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I had known about this place for quite some time, as I had been visiting nearby several times per year. It hadn't been accessible, however, and I assumed it still wasn't until I saw photos from another explorer, and instantly recognized the place.
It was a warm August day and we decided to wander off from our campground in search of a place I had sought out once before. It had eluded me then, but I was determined to have another look.
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.
I had the privilege of visiting the remains of this abandoned town with my father, and spent two days exploring and photographing as much as I could.
Once again, I am reminded of my own rule... "Nothing is ever as easy as it appears on Google Maps."
There is conflicting information as to the purpose of this building. Some information seems to indicate that this site was a World War II-era radar site. Perhaps a transmitter site, associated with the large antenna atop the nearby mountain-top.
Other information suggests that this building was part of the communications system assembled by railway that would bring Newfoundland into Canada, and part of the viewership of the CBC. Its proximity to the former railroad does seem to support that.
Arriving in Stephenville, Newfoundland, it's easy to find yourself driving along an old runway. As you look around, you will see many buildings remaining from the former Harmon AFB, some of them dating back to its original construction in the 1940's.
While driving along that runway, I noticed one building in particular that seemed no longer to be in use. We pulled over to take a closer look. It was a fascinating, large hanger and after peering through various broken windows, I came upon a way in.
I had, unfortunately, read about this a few months after being in Stephenville for the first time. I marked it on my map for future reference with the idea that, someday, I would return.
I did.
We drove down the dirt road to the place I had marked on the map. From there, it was a short walk along the path until we found what we were looking for.
While driving along the South coast of Newfoundland, I was exploring every side road. I was surprised to see a small harbour with a large building and a few vehicles parked around it. Initially, I wrote it off and looked for a place to turn around. After a second glance, I realized that there were some gaping holes in the wall and no activity inside. Perhaps this warranted a closer look at what turned out to be a fish processing plant.
Out for a drive, exploring the area along the south coast of Newfoundland, I spotted a rooftop of a small building peeking out from the bushes. I simply had to stop for a look.
As I pushed through the overgrowth, I was happy to see that, not only was the door open, but that there was some interesting stuff inside to see and show you.
It was a beautiful day while camping on the shores of Lake Superior when we hit the open road to do some exploring. There were several targets on our list this fine day, but this was a chance find on Google Maps.
I was initially thrown off. From the satellite photos, it seemed obvious that it was a race track. Street View, however, showed a Young Drivers of Canada sign over the gate. Apparently it was a driver training facility. But there were grandstands... Clearly this place had had at least two lives.
