Misplaced Pages

#447552

92-545: The Beothuk inhabited several campsites on the shore of the lake. An expedition into the interior by John Cartwright and brother George Cartwright in search of the Beothuk found only abandoned campsites. At the time of their discovery of the lake they named it Lieutenant's Lake. In January 1811, an expedition led by David Buchan travelled up the Exploits River in an attempt to establish friendly relations with

184-409: A 2011 analysis showed although the two Beothuk and living Mi'kmaq occur in the same haplogroups , SNP differences between Beothuk and Mi'kmaq individuals indicate they were dissimilar within those groups, and a 'close-relationship' theory was not supported. Buchans, Newfoundland and Labrador Buchans ( / ˈ b ʌ k ə n z / BUK -ənz ) is a town located in the central part of

276-648: A 5% royalty to the Dominion of Newfoundland . Mattie Mitchell , a prospector and guide of Mi'kmaq and Montagnais ancestry employed by AND, is credited with the original discovery of zinc-lead-copper ore on the banks of the Buchans River. Most accounts state that he made his discovery early in the summer of 1905. Unfortunately, no milling process at the time could adequately separate the complex mixture of copper, lead and zinc sulphides. AND Company did try to mine this site seasonally from 1906 until 1911. In 1916,

368-415: A new contract whereby Price repossessed its original mineral exploration rights over the entire 1905 A.N.D. Co. concession area except for the mine site. The two companies agreed to continue sharing the profits from the existing mines and from any future mines developed on deposits discovered by ASARCO prior to March 1976. In 1980/1981, Asarco also mined a 2,000+ ton bulk sample by way of an adit developed at

460-571: A population of 590 living in 304 of its 338 total private dwellings, a change of -8.1% from its 2016 population of 642 . With a land area of 4.63 km (1.79 sq mi), it had a population density of 127.4/km (330.0/sq mi) in 2021. In 1905, the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company (AND) was granted mineral rights to 2,320 sq mi (6,000 km ) of central Newfoundland for 99 years; any commercial mining would result in payment of

552-465: A precautionary step, in 2009, provincial officials asked residents to be tested for lead levels in their blood. This testing yielded no results warranting further medical attention and no health risks were found. The 2010 Newfoundland and Labrador budget included $ 4 million to aid in the beautification, final cleanup and additional remediation of this site. This work was completed between 2010 and 2013. There has been intermittent renewed private interest in

644-472: A ski run, an athletic field, and, in winter months, converted one of its concentrate sheds into a skating rink. Buchans had running water, sewage, electricity, and other services in place by 1928. The town would grow in size and prosper throughout the next few decades. From 1927 until the late 1970s, most town services and infrastructure were administered directly by the company. Company support, subsidization and direction also continued during that time for most of

736-513: A subdivision on the southeast corner of town. The subdivision, which became known as "Townsite" became the Local Improvement District of Buchans. Residents of "Townsite" owned their own homes and managed municipal affairs independently of Asarco. On October 1, 1978, the company town became a separate local improvement district. The two municipal governments merged to form the first democratically elected municipal government for

828-524: A week Chief Mi'sel Joe of Miawpukek First Nation had made the suggestion that was included in the motion. The same request revealed that when writing to Miawukek First Nation, the Deputy Minister stated that Premier Andrew Furey "would like to get moving on this ASAP." However, following petitions, protest and more than 170 pages of emails expressing objections and concern over a lack of consultation, particularly with residents of local communities in

920-524: Is 30% barite. In the years since the Asarco mine closure, many businesses continue to thrive in the town of Buchans. It remains a tourist destination - especially for people interested in fishing, hunting, hiking, other outdoor activities or learning about the town's rich mining heritage. Many Buchans expatriates return often and maintain a strong connection with their hometown. In 1986, the Town of Buchans held

1012-494: The Aboriginal Tasmanians , and that the government's knowledge of such violence while not actively preventing and stopping it implies a tacit approval of the violence. Adhikari collects various accounts of mass violence conducted by Europeans against the Beothuk, the most infamous of which is a raid that occurred in winter 1789. This was led by John Peyton Sr. , who was involved in many acts of violence against

SECTION 10

#1732783177448

1104-653: The American Smelting and Refining Company (Asarco) learned of the Buchans River ore deposit and obtained samples for metallurgical testing. It wasn't until 1925 that a suitable method for separating the various metals in Buchans ore was finally perfected by Asarco. Asarco leased the mining rights to the Buchans River Mine; In return, the AND Company would receive 50 per cent of the profits from

1196-712: The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador would change the name of the Lake to "Wantaqo'ti Qospem", which means "peaceful lake" in the Mi'kmaq language . Freedom of Information requests made by the Canadian Press later revealed that the Deputy Minister of Indigenous Affairs wrote to the Miawpukek first nation (located on the south coast of Newfoundland) on April 15 seeking a new name for Red Indian Lake and that in less than

1288-837: The Herder Memorial Trophy , fielding senior teams from the 1930s through to 1969. The Buchans Miners senior hockey team won the Herder in 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, and 1963. A Buchans team of one name or another also was runner-up for the trophy in 1937, 1940, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1964, 1968 and 1969. In addition to exceptional local talent, the Buchans Miners hockey dynasty attracted marquis "import" players from various parts of Newfoundland as well as from as far away as Kirkland Lake Ontario and parts of industrial Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Buchans Minor Hockey Association sported impressive local Pee-Wee and Bantam leagues. From

1380-612: The Palaeo-Eskimo period, down to the Recent Indigenous (including the Beothuk) occupation. Two of the sites are associated with the historical Beothuk. Boyd's Cove, the larger of the two, is 3,000 m (32,000 sq ft) and is on top of a 6 m (20 ft) glacial moraine . The coarse sand, gravel, and boulders were left behind by glaciers . The artifacts provide answers to an economic question: why did

1472-566: The 1960s through the early 1980s, Buchans Atom, Pee-Wee, Bantam and Midget teams frequently won championships in NAHA's B divisions. There was also a brief resurgence of championship wins in E-H divisions for Pee-Wee, Bantam and Midget teams from Buchans in the 1990s. On 17 March 1976 Asarco Incorporated, Buchans Unit and Price (Nfld.) Pulp and Paper Limited (Incorporated in 1962 replacing AND co - would later become Abitibi-Price then Abitibi-Bowater) signed

1564-568: The American anthropologist Frank Speck . He was conducting field studies in the area. She said her father taught her the song. Since Santu Toney was born about 1835, this may be evidence some Beothuk people survived beyond the death of Shanawdithit in 1829. Contemporary researchers tried to transcribe the song, as well as improve the recording by current methods. Native groups learned the song to use in celebrations of tradition. Scholars disagree in their definition of " genocide " in relation to

1656-470: The Beothuk avoid Europeans? The interiors of four houses and their environs produced some 1,157 nails , the majority of which were forged by the Beothuk. The site's occupants manufactured some sixty-seven projectile points (most made from nails and bones). They modified nails to use as what are believed to be scrapers to remove fat from animal hides, they straightened fish hooks and adapted them as awls, they fashioned lead into ornaments, and so on. In summary,

1748-474: The Beothuk people. During this period, out of respect for the Beothuk, the lake was renamed Red Indian Lake from the term "Red Indians" which European settlers used for the Beothuk; this term arose from the Beothuk practice of applying red ochre dye to their bodies and possessions. On April 21, 2021, provincial Indigenous Affairs Minister Lisa Dempster tabled a motion in the House of Assembly and announced that

1840-748: The Beothuk was based on accounts by the woman Shanawdithit , who told about the people who "wintered on the Exploits River or at Red Indian Lake and resorted to the coast in Notre Dame Bay". References in records also noted some survivors on the Northern Peninsula in the early 19th century. During the colonial period, the Beothuk people allegedly endured territorial pressure from other Indigenous groups: Mi'kmaq migrants from Cape Breton Island , and Inuit from Labrador. "The Beothuk were unable to procure sufficient subsistence within

1932-473: The Beothuk. Peyton along with two others fired upon a band of 50 Beothuk with buckshot, killing many while injuring all others, beyond some injured individuals who were physically beaten to death after being shot, any others were left to die from their injuries or freeze to death. Several Beothuk were captured by settlers from the Newfoundland Colony during the early 19th century. Demasduit

SECTION 20

#1732783177448

2024-625: The Beothuk. While some scholars believe that the Beothuk died out as an unintended consequence of European colonization, others argue that Europeans conducted a sustained campaign of genocide against them, including historian Mohamed Adhikari , legal scholar Sydney Harring, and professor of peace and conflict studies Paul Cormier. If such a campaign did occur, it was explicitly without official sanction after 1759, any such action thereafter being in violation of Governor John Byron 's proclamation that " I do strictly enjoin and require all His Majesty's subjects to live in amity and brotherly kindness with

