Mosquito School House and Blundon House Receive New Historic Plaques

On Friday, Heritage NL visited two of our registered heritage structures on the Baccalieu Trail, Mosquito School House in Bristol's Hope and Blundon House in Bay de Verde.

Blundon House in Bay de Verde

Mosquito School House in Bristol's Hope

Built-in 1896, Blundon House is the last remaining merchant house in Bay de Verde and one of only a few on the lower North Shore of Conception Bay. Originally owned by local merchant John Blundon, the house's exterior accents, ornate detailing, and separate servants' quarters set it apart from other houses in the community through its upper-class owners. His son James later inherited the house.

Community of Bay de Verde

Blundon house was donated by Dorothy Blundon, the widow of James Blundon, to the Town of Bay de Verde in 1996, 100 years after it was constructed. It is now preserved and used as the Bay de Verde Heritage House, where it is open to visitors in the summer. Blundon House was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1997.

New Blundon House Plaque

Mosquito School House in Bristol's Hope also received a new plaque. This one-room schoolhouse was built around 1823 and was used as a school for over 100 years. Originally built by the Colonial and Continental Church Society, the schoolhouse was located next to the local Methodist church (later United), which was later demolished.

Mosquito School House exterior

Mosquito School House Interior

The exterior of Mosquito School House has recently been restored, and the interior is representative of a traditional Newfoundland one-room school house. Mosquito School House was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL in 1988.

New Mosquito School House Plaque

Drake House Receives New Historic Plaque

Earlier this month Drake House in Arnold's Cove received a new historic plaque presented by past Heritage NL chair Dave Lough. 

Drake House in Arnold's Cove

While Drake House has been located in Arnold’s Cove for over 50 years and serves an invaluable function as a community museum, it was originally built in the 1890s in the now resettled community of Haystack. Haystack was part of the government-sponsored resettlement program implemented in Newfoundland and Labrador between 1954 and 1975 that resulted in the resettlement of almost 260 communities and the relocation of over 27 thousand people. Drake House, through its history and its current role as a museum, preserves the heritage of our province and teaches us about this important part of our history. The house is also a good example of late 19th century outport architecture built using local, traditional materials.

Frank Drake outside Drake House circa 1941

In 1969, Frank Drake reluctantly had Drake House towed to Arnold’s Cove to its current location, ending permanent settlement at Haystack. The Drake House was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL in 2003 due to its social and aesthetic significance. 

Drake House in Haystack

The new plaque reads: This house was built in the Placentia Bay community of Haystack by brothers

George and John Drake. George's son, Frank, became Haystack's last resident following resettlement in the 1950s. He stayed until 1969 when the house was moved to its present site. The house continues to tell the story of resettlement as a community museum.

Drake House plaque

You can learn more about Drake House here.

Traditional Games scheduled for the Change Islands Squidathlon

The Change Islands Squidathlon is scheduled for Sunday, Aug 21, 2022. This annual event includes afternoon events that are reviving games played in the past on the island. This includes Change Islands style ball, piddly, and skittles. For more information check out the Squidathlon of Change Islands Facebook Page. 

Change Islands style Ball (1:30pm) : A popular island game played more regularly in the past with local aspects such as no second base and no foul balls with the ball pictured below.

Change Islands style ball

Change Islands style bat and ball

Piddly (3pm) : Piddly, also known as Tiddly in some communities, will be back.

Skittles (3:45pm) : Peter Porter, Olde Shoppe Museum, as a young boy recalls seeing Skittles being played behind the SUF Hall. Rules in the old country vary however and we plan to reintroduce a version by a local replicating nine skittle pins similar to the one on display in the museum. As the ball aka cheese we have officially adopted the use of turnips.

Skittle pin from the Olde Shoppe Museum.

Recreated skittles pins, and a turnip for ball or cheese.

