Newest Fieldnote! St. Michael's Convent

After doing some digging on St. Michael's Convent, we found there is a lot more mystery surrounding the property than we realized. The convent is located on a property called 'Belvedere' which can be traced back to the turn of the 19th-century when the land was owned by Peter McKie. For decades, it was believed that a Nova Scotia born lawyer, Hugh Alexander Emerson, purchased the property in 1821 from McKie, then went on to build the dwelling house in 1826 - 1827. Oral history even describes events that took place in the 1820s while under the ownership of Emerson, but interestingly, the earliest record for his purchase was twenty years later in 1841.

Our newest fieldnote dives into these divergent timelines and tries to suss out the truth.

Read all about it here: https://heritagenl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/047-St.-Michaels-Convent-Belvedere.pdf

Mentor Introduction- Jared Hogan

Jared Hogan will be a mentor on Reconciliation and DEI-AR at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

 Jared T. Hogan (he/they) is a settler anthropologist living in Mi’kmaw and Beothuk territory on the island of Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland), with family ties to Conception Bay North and Central Newfoundland. His research explores the representation of Indigenous Peoples in museums and education spheres. Currently, Jared is a PhD Candidate and a Per Course Instructor at Memorial University, a Continuing Education Instructor at the College of the North Atlantic, and Sessional Lecturer at the University of Regina. In his work, Jared strives to help correct colonial misconceptions about Indigenous history, motivated by his experience growing up in urban Newfoundland and not learning about Indigenous Peoples in Newfoundland and Labrador (or Canada).

Join us to connect with others in the field and discussed topics important to heritage. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Speaker Introduction- Conservation Corps

The Conservations Corps will be participating in our Ways to Get Involved panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

 CCNL is a non-profit organization focusing on supporting local environmental and cultural priorities, enhancing climate resilience, delivering environmental education and creating meaningful employment and skill development opportunities for youth across Newfoundland and Labrador.

Join us to hear about volunteer and employment opportunities in the field and how to approach them. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Three Families of Limeville

Limeville is an iconic property in the Battery of St. John's, easily recognized for its crosshatch fence and array of flowers across the lawn. With a threat of redevelopment, we wanted to record its history, so we compiled a chronology of the property and three of the families who lived there: the Scores, the Moores, and the Walshes. These families all had local businesses that thrived, but also faced many hardships, including the untimely deaths of loved ones. We hope this chronology gives answers to some of the questions the public has about Limeville and sheds light on the lives of those who lived there.

Limeville in the care of the Allderdice's (Eden on the Hill 2011).

Meet Kim Orren from Fishing for Success!

Kim Orren will be a speaker for our Ways to Get Involved panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Kimberly Orren is a former high school science teacher turned commercial fisherman and co-founder of Fishing for Success, a nonprofit social enterprise museum in Petty Harbour. Fishing for Success (F4S) works to transmit the intangible cultural heritage of Newfoundland & Labrador's family fishery while advocating for an inclusive, gender-equitable & sustainable small-scale fishery that can help combat climate change and contribute to food sovereignty through better local seafood access. Through collaborations with researchers and other ENGO’s, F4S is developing a Sea2School program to connect youth in coastal communities to fishing as a cornerstone of ocean literacy and food equity.

Join us to hear about volunteer and employment opportunities in the field and how to approach them. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Gander Airport International Lounge designated as a Registered Heritage Structure

Gander Airport International Lounge designated as a Registered Heritage Structure

2026-03-03
For immediate release

GANDER, NL: The iconic mid-century-modern Gander Airport International Lounge has received provincial designation as a Registered Heritage Structure.

The Gander Airport International Lounge was constructed in 1958 and opened in 1959. The lounge is an example of mid-century modern architecture and the “Jet Age” style. It was designed by Canadian architect John M. Lyle & Associates, with contributions by C.B. McNeil, the then chief architect for the Department of Transport.

“This is a remarkable example of mid-century airport design, and the first of a 1960s movement where the Department of Transport commissioned the top Canadian architects, designers, and artists in international terminals across the country,” says architect Matt C Reynolds, Chair-elect of Heritage NL. “This large room is the last intact representation of this era, and a unique example of Scandinavian-Canadian design principles that connected us to the rest of the world.”

The Lounge includes a viewing area, gallery, boardrooms, mezzanine, and bathrooms. Features include the terrazzo floors in geometric patterns, an open floor plan with large windows, and artworks like Kenneth Lochhead’s famous avante-garde mural and Arthur Price’s sculpture “Birds of Welcome.”

“Since its inception, attaining this Heritage NL designation has been a critically important goal of the International Lounge Foundation,” says ILF Chairperson - Stephanie Power. “It is a deeply meaningful and invaluable milestone for the International Lounge. It recognizes the significance of this space as a lasting symbol of modernist design, a crossroads for remarkable global figures, and a place of profound compassion during 9/11”.

“The International Lounge’s historical and cultural relevance along with its contributions in art and design are substantive, not only to Gander, but to the heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador,” Power adds.

Heritage NL was established in 1984 to preserve one of the most visible dimensions of Newfoundland and Labrador culture - its architectural heritage. Heritage NL designates buildings and other structures as Registered Heritage Structures, and also supports programs that celebrate the living history of the province.


https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/gander-airport-international-lounge-registered-heritage-structure/

Introducing Corey Weir from Community Sector Council NL.

 

Corey Weir will be a speaker for our Ways to Get Involved panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Corey is the Sector Workforce and Capacity director at Community Sector Council NL. 

Corey has been a member of the CSCNL team for almost two decades, leading initiatives like the Student Work and Service Program (SWASP), AMPLIFY and ASCEND – all programs dealing with connecting youth with non-profit organizations for employment opportunities and skills building. In his latest role, Corey works with all members of the community sector workforce, both paid and unpaid, to determine and bridge gaps on a wide variety of issues.

Join us to hear about volunteer and employment opportunities in the field and how to approach them. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Meet Rachel Head!

Rachel Head will be a speaker for our genealogy panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre. 

 Today, we’re pleased to welcome Rachel Head, the Newfoundland and Labrador Collections and Services Librarian with Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries (NLPL). Rachel will be sharing how NLPL’s archival materials can support genealogy research, no matter where you are in your search.

Rachel grew up on the west coast of Newfoundland, an experience that shaped her deep appreciation for the province’s communities and history. She later completed her Master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Western Ontario. Since joining NLPL in 2023, she has held several roles, including Literacy Services Librarian and Digital Literacy and Technology Librarian. In her current role, she works with NLPL’s Reference Team, helping patrons and researchers find answers to their questions—and discover their next great local read.

Join us to learn to hear about her work in the field and tips and tricks on doing genealogy yourself. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Speaker Introduction- Kait Little

Kait Little will be a speaker for our genealogy panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre. 

Kaitlyn Little (she/her) is a heritage professional passionate about archival work, research, and bilingual heritage interpretation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (2019) specializing in French and history, a Master’s degree in history (2021), and a Bachelor of Education (Intermediate/Secondary, 2022) from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She currently works part-time at Memorial University’s Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA) as an assistant archivist and as a library assistant with Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries. Kaitlyn volunteers as a director-at-large for the Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives (ANLA) and as a citizen representative on the City of St. John’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee.

Join us to learn to hear about her work in the field and tips and tricks on doing genealogy yourself. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator