Showing posts with label landmarks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label landmarks. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

#Folklorephoto The American Man of Spaniard's Bay


Gerald Crane stands next to a remaining American Man at Spider Pond near Spaniard's Bay, 2008
This photo shows a pile of rocks, called "The American Man" located at Spider Pond near Spaniard's Bay. Reminiscent of an inukshuk, the rocks were used as markers for direction when traveling across Spider Pond and Long Pond in stormy weather. Originally there were two markers at Spider Pond and one at Long Pond, though only the one pictured remains.

According to an article in The Compass written by Gerald Crane, in the early 1900s, fisherman from the area would travel along the Labrador coast. On the shore, they would see piles of rocks set up by Americans to mark good fishing ground. When the fishermen came back to the Spaniard's Bay area and set up the markers, they named these piles of rocks after their American friends.

Do you know of any similar land markers? Have you heard an other stories of the origin of The American Man? Have you visited The American Man at Spider Pond?

Source: "The American Man and Some Spots in Tilton" by Gerald Crane, The Compass, 17th March 2009

~ Kelly