If you are interested in learning more about Piddly (also known as Tiddly) you can check out this short video from the 2017 Carbonear World Cup of Tiddly:

If you want to learn more about children's games in Newfoundland and Labrador check out the Provincial Historic Commemorations Designation page all about Traditional Games of Newfoundland and Labrador. You can read through two commemorations research papers, and read the booklet Looking Back: Games We Played. 

Heart and Hand Loyal Orange Lodge Receives New Historic Plaque

Heritage NL presented a new historic plaques on Sunday to the Heart and Hand Loyal Orange Lodge in Green's Harbour as part of the communities Come Home Year opening celebrations.

Heart and Hand Loyal Orange Lodge in Green's Harbour 

Heritage NL chair Dr. Lisa Daly unveiled the Heart and Hand LOL plaque following the completion of recent restorations on the Loyal Orange Lodge. 

Dr. Lisa Daly speaks at Green's Harbour Ceremony

Partially funded by a Restoration Grant by Heritage NL, work was completed to preserve the structures roof, windows, and exterior walls. More information about the Heart and Hand Lodge is in our most recent Heritage Update here.

Heart and Hand prior to restorations in 2013

The Hand and Heart LOL #9 was originally constructed between 1895 to 1898 in Green’s Harbour by local members of the Loyal Orange Lodge as a site for their organizations meetings and for community events. Throughout the years the building has also been used as a polling station during provincial and federal elections, for writing public exams, and as a judicial courtroom. The Heart and Hand LOL was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL in 1995 due to its social and aesthetic significance. 

Heart and Hand Lodge with new plaque

More information is available about the Heart and Hand Lodge here.

Burgess Property Plaque Unveiling and Open House

On Sunday, July 17th, Heritage NL presented several historic plaques to the Burgess Property in Whiteway, which was followed by an open house of the property.

Several Burgess Property Outbuildings

The Burgess Property was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL in 2020 due to its historic and aesthetic value, and for its connection to the Burgess family, who were the first permanent settlers in Whiteway (then Witless Bay, Trinity Bay). Following the recent restoration of the Burgess Property structures, Heritage NL was proud to present them with a historic plaque.

Burgess Root Cellar with historic tools

The new plaque reads: “Burgess Property is a collection of structures built and operated by the Burgess family over six generations. The arrangement of the property’s component buildings speaks to settlement patterns in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, while the structures themselves are good examples of the diversity of residential and working buildings of the period.

Charles (1818-1898) and Sarah (1828-1894) Burgess arrived in Whiteway (then Witless Bay, Trinity Bay) from Carbonear with their three children in 1862. By 1871 the Burgess family comprised eight of the community’s twelve inhabitants. Though early Burgess men were recorded as fishermen, the family was active in several lines of business including sail-making, sawing lumber, boat-building, and barrel-making. Naomi Burgess (1850-1934), daughter-in-law to Charles and Sarah, was a midwife who practiced from the property.

Historical barrel-making artifacts
were on display at the open house.

The Burgess buildings are located between Jimmy Rowe’s Pond and Trinity Bay, the former a source of fresh water and ice and the latter a source of income. The cluster of related buildings speaks to the diverse functions of outport family premises and the sources of income they often drew on. The structures are largely utilitarian with no decorative trim. The house is differentiated from the outbuildings by the use of clapboard rather than wood shingles. The form of each speaks to its function and evolution over time. The large door of the mill indicates use for loading material while the store addition to the stable has a lower roof slope and different roofing material. The present house was built circa 1902 for Naomi and Henry Charles (1852-1915) Burgess after the previous house was destroyed by fire, though exact dates of construction for the outbuildings are unknown.”

New Burgess Property Plaque

Each building of the Burgess Property is also being presented with an individual plaque include the stable and store (built by 1897), the root cellar (built during late 1800’s), the fishing stage (built circa 1900), the house (built 1902-1903), and the saw mill (built 1916-1919). 

Burgess Stable

The event was opened with a speech by the chair of Heritage NL's board, Dr. Lisa Daly and a ribbon cutting completed by the youngest generation of the Burgess family.

Dr. Lisa Daly 

Numerous members of the Burgess family were present to answer questions and historic artifacts associated with the property and community of Whiteway were on display.