2116-541: The Beothuk. Examples included expeditions by naval lieutenants George Cartwright in 1768 and David Buchan in 1811. Cartwright's expedition was commissioned by Governor Hugh Palliser; he found no Beothuk, but brought back important cultural information. Governor John Duckworth commissioned Buchan's expedition. Although undertaken for information gathering, this expedition ended in violence. Buchan's party encountered several Beothuk near Beothuk Lake . After an initially friendly reception, Buchan left two of his men behind with

2208-808: The Beothuk. The next day, he found them murdered and mutilated. According to the Beothuk Shanawdithit's later account, the marines were killed when one refused to give up his jacket and both ran away. The Beothuks avoided Europeans in Newfoundland by moving inland from their traditional settlements. First, they emigrated to different coastal areas of Newfoundland, places the Europeans did not have fish-camps, but they were over-run. Then, they emigrated to inland Newfoundland. The Beothuks' main food sources were caribou, fish, and seals; their forced displacement deprived them of two of these. This led to

2300-458: The Beothuk; Buchan found them, but the encounter went badly and resulted in the deaths of two marines. John Peyton Jr. led another expedition to the lake in 1819 which also ended in tragedy; the expedition resulted in the death of the Beothuk headman Nonosabasut and the capture of Demasduit . Cartwright's earlier expedition was the first in a series of efforts by officials throughout the late 1700s and early 1800s to establish friendly contact with

2392-542: The Boyd's Cove Beothuk took debris from an early modern European fishery and fashioned materials. Source: Groswater Palaeoeskimo Dorset Paleoeskimo Recent All Beothuk sites of note are in coastal areas, implying that prior to European settlement most Indigenous settlements were along the coast. This adds evidence to the claim that the Beothuk were cut off from their food sources which led to many of them starving to death as they were pushed inland. Many sites consist of

2484-413: The Buchans to Hinds Lake road is less passable, these access roads are used by hunters, outfitters, snowmobilers, ATV users and other outdoors enthusiasts. Most of the employees working on the development of the mine, construction of the town, and construction of the railway were housed in temporary camps. The first worker's home in Buchans was completed on March 13, 1927; twenty-six homes were completed by

2576-513: The Canadian Department of National Defence. Large bombers frequently used the airstrip during World War II. Its two gravel runways were maintained by a small resident staff until 1965. At that time, most of the buildings and equipment at the site were removed; the three houses for airstrip staff were relocated to Buchans. Eastern Provincial Airways also briefly included Buchans as a stop/destination on one of its routes—this occurred in

2668-562: The European fishermen who had dried and cured their catch before taking it to Europe at the end of the season. Contact between Europeans and the Beothuk was usually negative for one side, with a few exceptions like John Guy 's party in 1612. Settlers and the Beothuk competed for natural resources such as salmon, seals, and birds. In the interior, fur trappers established traplines, disrupted the caribou hunts, and ransacked Beothuk stores, camps, and supplies. The Beothuk would steal traps to reuse

2760-743: The Government of Newfoundland's Buchans Task Force in 1976 and the Buchans Action Committee in the early 1980s. The "New Road" as it stands has provided access for pulpwood cutting, tourism, fishing, hunting, aquaculture, silviculture, mineral exploration, as well as access to the Star Lake Hydroelectric Development. When passable, it still provides access for local residents and visitors to the Lloyd's Valley and Southwest Brook areas. The construction of

2852-545: The Hinds Lake hydroelectric project in 1980 led to the extension of a gravel road north from the Buchans Airstrip to Hinds Dike at the southernmost end of Hinds Lake. Forest access roads extending from near the community of Howley are now only a few miles from this road. This general route has been considered for a possible upgrade to allow for a provincial class highway connection between routes 401 and 370. While

Beothuk Lake - Misplaced Pages Continue

2944-526: The MacLean extension and at Oriental Mine where some ore was mined from two pits near Oriental Mine shaft. All mining production ceased in September 1984. 17.5 million tons were mined and processed over the 55-year history of mining at Buchans. ASARCO also closed its remaining barite recovery operation, which had operated seasonally in the early 1980s. In the years since the closure of the Asarco operation,

3036-526: The Milltertown Railway at Four Mile Siding, near Mary March Brook, which would become the community of Buchans Junction. All concentrate was shipped by train to the port of Botwood until the railway closed in 1977. A route for a highway to Buchans was surveyed in 1948. The highway itself was completed and opened in 1956. In the final years of the Asarco operation (1977–1984), Buchans concentrate

