Explore Labrador’s Battle Harbour

Some communities wither and disappear when their principal industry goes awry. Battle Harbour is located on a small island on the east coast of Labrador. It’s position on the ocean gave access to the rich cod fishing grounds and in the mid 1700’s Slade & Co. of England set up a fish station on the island. Homes grew, school and church and gardens followed. This permanent station meant that fishermen did not have to make the long trips to England after the season was over.

The Ferry to Battle Harbour
The Ferry to Battle Harbour

In the 1950’s their prosperity began to wane because of low prices for fish and decreasing fish stocks meant by the 1970’s that it was over. Men left to work at Goose Bay, and many other places and the general decline of the buildings began. The beautiful wooden Anglican church had slid to one side, and tilted, a collapsing memory of people’s hopes. Sheds buckled, and homes began to fail.
In 1990 the Battle Harbour Historic Trust company was formed to preserve the settlement before it was gone. This ghost town is well worth the effort it takes to get to see it. Certainly others have felt the same. The site is now a Historic District and National Historic Site of Canada.
To visit, arrive at St. Mary’s Harbour and hop on the ferry, the MV Iceberg Hunter which is operated by Jones Charters and Tours.

A Large Flake for Drying Fish
A Large Flake for Drying Fish

You will enjoy this last leg of the journey, especially if you haven’t navigated the shores of Labrador. The nearby shores of St. Lewis Strait still show the ravages of the glacier and their scant vegetation is stark evidence of the difficulty that plants have in establishing themselves in cold climates. Along the way you see abundant sea birds, and there is the possibility of whale sightings.

Battle Harbour and church
Battle Harbour and church

Your first view of Battle Harbour from the ferry reveals distant buildings perched on a rugged coast that make you wonder how the settlement survived for over 200 years. It looks so barren, yet strangely inviting. As you glide into the dock you know that there is going to be a lot to see. The waterfront is crammed with buildings, many of them part of the original buildings run by the companies. This area would have been a beehive of activity. Hundreds of boats would have been unloading supplies, off loading fish for processing, or loading fish ready for England. Up on the shore by the buildings would have been the largest flake on the coast. This is a platform made of wooden poles where each family placed their cleaned and salted fish for drying. It wasn’t as easy as placing them on the flake and coming back in a few days when they might be dried. To avoid spoilage they had to pick them up every night to keep off the dew, and pick them up if the weather threatened rain.
At one time more than 200 people had permanent homes here on the island and they made the place self sufficient in many ways. Barrel makers created the barrels needed for storage. Others fixed the nets, and carpenters did the many chores needed to build and maintain the buildings. During the fishing season the population could rise to 1000 or more. The Company bought the fish from the fishermen, who then purchased supplies from the Company. It’s unlikely that the fishermen ever got out of their debt to the Company. The words of Ernie Ford’s song, “I owe my soul to the company store,” could apply here as well.
One of the buildings visited is the Salt Store where ships unloaded salt by the ton and it was wheeled in wooden carts that could be dumped on the floor of the Salt Store and then shovelled into place. The building held 700 tons of salt and the salt soaking into the wood has helped preserve the building. Salt was delivered to small places along the coast, as well as being used on site. This museum has a variety of gadgets, scales, big ropes, and some of the 500 artefacts found in the settlement.
The Church of St. James the Apostle was built in 1852. It was in bad shape when the restorers turned their attention to it. Now it’s one of the prettiest and oldest of the wooden churches in Labrador.

A Comfortable Place to Rent
A Comfortable Place to Rent

Many of the beautiful buildings you see perched on the rocky slopes are available for rent. You can take a room for the night, and book a meeting room upstairs in the Salmon Store. Imagine staying in one of these homes with their polished wooden floors, comfortable chairs, and a cosy heat coming from the woodstove in the kitchen or the heater in the parlour. Out across the bay you might see a boat’s wake reflecting the setting sun. Later you hike up the wooden stairs to snooze down in a lovely antique bed. Now that’s comfort for anyone, and a lot of nostalgia for some. For breakfast you can cook in the kitchen or go down to the dining hall for a fantastic home cooked meal, some cooked in the traditional way.

Wild Berries on the Hills
Wild Berries on the Hills

Take the trail up over the hill. Along the path you may see the famous orange-yellow cloudberry or bakeapple. This is one berry that is raved about across the province and is made into jams and other preserves that command a quality price. You’ll probably find the jam offered at breakfast in the dining hall. You may find the purplish black crowberry which was added to boiled puddings here in Battle Harbour. The reddish-orange berries are likely the crackerberry or the Swedish bunchberry.
If you can go, you will not regret the time it takes to get to Battle Harbour.

Happy RVing !
For more than four decades James Stoness has travelled the roads of North America, photographing and writing about what he has seen. His travel articles and beautiful pictures have been published in several magazines and newspapers. He is also the author of five western novels. Visit his website at: www.stonesstravelguides.com

The Music of the Blazin’ M Ranch Packs ‘Em In.

Those of you who have spent an evening at the Chuckwagon Supper and Western Music Stage Show in Cottonwood, Arizona,  will vouch for the high quality of the entertainment, great music and a terrific supper.

Otis on stage

Their location seems a little strange for such an eclectic show but it grew there out of necessity. In the 1800’s there was a farm in this location. Later it was operated by Chuck Maybery. In 1993, the Verde River flooded, carrying away much of the agricultural land Chuck was using to grow vegetables for sale. They toyed with the idea of opening a Chuckwagon Dinner Theatre, and then proceeded to put the plan into action, opening in 1994. Their venue was a great meal followed by Western music and cowboy comedy. The result has been spectacular, and features constant change while keeping the original idea of good food, family fun, and simplicity.

The Livery

The supper and show take place in the great hall, a large building with pine tables and seats. When the supper bell calls, you are given instructions on how to wind your way through the kitchen where your plate is filled at several stations with good old chicken, or ribs, cowboy beans, a great salad, and flying biscuits (watch out for these). Top this off with a homemade apple crisp with ice cream.

Then, you are treated to the show. I’ve been there several times  and I’ve never been disappointed. The musicians change from time to time, but the high quality of the western music continues uninterrupted.

The Old Town
The Old Town

Over the years the family has built up quite a lively frontier town that provides ample opportunity for families to get in some exercise and some unique shopping. Although the buildings resemble old tyme buildings on the outside you will be pleasantly surprised at the shopping opportunities on the inside.

Of course all buildings are not for shopping. At the shooting gallery you can try your luck with a Colt 45 six-gun and see if the targets stand up to the punishment of the wax bullets… assuming you can hit the target. You might be tossed into the small jail so pictures can be taken of the new prisoner. Maybe you think you can rope a steer from a stationary horse.

The Blazin' M Stage
The Blazin’ M Stage
White Turkey
White Turkey

For a pleasant zoo adventure take a walk past the cages of geese, goats, donkeys, and peacocks. If it’s the beginning of October, you might find the turkeys just a little nervous, after all Thanksgiving Day is imminent, and they might wonder at your intentions.

The Mabery Museum highlights the life of Chuck Maybery, along with some other family members who have helped make the Blazin’ M such a superb place to visit.

While you are strolling you must visit the Wood’n West Gallery and see the wonderful display of Animated Wood Carvings. This collection of lifelike figures shows various aspects of pioneer life. It took 30 years for the carver, Jack Britt, to complete the task.

The Blazin’  M Ranch is located north of Phoenix near the Village of Cottonwood on the Verde River.

A Rainbow over the Blazin' M Ranch
A Rainbow over the Blazin’ M Ranch

For more than four decades James Stoness has travelled the roads of North America, photographing and writing about what he has seen. His travel articles and beautiful pictures have been published in several magazines and newspapers. He is also the author of five western novels.

The Blazin’ M Ranch is one of the many wonders visited in his scenic travel guide book, “Cactus and Canyons”

Visit his website at:  www.stonesstravelguides.com

Silver Strike at Cobalt

A chance reflection from the bottom of Long Lake in the summer of 1903 sparked the

The Old Railway Station
Visit the old Railway Station

greatest silver discovery in Ontario. It wasn’t long before Cobalt was a fiery word spoken around the world wherever potential investors could be found.

The silver was first discovered by a couple of foresters who were picking out tracts of rich timber for the railway that was pushing into the area from North Bay and expecting to reap a big profit by logging areas relatively untouched because of their long distance to market.

Many mines filled the wilderness after the Strike

To check out the rumours of silver an Ontario Provincial geologist came to the site. He too spotted the silver and also found some samples of the mineral cobalt. He painted Cobalt on a sign and erected it at the south end of the lake.

Old Air Compressor
Old Air Compressor

There, in the Ontario wilderness, the town of Cobalt sprang to life and grew rapidly to over 10,000 people. Before the town had its 3rd birthday it was levelled by an exploding dynamite cache. Subsequent fires and influenza struck the town but it has survived.

The two foresters had started a silver bonanza and by 1908 the McKinley-Darraugh Mine was producing tons of rich silver ore. That intensified the search. If there was silver in one spot, maybe it was in others, and a multitude of mines became the proof of that theory.

Mining Country
Mining Country Could be Anywhere

The ore was extremely rich producing over 500,000 ounces of silver, but the veins were shallow. By the beginning of the 1920’s with a large number of mines actively mining, the ore was running out for some mines and it was not too long before the population shrank. The town did not die as has happened to so many mining towns. It’s not a ghost town but is a quiet place with many historic buildings, although it has lost many to the rampages of fire.

You will find people very friendly and ready to direct you to interesting places. You

Heritage Silver Trail
Heritage Silver Trail

definitely will want to stop at the Cobalt Mining Museum which is surprisingly spacious inside. It has a large display of silver ore as well as other mineral and rock displays. There is a wonderful display of fluorescent rocks that is really magnificent. In addition to the rocks and minerals you can check out the large collection of mining and prospecting equipment.

The Train Station Welcome Centre is just down the hill from the museum and contains a military museum display.

One of the Murals Found About Town
One of the Murals Found About Town

Today the Heritage Silver Trail is a self guided six kilometer trail visiting some of the closer historical mines and showing you a variety of aspects of mining. This is an interesting drive for those who like history, and ghostly ruins. It’s quiet, yet if you listen very hard, you maybe can hear the sounds of mining, the explosions, the noise of the mills, and the tramp of tired miners going home after their day’s work.

Happy RVing

For more than four decades James Stoness has travelled the roads of North America, photographing and writing about what he has seen. His travel articles and beautiful pictures have been published in several magazines and newspapers. He is also the author of five western novels.

Cobalt is one of the many wonders visited in his scenic travel guide book, “Canada: Beyond the Far Horizons”

Visit his website at:  www.stonesstravelguides.com