Heritage NL like to extend a special thanks to the Burgess family for allowing the public a chance to explore the outbuildings of the Burgess Property.

Learn more about the Burgess Property here and here.

Heart’s Content Rendell Forge Opening Hours July 27 – Aug 5, 2022

Rendell Forge

Heart’s Content Rendell Forge Opening Hours July 27 – Aug 5, 2022
Our blacksmith for this summer, Sarah MacAulay, is currently doing training in Ontario and will be opening the forge July 27, just in time for Come Home Out Of It activities in Heart's Content. Please see the following schedule and share with friends!

Sarah MacAulay, Blacksmith Apprentice.

(Note: The Rendell Forge, Main Road, Heart’s Content, has been recently restored by the Heart’s Content Mizzen Heritage Society and Heritage NL with financial assistance from the provincial government’s Come Home Year 2022 funding. It will be closed from July 2-26 for blacksmith training and will be open to the public during the following times. Watch for more openings for later in August.)

July 27, 2-6 pm

July 28, 10-3 pm*

July 29, 10-1pm

July 30, closed

July 31, 2-6 pm (3-4 pm demo basic hooks and points) 

August 1, 9-4 pm (11-1 pm demo one prong fire poker) *

August 2, 11-1 pm (demo basic knife blade)

August 3, 11-1 pm (demo scroll work/decorative spiral work)

August 4, 11-1 pm (demo fire poker)

August 5, 11-1 pm (demo fine work- hair pins)

*The forge will be closed from 1-2 pm for lunch each day

To learn more about the history of the Rendell Forge, and the Rendell family of blacksmiths read our fieldnote about the forge here!

Ian Gillies and Sarah MacAulay. 

Ian Gillies, Blacksmith Mentor.

Headstone Cleaning in Blackhead Cemetery

Yesterday our team headed out to the Roman Catholic Cemetery in Blackhead for a little introduction to headstone cleaning. We were joined by some volunteers from the Blackhead One Room School and Church Building which is just next door to the cemetery. To learn more about the St. Joseph's Chapel and it's heritage designation click here!

First we wet the headstones with water. Here Dale is using a garden sprayer to make sure to cover the whole stone with water before starting. 

Dale spraying a stone with water.

Next we mixed up a mix up a sprayer with 50% water and 50% D2 Biological Solution. D2 is biodegradable and safe to use on a range of surfaces including headstones to remove stains from mould, mildew, algae, lichens, and air pollutants. We also found out yesterday that it works well to remove bird poop as well! Here Lara is spraying a stone with the D2-water mixture. 

Lara spraying a headstone with D2 and water.

Next up we used *soft* bristle brushes (never metal) to make soft circular motions to clean the stone. We are extremely careful with the amount of pressure we place on the stone so we don't move or break the base. Lara is doing a demonstration for the group here.

Lara is carefully brushing the stone.

Here is a photo of the group hard at work!

Group cleaning headstones in the Blackhead cemetery.

Here are some before and after photos from our first headstone cleaning workshop in July 2021. This workshop was led by Robyn Lacy and Ian Petty of Black Cat Cemetery Preservation. You can see how the cleaning has brightened the stone and removed lichen. Over time the D2 will continue to work to brighten the headstone in the sun and deter further growth on the headstone. 

Plaques to be Unveiled for the Burgess Property Registered Heritage Structure in Whiteway

Dr. Lisa Daly, Chair, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (Heritage NL), invites you to celebrate the designation of the Burgess Property as a Registered Heritage Structure and the unveiling of several heritage plaques.

Please join Heritage NL for the ribbon cutting followed by an open house, Sunday, July 17, 2022 from 1:00-4:00 pm at the Burgess Property on Burgess Lane in Whiteway.

In 1862 Charles and Sarah Burgess and their children moved to Whiteway, becoming the community’s first permanent residents. The Burgess property consists of a house, a stable and store, a sawmill, a root cellar, and a fishing stage which were built between 1860-1900. The Burgess family were involved with several industries including fishing, producing lumber for building houses and boats, and Naomi Burgess was a midwife who practiced from the property.