3128-541: The Tulks Hill Lead-Zinc orebody near the southwestern corner of Red Indian Lake. (This prospect, with between 600,000 and 800,000 tons of recoverable ore, as of August 2020, had not yet been mined). In 1977 Asarco began to divest itself of company owned houses and community infrastructure. Asarco shut all mining operations at its Buchans Unit in 1982 with only 12 workers remaining on the property, down from 550 in 1978. Mining resumed briefly in 1983 and 1984 at

3220-639: The anthropological definition of the word. They lived in conical dwellings known as mamateeks , which were fortified for the winter season. These were constructed by arranging poles in a circle, tying them at the top, and covering them with birch bark. The floors were dug with hollows used for sleeping. A fireplace was made at the centre. During spring, the Beothuk used red ochre to paint not only their bodies but also their houses, canoes , weapons, household appliances, and musical instruments. This practice led Europeans to refer to them as "Red Indians". The use of ochre had great cultural significance. The decorating

3312-604: The area and aided in the remediation efforts. Most of Abitibi Bowater's assets in Newfoundland were expropriated by the government of Newfoundland and Labrador in December 2008 and Abitibi Bowater later filed for Creditor Protection in 2009. With expropriation, responsibility for the land and assets in the Red Indian Lake watershed area, including Buchans, mostly came to rest with the provincial government's crown corporation - Nalcor. In recent months and years, in light of

3404-469: The areas left to them." It has been alleged that French bounties induced the Mi'kmaq to kill Beothuk. This is, however, disputed by most historians and has since come to be known as the "Mercenary Myth". Beothuk numbers dwindled rapidly due to a combination of factors, including: By 1829, with the death of Shanawdithit, the people were declared extinct. Oral histories suggest a few Beothuk survived around

3496-487: The barbarous system of killing prevails amongst our people towards the Native Indians — whom our People always kill, when they can meet them ". Adhikari comments how the intentional nature of the destructive violence from colonizers is part of the evidence that makes this a case of genocide. Harring draws parallels between the genocidal violence inflicted upon the Beothuk and the genocidal violence inflicted upon

3588-499: The bodies in birch bark, they buried the dead in isolated locations. In one form, a shallow grave was covered with a rock pile. At other times they laid the body on a scaffold , or placed it in a burial box, with the knees folded. The survivors placed offerings at burial sites to accompany the dead, such as figurines, pendants, and replicas of tools. About 1000 CE, Norse explorers led by Leif Erikson encountered Indigenous people in northern Newfoundland, who may have been ancestors of

3680-550: The construction of the town of Buchans . The Explots River was dammed in the early 1900s, initially in support of the Millertown logging operation. In 1909, a pulp and paper mill was constructed at Grand Falls , further downstream on the Exploits River. A new larger dam was constructed at the outflow of the lake, creating a vast storage reservoir for a hydroelectric generating plant at the mill in Grand Falls. Exploits dam

3772-506: The end of that year. By the time of first concentrate production in September 1928, there were 56 housing units, an apartment house, a staff house, hospital, a town hall, and several bunkhouses in the town. Several businesses including a retail store, a laundromat and a barber shop had also been established. Both the company and the Roman Catholic Church opened schools in the town. In 1929, the company constructed tennis courts,

Beothuk Lake - Misplaced Pages Continue

3864-405: The entire town on June 18, 1979. Hockey, including school hockey and town and plant internal leagues had been a major recreational activity in Buchans going back to the 1930s. Games were played on nearby ponds, and eventually of the two large Asarco ore sheds on the north side of the town was converted each season into a skating/hockey rink. Buchans was among the towns on the island to compete for

3956-480: The fall of 1927 was by rail to Millertown on the Millertown railway then by boat to Buchans Landing on the north shore of Red Indian Lake, then by foot or mechanized vehicle over a rough corduroy road to Buchans. Prospectors and other early visitors probably walked/portaged along Buchans River from its mouth. In the fall of 1927, the Buchans Railway connected the town to the outside world. This railway joined

4048-430: The fall, they set up deer fences, sometimes 30–40 miles (48–64 km) long, used to drive migrating caribou toward waiting hunters armed with bows and arrows. The Beothuk are also known to have made a pudding out of tree sap and the dried yolk of the eggs of the great auk . They preserved surplus food for use during winter, trapped various fur-bearing animals, and worked their skins for warm clothing. The fur side

