Abandoned

To the best of my knowledge, the location is completely abandoned.

Rocket Tracking Station

There is little I can tell you about this location aside from it likely being constructed in the 1960's as part of the nearby Rocket Range. Its use was to track rockets being launched nearby throughout their entire, relatively short, lifespan.

Churchill Rocket Research Range

Rockets were already being tested in Churchill in 1954, but it quickly became apparent that a better, more permanent arrangement needed to be made, and construction began in 1956. In July, 1957, the International Geophysical Year began, involving 67 countries and was highlighted by the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1. Churchill became a focal point since branches of the studies included aurora, geomagnetism, and glaciology.

HMCS Churchill

Date unknown. Photo courtesy Historic Sites of Manitoba.

Naval Radio Station (NRS) Churchill opened August 1, 1943. Its primary role was to study the ionosphere, and learn how it affected high-frequency direction-finding equipment used to locate submarines in the Atlantic. Churchill was to become a hot spot for people wanting to learn about the upper reaches of Earth’s atmosphere. With the end of the war, the Royal Canadian Navy closed down operations.

Miss Piggy

November 13, 1979. It was a chilly, -20C morning in Churchill, Manitoba. A Curtis C-46 Commando belonging to Lambair had just taken off and reported increased oil temperature, and decreased oil pressure in the left engine. The crew of three, turned the aircraft around to go back, but it was too late.

SS Ithaka

On October 21, 1922, the Frank A. Augsbury, a lake freighter built for the George Hall Coal Company is launched from the facilities of Fraser, Brace Ltd in Trois Rivieres, Quebec. She was 251 feet in length, 43 feet across with a draft of 18 feet. Powered by a 1,400 hp triple expansion steam engine, Augsbury traveled at 10 knots, with a crew of 37.

Over the years of her career, she would be renamed Granby in 1927, Parita 2 in 1948, Valbruna in 1951, Lawrencecliffe Hall in 1952, Federal Explorer in 1955, and finally Ithaka in 1960.

Petites, Newfoundland

Founded in the 1840's, Petites, Newfoundland, has been home to generations of weather-hardened souls who made their living on the sea. By 1859, a methodist church was constructed that later became the Bethany United Church. There were 212 people living here in 1946, and only 146 by 1956. In October, 2003, the last remaining residents of the community were resettled.

St. Anthony AFS

We woke up, had breakfast, filled the Rav with gas and headed out to see what adventure the day would bring. It was a beautiful sunny day in an amazing part of the Province of Newfoundland / Labrador and we were ready to take in the sights.

We first wandered out to a point we had noted earlier, and wanted to see in proper, clear daylight. A tourbus arrived shortly after us and disgorged its contents all over the road, but I tried to ignore that as much as possible. I noticed something out near the horizon in the water. I reached back into the Rav and got the binoculars for confirmation. Whales. I could see whales cresting far out in the harbour, and they were blowing spray high up into the air, refracting the sunlight at times into rainbows.

SS Empire Energy

Rostock, Germany, 1923. Grete, a 6,548-ton cargo ship built by Neptun AG, slips into the water, awaiting service and ready to begin a strange life at sea. Entering service in July of that year for C Mohlenberg Reederei GmbH, she would sail under a German flag until 1934. In that year, the 440ft long ship with a beam of 57ft, and a draught of 25ft, 9 inches, was sold to an Italian firm and renamed Gabbiano.

Riverside House

I first noticed this property several years back at which time it was, apparently, for sale. Aside from being close to the highway, it seemed ideal to me. It was a real handyman's special, of course, but even without going inside, as it was locked tight at that point, you could easily see in your mind's eye what this could become. A large private home, with an additional guest house? A rental property? The possibilities, given the location, seemed endless.

Harbour House

We drove down the bumpy dirt road specifically to see this house. This would be a first for me. I've explored hundreds of abandoned buildings, but never one once owned by family. We reached the end of the road, and I saw the house, and the barn.

Abandoned