The Burgess Property was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL in 2020 due to its historic and aesthetic value. Restoration of the house and several outbuildings was recently completed, in part through funding from Heritage NL’s Restoration Grant Program.

Learn more about the Burgess Property here and here.

Heritage Underground - A History of Root Cellars in Newfoundland and Labrador

Spence root cellar, Brigus.
Heritage NL, 2011.

In their travels, visitors to Newfoundland and Labrador might be surprised to see numerous little doorways peeking out of hillsides across the province. These are our root cellars. While they are not unique to this province, they are a part of our history and are a familiar sight in many communities.

Today, a selection of stories about the history, archaeology and folklore of root cellars go online as part of Heritage Underground - A History of Root Cellars in Newfoundland and Labrador. This exhibition was developed by Heritage NL, with an investment from Digital Museums Canada.

Root cellars are insulated structures built above ground, or wholly or partly buried in the ground. They are used to preserve vegetables and protect them from frost and rot. Root cellars were a crucial part of a subsistence lifestyle, giving fishing families the ability to preserve the food they grew, in order to survive the long winters along the rugged coastlines of the province.

Little Harbour root cellar.
Photographed by Otto Samsome, 2008.

“This website is a great opportunity to share stories about this traditional food storage method,” says Heritage NL Executive Director Dale Jarvis. “Some of the history may be well known, while some of the subterranean folklore about boo-darbies, babies, and silver shovels might be specific to certain communities or regions. All of the information, including five common root cellar styles, is available in both English and French.”

This online project was developed with the support of the Digital Museums Canada investment program. Digital Museums Canada is managed by the Canadian Museum of History, with the financial support of the Government of Canada. This investment program helps build digital capacity in Canadian museums and heritage organizations and gives Canadians unique access to diverse stories and experiences.

Come with us, and explore the fascinating underground heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador’s root cellars.

English:
Heritage Underground - A History of Root Cellars in Newfoundland and Labrador


Français:
Patrimoine souterrain - Petite histoire des caves à légumes à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador


For more information or photos, contact:
Terra Barrett
Heritage NL
terra@heritagenl.ca
709-739-1892 x2

Change Islands root cellar.
Heritage NL, 2021.

June Heritage Update - Historic Paint Colours, Craft Mentorships, and more!

 

• Historic Paint Colours
• Placentia Area Historical Society's birthday
• Funding approved for craft at risk mentorships
• The Story of the First Trans-Atlantic Telegraph Cable
• Heart and Hand LOL (Loyal Orange Lodge) #9 in Green’s Harbour
• Jenkins House in Twillingate, and
• St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Trinity, Trinity Bay

Download the pdf

Public meeting: Restoring the Pouch Cove SUF Hall

The Pouch Cove Heritage Society in partnership with HeritageNL, the Dept. of Tourism, Culture, Arts & Recreation and the Dept. of EIT (Social Enterprise) invites Pouch Cove area residents to a public meeting regarding the restoration of the SUF Hall in Pouch Cove.

Register at this link:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/public-meeting-restoration-of-the-pouch-cove-suf-hall-tickets-366779857427

Wed. June 29th
7:30 - 9:30 pm
Anglican Church Hall
Pouch Cove

Saving Endangered Crafts: Introducing Heritage NL's Newest Batch of Mentor-Apprentice Participants

Mentor and apprentice pair Jennifer Morgan and Virginia Stoddart in Jennifer's printing studio. 

From birch brooms to beading, traditional skills at risk of being lost in Newfoundland and Labrador just got a boost from Heritage NL.

Twenty new projects from all across the province that pair a learner with an experienced craftsperson have been given the green light by Heritage NL, the provincial agency that deals with historic places and living heritage. This adds to a set of partnerships established earlier in the year.

The Heritage NL Mentor-Apprentice Program is a one-on-one immersion program that provides funding up to $10,000 to support the teaching of endangered crafts and skills from an established mentor to an apprentice craftsperson or tradesperson.

“The traditional craft sector is an important part of our contemporary economy, especially in rural areas,” says folklorist Dale Jarvis, Executive Director of Heritage NL. “We are excited to support these tradition bearers and entrepreneurs in learning and promoting skills and crafts that otherwise might fade away.”

The participants will have up to a year to work together, teaching and learning a variety of skills including spruce root basket making, blacksmithing, coopering, and sealskin work. Applications for this pilot program are now closed. For more information about the Heritage NL Craft at Risk List or Mentor-Apprentice Program see heritagenl.ca/programs/craft-at-risk/.

This program is supported by the Labour Market Partnerships program, Department of Immigration, Skills and Labour, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The approved mentor/apprentice projects are as follows:

Beadwork
Mentor Bonnie Miller, Norris Arm North, with apprentice Starlynn Shears-Osmond, Grand Falls-Windsor.

Blacksmithing
Mentor Ian Gillies, Conception Bay South, with apprentice Sarah MacAulay, Mount Pearl;
and
Mentor Dennis Flood, Change Islands, with apprentice Timothy Penton, Joe Batt’s Arm.

Coopering
Mentor Lester Cooper, Trinity, with apprentice Darren Hookey, Trinity.

Bodhran making (Irish frame drum)
Mentor Paddy Mackey, Flatrock, with apprentice Bryan Poirier, St. John’s.

Komatik building (winter sled with runners)
Mentor Adam Greening, Port Blandford, with apprentice Joey Efford, Port Blandford;
and
Mentor Walter Fowler, Capstan Island, with apprentice Peter Fowler, South Branch;
and
Mentor Alfred Winters, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, with apprentice David Chaulk and Francine Winters, Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Letterpress printing
Mentor Duncan Major, St. John’s, with apprentice Katie Butler Major, St. John’s;
and
Mentor Jennifer Morgan, St. John’s, with apprentice Virginia Stoddard, Bay Bulls;
and
Mentor Marnie Parsons, Tors Cove, with apprentice Abigail Hann, Port Blandford.

Mi’kmaq style moccasins
Mentor Loretta John, Conne River, with apprentice Kevin Drew, Conne River.

Millinery
Mentor Charlotte Reid, St. John’s, with apprentice Erica Dawe, St. John’s.

Running birch brooms
Mentor Richard Park, Gillams, with apprentice Michelle Park, Corner Brook.

Sealskin work including slippers and mittens
Mentor Barb Rumbolt, Mary’s Harbour, with apprentice Niki Greeley, Mary’s Harbour.

Spruce root basket making
Mentor Eileen Murphy, Corner Brook, with apprentice Sandi Yates, Gillams.

Weaving skills
Mentor Morgaine Parnham, Bonavista, with apprentice Sylvie Mitford, Bonavista.

Window/Door Making
Mentor David Winsor, Broad Cove, with apprentice Ben Marx, St. John’s.

Wriggle fence building
Mentor Guy Barnable, Ferryland, with apprentice Eric Escudero, St. John’s;
and
Mentor Jody Chaulk, Bloomfield, with apprentice Gracie Russell, Lethbridge.


For more information or photos, contact:

Dale Jarvis
Heritage NL
dale@heritagenl.ca
https://heritagenl.ca/programs/craft-at-risk/ 

Stay tuned to Heritage NL's social media for updates on our Mentor-Apprentice program!

Photo submitted by Niki Greeley.
Niki is an apprentice in sealskin work including slippers and mittens. 

Tacking the skin on a bodhran drum. Photo submitted by Paddy Mackey.
Paddy is a mentor for instrument making, specifically bodhran drums. 

Ian Gillies with an anvil in Rendell's Forge in Heart's Content.
Ian is a blacksmith mentor.

