Hant's Harbour Willow Tree Walk

Welcome to The Willow Tree Walk — a self-guided heritage tour through the heart of Hant’s Harbour, Trinity Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador. This walk guides you through nine remarkable sites around the harbour, where each stop comes alive through stories told by real people with deep connections to Hant’s Harbour.We recommend you download all nine stories before you visit as cell coverage in Hant’s Harbour is limited. Or you can connect to the Wi-Fi at the Willow Tree Museum during open hours in the summer months. You can listen online even if you can’t make it to Hant’s Harbour in person! You’ll find a visual map of the Walk online here: https://willowtreeheritage.com/willowtreewalk The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: willowtreeheritage.com.Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau ​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy ​Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne HardySpecial thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support. ----------------- Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow TreeHeritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com

The Lighthouse story is read by Andy Jones and is told from the perspective of a fictional character “Adrian" a fellow from Hant’s Harbour. For generations, the Hant’s Harbour lighthouse has guided people safely home. First lit in 1881 on Custard Head, it was tended by the Soper family for decades, passing from father to son. Though the tower has changed over time, the lantern house you see today is part of the original light. Still working, still watching the harbour, it remains a powerful symbol of care, continuity, and community pride.------------------------The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: willowtreeheritage.com. Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau ​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy ​Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne Hardy Special thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support.Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow TreeHeritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com

The Custard Head Fishing Premises story is read by Korri Power and told from the perspective of “Mary,” a fictional young woman speaking to her infant as she looks out over the harbour.Set during the summer of 1868 — the year when the fish failed and the community gathered for what became known as Sister Lydia’s Prayer — this story offers a different take on that well known and much-loved piece of Hant’s Harbour lore. While many have heard the triumphant telling of the miraculous return of the fish, this version invites listeners into the quiet fear and uncertainty that came before it.In this story, Mary speaks as a young mother during that desperate season, sharing her hunger, her doubt, her hope, and her daily struggles at the fishing stage. Her voice offers an intimate glimpse into how the fortunes of the fishery shaped family life in Hant’s Harbour — and reminds us that behind every legend are the lived experiences of ordinary people holding on through extraordinary times.-----------------------The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: willowtreeheritage.com.Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau ​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy ​Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne HardySpecial thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support.Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow TreeHeritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com

The Great Wall of Hant’s Harbour story is read by Ray Tuck, and told from the perspective of fictional character Joe, an avid gardener who shares some insights into the work that went into move the stones that make up the (humorously named) "Great Wall" of Hant’s Harbour. Stretching through the hills above the community, this network of stone walls has long inspired curiosity and debate. Some believe the stones were cleared from gardens and fields by early settlers, while others suggest much older origins. Whatever its beginnings, the Great Wall reflects the immense physical effort required to live and farm in this rugged landscape.--------------------The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: ⁠willowtreeheritage.com⁠.Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau ​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy ​Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne HardySpecial thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support.Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow TreeHeritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com

The Old Post Office Site story is read by Betty Mansfield, and told from the perspective of "Maude" while she is knitting, in 1943.This story recalls the old Post Office as a place that connected the community to the wider world. Residents waited in the post office for news, mail and telegrams, and women sent their NONIA knitting into St. John’s to make a little extra money for their families. During the Second World War, the building also played a quiet but vital role, as aircraft sightings were reported from here by morse code, linking this small harbour to the wider war effort. --------------------------The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: willowtreeheritage.com. Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau ​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy ​Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne HardySpecial thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support. Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow TreeHeritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com

The origin story of the Willow Tree Museum is told by Geraldine Gillingham, whose Mom, Alma Critch, is one of the founding members of the Willow Tree Heritage Society.The Willow Tree Museum grew out of a community determined to preserve its own story, beginning with local recycling efforts that raised the funds to purchase and restore this former Salvation Army building. Bottles and cans collected by dedicated volunteers helped bring the museum to life and laid the foundation for the Willow Tree Heritage Society. Operated by volunteers, the museum is the heart of local heritage in Hant’s Harbour. -----------------------The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: willowtreeheritage.com.Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau ​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy ​Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne HardySpecial thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support.Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow TreeHeritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com

This story is read by Fran Pelley, who is a founding member of the Willow Tree Heritage Society. Fran tells this story from a new, imagined perspective of Elizabeth Kelson, speaking from the great beyond. This story tells of love, loss, and extraordinary kindness following the wreck of the Fanny in 1835. When the vessel was driven ashore in a violent winter gale and all hands were lost, seven bonfires were lit, and the Hant’s Harbour community worked together to go above and beyond. The grief was shared between Trinity and Hant’s Harbour, and the response was one of collective sorrow and steadfast compassion.Through Elizabeth’s voice, the willow tree becomes a living memorial—planted in grief, sustained by community care, and still standing as a symbol of connection between the communities of Trinity and Hant’s Harbour. It reminds us that even in the darkest of moments, the strength of a harbour lies not only in its ships and stages, but in its people.---------------------------The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: willowtreeheritage.com.Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau ​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy ​Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne HardySpecial thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support.Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow TreeHeritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com

This story is read by Chris Hardy and is told from the perspective of fictional character “Abe”, a crab fisher. This story highlights how the Janes family reimagined the fish plant through bold ideas and a willingness to experiment. From seeing opportunity in unwanted bycatch to launching the first crab processing operation in Atlantic Canada, it’s a story of innovation that began in Hant’s Harbour and reshaped an industry.--------------------------The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: willowtreeheritage.com.Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne HardySpecial thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support.Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow Tree Heritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com

This story is read by Craig Pelley and is told from the perspective of fictional character "Jake". This story remembers Western Point as a gathering place, where bonfire nights drew people together to share warmth, stories, and laughter against the early dark of fall. From roaring fires to quiet sunsets over Trinity Bay, it reflects how this spot has long been a place of connection, memory, and belonging.------------------The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: willowtreeheritage.com. Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau ​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy ​Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne Hardy Special thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support.Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow Tree Heritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com

This story is read by Jana King-Noonan and is an excerpt from Abbie Ellis-Whiffen’s Growing Up, Up in Cove. Abbie’s memories of Caplin Cove later became the heart of The Abbie Table project led by Andy Jones.  Abbie’s words were inscribed into the table and narrated the life of a Newfoundland family engaged in the salt fishery from the 1920’s to the 1950’s.This story remembers Caplin Cove as a place of close-knit families, hard work, and childhood freedom shaped by land and sea. Through Abbie’s memories of swimming holes, starlit paths, and daily labour, the cove comes alive as a world that has changed yet remains deeply rooted in the lives of those who grew up there.--------------------------The Willow Tree Heritage Society is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. If you enjoy these stories, please consider supporting our work. Your donation — big or small — helps keep our history alive. You’ll find the donation link at: willowtreeheritage.com. Thanks to the many people who helped bring The Willow Tree Walk to life: ​Produced and recorded by Stéphane Dandeneau ​Story scripts written by Sharon King-Campbell ​Graphic design by Katie Hardy ​Original music by Brad Tuck ​Executive Producer Marlayne HardySpecial thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Cultural Economic Development Program, for their investment and the Town of Hant’s Harbour for their continual support. Join us online: ​Sign up to be added to our email list HERE.​Facebook: @Willow TreeHeritage Society and Museum​Instagram: @willowtreeheritage​Email:  [email protected]​Website: willowtreeheritage.com