10 July 2013 The road to Trinity

Our day was dedicated to Trinity, a town full of historical buildings, located on the east-central coast of the Bonavista Peninsula. Trinity was once a fishing village but, like other fishing villages in Newfoundland, was devistated when the cod fishery was closed down in 1992. In order to survive the citizens of Trinity made the   decision to make the village a tourist attraction. The historical buildings were fixed up,  panels giving historical information were constructed all around the village, a theater with summer plays was established, guided walking tours and festival days were instituted, and craft stores sprang up around the village.

Some historical buildings in Trinity 

Trinity from the Point Fort Lighthouse

Trinity from road to Point Fort Lighthouse

We chose to purchase an admittance pass to seven city and Provincial historical buildings including the Interpretation Center, Green Family Forge, The Cooperage, Mercantile Premises, Trinity Museum, Hiscock House, and the Lester-Garland House. Numbered and recorded artifacts were displayed in all of the buildings and some buildings housed an active working element. For instance, a blacksmith in the Green Family Forge was making some metal decorative items for sale and boys in The Cooperage were making wooden household items for sale. The Mercantile Premises contained early 1900's period store items and the Hiscock House contained late 1800's to early 1900's furnishings.

The Lester-Garland House was was built in the late 1700's, was used until the 1950's, subsequently fell into disrepair, was partially torn down by the owners, then was saved by the city historical society and re-constructed in the late 1900's. Archeological investigation on the site discovered the several remodellings and re-purposings that the building had endured, as well as uncovering aritifacts of the longest and best use of the building. The original foundation was recovered intact and the original fireplace hearth was found. In order to preserve the placement of the rocks in the floor, molds were poured over sections of the rocks, then those sections were removed while investigations were done, and reconstruction of the walls were accomplished. Then each section was replaced, the molds dissolved, and the work was finished.

 Lester-Garland House fireplace hearth 

The house contained several interesting pieces of furniture used by the Lester and Garland families. This magnificent dining room table was made from a log of mahogany pulled from the ocean near Purtugal over one hundred years ago. The engraved patterns on the boards were made by borer worms--one sees such holes on old piers in salt water. To me it was most amazing that someone would use such a piece of wood to make a stunningly table. It would fit right into a modern dining room.

Mahagony dining room table 

Close-up of the worm holes.

 Wonderful pattern, notice it on the table (aligned forks)

View out the window from the dining room.

The kitchen held another unusual table. The top could fold out, but I saw no method of supporting the extended part.

Notice the floor-level hearth

Carving detail on the face of the table

[Patrice writes.] On the second floor was an exhibit of 40 hooked mats of lighthouses done by Newfoundland artists. They are called "mats" instead of wall hangings, although they use the same methods to make their artwork as rug hookers. These mats were of specific lighthouses and of stylized conceptions of lighthouses. They were all wonderful, and I couldn't believe the level of artistry. I had just snapped a picture of this representation of the lighthouse at Rose Blanche when the tour person told me that pictures were not allowed in that room. There was a notebook in which each artist described the lighthouse chosen, and the reason for the manner in which it was worked. I strongly suggested that that notebook be published with pictures of the mats. I would surely buy it.

Lunch at the Mercantile--great food! We each had seafood chowder, this one with cod and lobster. Wonderful! Patrice had a rhubarb butter tart--scrumptious!

We also were able to enter the beautiful St. Paul's Anglican Church.

 Entry

  

Interior. No choir loft or balcony

Largest grave stones we've seen in a cemetery

More laundry on this sunny day

In the Hiscock house we visited, there was an embroidered bedspread on the bed in one of the rooms. It was over 100 years old, yet the cloth was bright and white. We think it was because the clothes were hung out to dry.

Only root cellar we saw in Trinity

The house stands directly behind St. Paul's

Finally, we just had to drive out to the Fort Point Lighthouse. The road to it included 4 kilometers of narrow gravel road with steep grades along some sheer cliffs. We thought that you have to really want to go out to this lighthouse.

Fort Point Lighthouse near Trinity

Road to Fort Point Lighthouse

But as is the usual case in Newfoundland, the drive was worth it. The geology in the general area of the lighthouse was spectacular.

Geology across Trinity Bay from Fort Point Lighthouse

 Geology along west side of Trinity Bay from Fort Point Lighthouse

More geology

When leaving Trinity we observed a mussel-growing operation. Nets are strung from buoy to buoy and mussels are grown from ropes hanging from the nets. The barges tending the farming area remind us of the barges used to farm oysters near Shelton in Washington.

Muscle growing operation in Trinity Bay--enlarge photo to see buoys

Tomorrow somewhere on the Bonavista Peninsula. A few more days here. We are enjoying our trip to Newfoundland so much!