Heritage NL Revitalization Grant - Pilot Project for community heritage projects involving Registered Heritage Structures

Heritage NL has redeveloped its restoration grant funding to better provide a suite of services to owners of Registered Heritage Structures. The Board is looking for projects that blend the restoration of a designated property with community planning workshops, architectural history research, and opportunities for transmission of traditional skills related to conservation of the site or the site’s history. The grant is intended to direct funding to projects that demonstrate community value as well as a need for material conservation. Project proposals in the $30,000 to $50,000 range will be considered, and successful projects will be funded on a 50/50 cost shared basis. In addition, grant recipients will work with Heritage NL staff to determine what other in-kind supports would benefit the project.


Example: The Salvage Fishermen’s Museum was approved for a grant for exterior restoration of the structure. In addition to the grant itself, Heritage NL worked with the local committee to: run a community People, Places, and Culture workshop; compile a comprehensive architectural history of the structure to aid in the conservation process; conduct research on family names and neighborhoods and develop a map; write a heritage report for the town with recommendations and suggestions for future work; teach a workshop on headstone digitization and facilitate a cemetery cleanup; assist with grant writing to help the museum hire a summer coordinator position; and work with the local committee to organize an official plaque unveiling ceremony at the end of their project.


Owners of any previously-designated Registered Heritage Structure may apply for restoration funding. An easement on the property must be in place to be eligible. Priority will be given to small to medium sized projects that:

• Clearly demonstrate broad community involvement and support;
• Will benefit from the provision of advice, research, and training from Heritage NL staff and the organization’s related training or Intangible Cultural Heritage programs;
• Are located in areas that have been under-represented in previous grant cycles, including Western and Central Newfoundland, and Labrador;
• Address or represent themes that have been under-represented in previous grant cycles, including Indigenous history, women’s history, and multi-ethnic heritage;
• Represent outstanding examples of the built heritage of the Modern/Industrial period or agricultural sites;
• Represent sites which include significant cultural landscapes as part of the designation.

Applications will be juried in a competitive process by the Board of Directors of Heritage NL. Funding is limited, and application does not guarantee funding. Approved grants are good for two years from the date of a signed Grant Contract agreement, and work must abide by the conditions of the Contract and follow the Standards and Guidelines for Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. Grants are paid following the successful completion of work and submission of a Final Project Report and all required documentation.


Deadline to apply: 27 May 2022

For application form visit https://heritagenl.ca/restoration/grants/ 

Historic Paint Colours of Newfoundland and Labrador Launch, April 28th

Heritage NL & Benjamin Moore Paint Shop Release Historic Paint Colours of Newfoundland and Labrador booklet.

Mount Pearl, NL (April 27, 2022) You are invited to attend a virtual launch of the Historic Paint Colours of Newfoundland and Labrador booklet.

Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador is proud to partner with the Benjamin Moore Paint Shop to present the Historic Paint Colours of Newfoundland and Labrador booklet. The Paint Shop is an NL company that has been in business for almost 50 years. With nearly 40 locations, the Paint Shop remains committed to growing in this province while continuing to expand into Atlantic Canada. Kerri Hodder, Marketing Manager with the Paint Shop, says, "This partnership with Heritage NL solidifies our commitment to being the keepers of the colours of Newfoundland and Labrador."

With locations in larger centres and some of our most historic communities like Twillingate and Bonavista, the Paint Shop was the natural choice to partner with for this booklet. 

Whether you are looking for Dorset Gold HC-8 to match your pop's dory buff or Watermelon Red 2087-20 to fit in on Jelly Bean Row, you'll find them all at the Paint Shop along with our Historic Paint Colours of Newfoundland and Labrador booklet.

The booklet will be launched via Zoom on Thursday, April 28th, 2022, at 3 pm.

