This may be my most interesting post yet, and all the credit goes to Albert, who wrote it and sent along these pictures. Thanks, Albert! I’m really hoping to turn this blog into a community space where we can share our stories, past and present, so I hope this inspires more readers to share their stories!
(from Albert…) This is the area known as Joshua’s Garden. The photo was taken in the late ’60’s or early ’70’s when horses were free to roam. The mainland visitors would remark when they visited the area “where we com from you erect fences to keep the animals in, but in Newfoundland you have to build fences to keep the animals out” … And that’s the way it was back then.
With increased automobile traffic (over the last 40 years) resulting in accidents which saw many horses being injured and killed and the change from horses to ATV’s, the number of horses has dwindled to the point where only a small few remain and today you have to have a fence to keep the animals IN, away from the roadways.
These horses belonged to residents of Whiteway, Cavendish and Green’s Harbour as well as other communities. Some horses would leave Whiteway and travel across New Harbour Barrens and graze on the hillsides of Tilton, Spaniard’s Bay and Harbour Grace all summer long. They would have to be picked up in the fall and led (or ridden) back home for the winter wood hauling season and the early spring ploughing of fields. This was common practice in the ’40’s, ’50’s and ’60’s.
This is the same area today, the old Joshua’s Garden (Joshua Jackson) now occupied by this attractive A-Frame, home to Ocean Delight’s Joe Friday.
It has been said by some early residents of Whiteway, that this is possibly the burial site of some lost sailors from a distant past who regularly sailed the waters of Trinity Bay for a variety of reasons.. In any case, many strange occurrences have been related about the area along the beach (known as Pippy’s Dock) that lies right on the edge of Joshua’s Garden.
Stay tuned.. Whiteway (formerly Witless Bay) has many strange and eerie stories to tell. Be afraid, be very afraid!!!
The Shag Rock stands as witness to all the unusual events. If only the layers of that majestic rock could talk!
The beach at Pippy’s Dock also now serves as the site of many a bonfire during the summer season!