthouse,1867. A foghorn blasts every 60 seconds. The unique design of this lighthouse encompasses a square cylindrical base topped with an octagonal conical and tapering 50-foot tower. The brick structure was encased in concrete after it cracked during a 1929 earthquake. A covered passageway attaches a round watch room to 1-1/2 story keeper's house. The tower is painted red, the lantern and watch room is painted white. It is staffed by the Coast Guard as a light station.

CORNER BROOK

    The city of Corner Brook, now with a population of 100,000, grew up around the mill and inn. The city is nestled among the folded and faulted Long Range Mountains, which are a continuation of the Appalachian Mountains stretching from Georgia. Set at the mouth of the Bay of Islands the city is 25 miles inland from open waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is an area of rugged and beautiful scenery including magnificent fjords, jagged headlands, thick forests, and many off shore islands. Wildlife, forest and water mingle with the city's borders.

     Corner Brook, the second largest city in Newfoundland, is the hub of the west coast. The city has a long and diverse history. People have lived and worked along the shores of the Bay of Islands for thousands of years.

    In 1767 Capt. James Cook was first to survey and map the Bay of Islands. Mountains fringe three sides of the city. The area has more clearly defined seasons than the rest of the province so lovely gardens bloom in summer.

    It is a marketing and distribution point for local fishermen who fish the Strait of Belle Isle in summer and who spent winters working in Corner Brook’s lumber woods. The arrival of the railway contributed to permanent settlement, which was followed by the construction of a paper and pulp industry. Soon after WW II a cement plant and gypsum plant were established adding to the economy

    Four distinct areas with unique commercial activities make up the city. Curling has its fishery, Corner Brook West has retail businesses, Corner Brook East has railway operations, and Townsite has the world’s largest pulp and paper mill ever undertaken in the history of paper making. In 1956 these four communities became the present day City of Corner Brook.

    Between the Old World Heritage, scenery that changes every mile, the most spectacular coastline in Canada, quaint coastal villages and smiling friendly people who speak with an Irish lilt, Newfoundland is truly a special place. It is unspoiled, has few tourists and the air is fresh and clean. The people were warm and friendly with a wry good sense of humor, and we had a fabulous time here.

NEWFOUNDLAND HISTORY

A Little Trivia Too

     John Cabot sailed to Newfoundland in 1497 with sixteen Englishmen and one Burgundian, but the English made no effort to colonize. Portuguese established the first regular fishery in the early 1500s. In 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert arrived in St. John’s with letters from Queen Elizabeth authorizing him to take possession of Newfoundland. However John Guy established the first English colony in 1610. In 1623 Sir George Calvert, later known as Lord Baltimore, arrived in Newfoundland from Yorkshire, England. A patent from King James conveyed the whole southern peninsula to him. He built a fine house and resided there with his family for many years. In his later years he left for Maryland and founded Baltimore.

     In 1713 British sovereignty over Newfoundland was recognized by the Peace of Utrecht. Labrador became a British possession in 1763 under the Treaty of Paris, but it was transferred to Quebec in 1774. It became part of Newfoundland in 1809, but the boundary with Quebec remained in dispute until 1927. Colonization of Labrador did not take place until the 19^th century. In 1832 Great Britain granted Newfoundland representative government and self-government in 1855. In 1948 Newfoundland united itself with Canada and in March 1949 became the tenth Canadian province.

     In 1650 the population from Cape Race to Cape Bonavista was 2000. In 1662 The French founded Placentia, known as ye ancient capital. Nearly thirty-five years later in 1696 The French captured St. John’s and all surrounding areas. In 1729 Captain Henry Osbourne, an Englishman, was appointed governor.

     Historical records mention the first seal fishery in 1763. The first lighthouse was built at the entrance to St. John’s harbor in 1811. Fires in 1816 and 1817 destroyed St. John’s. The railroad arrived in 1881 and electricity in 1886. In 1888 dollars and cents replaced the pound shilling and pence. In 1892 another fire in St. John’s destroyed the city leaving 11,000 people homeless. The Wabana iron ore mine opened in 1895 and shipments were made to Europe and America. Mail and the first passenger train arrive in 1898. A hydroelectric plant at Churchill Falls, Labrador began operating in 1971.

    Exploitation of the abundant mineral resources began in 1864. Disputes over fishing grounds have existed for years.

A little Trivia

    The trans-Canada highway starts in St John’s with marker zero and extends 4660 miles across the country to Victoria, British Columbia,

   The word fish refers to cod, if any other fish is talked about it is identified by name.

   Tickle refers to a small stream of water.

   Wedgies are fried potato chunks.

   Deck on a house is called a bridge.

   Shed is a store and a store is a shop.

   If you are not a Newfoundlander, you are from away.

  In rural areas front doors frequently do not have any steps because the house is      considered not finished and the taxes are lower. It is referred to as the mother-in-law door.

  Screech is rum.

  The pitcher plant eats bugs.

  The partridge berry tastes a lot like a cranberry.

  Scuff means to dance, scoff means to eat so one can partake of a scuff and dance.

  The Newfoundland pony was imported from Ireland and England. They weigh about 700     pounds and have strong forequarters.