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://tinyurl.com/HeritageNLPaint 

-30-

For information, please contact;

Kerri Hodder, Marketing Manager, Paint Shop 

kerri.hodder@thepaintshop.ca

&

Andrea O'Brien, Outreach/Provincial Registrar, Heritage NL 

andrea@heritagenl.ca

 

From horrid dogs to dangerous youngsters: telling back lane tales in Harbour Grace

Row of headstones in the Bennett's Lane Roman Catholic Cemetery.
Bennett's Lane is visible in the background. Photo taken: February 2022

Harbour Grace, NL -  From horrid dogs and dangerous youngsters, to casket makers and compassionate doctors, the back lanes of Harbour Grace have seen it all. The old stories of the laneways are coming to light once more, with a little help from graduate students enrolled in Memorial University’s Department of Folklore.

The project is a cooperation between students of FOLK6740: Public Folklore, the Town of Harbour Grace, and course instructor Dale Jarvis of Heritage NL. The idea emerged from discussions following a 2018 Heritage NL People, Places, and Culture workshop in the community.  The storytelling project focuses on the historic laneways and paths that run between many of the buildings within and bordering the town's Registered Heritage District.

Students Than Brown, Roshni Caputo-Nimbark, Meaghan Collins, Emma Kwok, Denise McKeown, and Anna Reepschlager interviewed locals, conducted archival research to uncover hidden tales, and created a wiki to document their finds. 

“This research project uncovered some fascinating information from both historical sources and residents’ memories,” says Matthew McCarthy, Economic Development Officer with the Town of Harbour Grace. 

“These areas are such treasure troves of stories, past and present,” says McCarthy. “We think there’s great potential to reanimate these footpaths for both residents and visitors through thoughtful public infrastructure.”

One of the laneways documented in the project is Doctor’s Lane, named in honour of the many early doctors who lived in Harbour Grace. This included Dr. William Stirling, born in Harbour Grace, who eventually settled in Twillingate. He and his wife, Anne Peyton, had ten children, the youngest of whom became Newfoundland’s first opera singer, Georgina Ann Stirling, “The Nightingale of the North.”

The back lanes, while under-developed today, invite exploration. 

“Right now, we have some significant private investment coming to the area, with Yellowbelly’s restorations of the old Courthouse and Immaculate Conception Cathedral,” says McCarthy, “and this project is another important piece of the municipality’s long-term plan to revitalize the downtown Registered Heritage District. We’re excited with where things are headed.”

The students’ wiki page is viewable at:

https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Laneways_of_Harbour_Grace 

Job Posting for Built Heritage Intern with Heritage NL

Heritage NL is a non-profit organization that promotes the conservation and awareness of Newfoundland and Labrador's historic places and the safeguarding of its Intangible Cultural Heritage. 

Heritage NL is seeking a qualified individual for the position of Built Heritage Intern to undertake a number of projects that will support the various programs of the foundation. These will include the development of short research papers on historical subjects, the rewriting of descriptive texts on designated properties, and the documentation of Registered Heritage Structures through field study, archival research, and oral histories. Eligible candidates should have an undergraduate or graduate degree in a relevant field such as: history; archaeology, folklore; architecture; cultural geography; archaeology or other related field. Candidates must meet eligibility requirements under the YCW program and be a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador. The job will be situated at the Heritage NL offices in downtown St. John's.

$20/hr, full time, ending March 31, 2023

Deadline to apply April 25, 2022

Apply directly though the Young Canada Works portal:

https://young-canada-works.canada.ca/Opportunity/Project?projectId=15174 

Report released on Saving Traditional Skills on the Great Northern Peninsula

The Great Northern Peninsula Community Place Corporation and Heritage NL have been working together to make a list of people with traditional skills and know-how in the Tri-Town (Hawkes Bay, Port Saunders, and Port au Choix) area.

Local researcher Destiny Penney was hired to interview local crafters and seniors, and to compile a list of people in the region willing to share their skills. Her findings are summarized in a new report, released this week. 

The report features local knowledge-holders ranging from 85-year-old Edmund Alyward, a Port au Choix capelin net maker, to Hawkes Bay quiltmaker/sewer Josie Penney (shown above). 

"This will be an amazing resource for us to build on," says GNP Community Place Corporation's Joan Cranston. "I would like to identify people with traditional cooking skills as well, and traditional healing skills and knowledge."

The GNP Community Place is a community centre located on the main street of Port au Choix, NL. Overlooking the harbour, this community heritage building will offer a safe, accessible place for people from all over the Great Northern Peninsula to gather to participate in inter-generational health and wellness initiatives. It is run by a volunteer not-for-profit community corporation and operates as a social enterprise, offering space for programs to benefit the community while generating revenues to offset operating expenses

The full report can be downloaded in pdf format at: https://www.mun.ca/ich/resources/Saving_Traditional_Skills.pdf 

This project was jointly funded by Heritage NL and ICOMOS Canada’s Youth in Heritage Program.

Heritage NL announces updated funding program to help maintain Registered Heritage Structures

A cracked window or small leak in a roof might not seem like a big problem, but left unfixed, it can lead to major headaches for a homeowner. For owners of heritage properties, help is on the way to fix some of those small problems before they become big ones. 

Heritage NL has designated over 360 properties across the province as Registered Heritage Structures, a program which began in the early 1980s. Today, many of these iconic properties need some fixing-up. At a recent meeting of its Board of Directors, the organization agreed that the ongoing maintenance of heritage buildings is important, and needs to be a priority. 

“Deferred maintenance puts historic structures at risk of permanent damage or loss,” says Dr. Lisa Daly, Heritage NL Chair. “In the long run, the costs associated with regular maintenance of heritage features will be less than waiting to do large-scale repairs. On a practical level, it makes financial sense for Heritage NL to start addressing this now.”

In order to discourage deferring maintenance, and to encourage the continuous upkeep of designated properties, Heritage NL has streamlined and expanded their grant program. Structures designated by Heritage NL are now eligible to apply for a cost-shared grant of $3,000 every three years to assist with upkeep of exterior heritage features such as wooden windows, trim, and clapboard. 

The grant, while not large, is meant to help cover the gap between using less expensive repair options and proper restoration with the use of original materials.

Heritage NL has allocated a portion of its annual granting funds to cover this specific need, and owners of Registered Heritage Structures are encouraged to check the Heritage NL website for conditions and an application form. 

Heritage NL celebrates barking and bark tanning as Distinctive Cultural Traditions and Practices.

Barking pots in Twillingate, early to mid 1900s. From the Twillingate Museum.

For Immediate Release

St. John’s, NL
March 31, 2022

Join us virtually on Tuesday, April 5, 7:00 pm as Heritage NL, with the support of The Rooms, celebrates barking and bark tanning as the newest addition to the Provincial Historic Commemorations Program’s list of Distinctive Cultural Traditions and Practices. The celebration will happen via Zoom. To register in advance for this webinar visit here.

Administered by Heritage NL, the Provincial Historic Commemorations Program (PHCP) commemorates provincially significant aspects of our history and culture. It is unique in that it also recognizes intangible aspects of our culture and heritage – the customs, cultural practices, traditional skills and knowledge that define our province and our people. Since the Program's inception in 2010, 39 designations have been made, including the designation being recognized on April 5th. 

Joan Ritcey, chair of the Commemorations selection committee, says, "the Provincial Historic Commemorations Program is an important element for the recognition and appreciation of our past. By recognizing our cultural traditions and history we honour our heritage and pass it on to future generations."

The tradition of bark tanning and the use of bark mixtures has a long history in Newfoundland and Labrador. The old iron bark pot on the landwash was (and is) a reminder of our ancestors’ skills. Bark was used by Indigenous peoples and settlers alike for tanning hides, making fishing nets more durable, and colouring everything from sails to clothing. 

Today, the old tradition of barking is finding new life as craftspeople embrace this ancient technique. A representative from the Labrador Artisans Co-op and participants in Heritage NL’s Crafts at Risk Mentor/Apprentice Program will be joining us to discuss current barking projects. Follow this link to the official Commemoration listing .

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For Further Information Contact:

Andrea O’Brien
andrea@heritagenl.ca  
1-888-739-1892 ext 4