4140-401: The financial difficulties of involved companies and some community interest, the provincial government has taken a renewed interest in one of the remaining stages of Buchans mine remediation - an older "tailings spill" area located to the southwest of the Town. Testing of one of the samples from this tailings area re-confirmed the (expected) presence of lead, one of the metals mined at Buchans. As

4232-486: The first "Come Home Year" festival to encourage former residents to return and celebrate the town's rich history and heritage. Come Home Year festivals have more recently been held every five years, in the summers of 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017. The 2022 Come Home Year event marked 95 years since the founding of the town of Buchans. A shorter festival, known as the "Lucky Strike Festival" has been held annually in July during

4324-588: The home of John Peyton Jr. as a servant. The explorer William Cormack founded the Beothuk Institute in 1827 to foster friendly dealings with the Beothuk and support their culture. His expeditions found Beothuk artifacts but he also learned the society was dying out. Learning of Shanawdithit, in the winter 1828–1829, Cormack brought her to his centre so he could learn from her. He drew funds from his institute to pay for her support. Shanawdithit made ten drawings for Cormack, some of which showed parts of

4416-487: The island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador . It is situated on the northwest shore of Beothuk Lake on the Buchans River. The town is located within the statistical unit of Census Division No. 6 , approximately 72 kilometres southwest of the Trans-Canada Highway at the terminus of Route 370 . In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Buchans had

4508-545: The island of Newfoundland, mostly in the Notre Dame and Bonavista Bay areas. Estimates of the Beothuk population at the time of contact with Europeans vary. Historian of the Beothuk Ingeborg Marshall argued that European historical records of Beothuk history are clouded by ethnocentrism and unreliable. Scholars from the 19th and early 20th century estimated about 2,000 Beothuk individuals lived at

4600-497: The island, and others illustrated Beothuk implements and dwellings, along with Beothuk notions and myths. As she explained her drawings, she taught Cormack Beothuk vocabulary. She told him there were far fewer Beothuk than twenty years previously. To her knowledge, at the time she was taken, only a dozen Beothuk survived. Despite medical care from the doctor William Carson , Shanawdithit died of tuberculosis in St. John's on June 6, 1829. At

4692-483: The lake as "Beothuk Lake". The legislation was passed on November 4, 2021. The interior of Newfoundland became accessible on the completion of the Newfoundland Railway , and the forest surrounding the lake attracted attention. The lake was surveyed in 1899 by Alex McCombie and by 1901 Lewis Miller had set up a logging operation on the shore near the site of Demasduit 's capture. A railway branch line to

SECTION 50

#1732783177448

4784-516: The last half of the 18th and early part of the 19th century. Previous archaeological surveys and amateur finds indicate it was likely the Beothuk lived in the area prior to European encounter. Eastern Notre Dame Bay is rich in animal and fish life: seals, fish, and seabirds, and its hinterland supported large caribou herds. Archaeologists found sixteen Indigenous sites, ranging in age from the Maritime Archaic era (7000 BC – modern) through

4876-649: The later Beothuk, or Dorset inhabitants of Labrador and Newfoundland. The Norse called them skrælingjar ("skraelings"). Beginning in 1497, with the arrival of the Italian explorer John Cabot , sailing under the auspices of King Henry VII , waves of European explorers and settlers had more contacts. Unlike some other Indigenous groups, the Beothuk tried to avoid contact with Europeans; they moved inland as European settlements grew. The Beothuk visited their former camps only to pick up metal objects. They would also collect any tools, shelters, and building materials left by

4968-422: The metals, and steal from the homes and shelters of European settlers and sometimes ambush them. These encounters led to enmity and mutual violence. With superior arms technology, the settlers generally had the upper hand in hunting and warfare. (Unlike other Native American peoples, the Beothuk appeared to have had no interest in adopting firearms.) Intermittently, Europeans attempted to improve relations with

5060-614: The mid-1970s. This work was also complemented with a multitide of studies, water and soil monitoring activities, and mine site decommissioning/demolition projects throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Few of the mine site(s)' structures remain. Most of those that do remain are now used by other enterprises in the area. While Asarco maintained a consultancy presence until the early 2000s, most of the responsibility for ongoing remediation and monitoring belonged to Abitibi-Price (later called Abitibi Consolidated and later still Abitibi Bowater). Companies including but not limited to Amec and Boojum have studied

5152-633: The mine is actually deeper than this due to the mining of MacLean's extension in 1983 and 1984 through a "winze" (diagonal decline) tunnel leading to "21 level."] The mine produced ore from 1959 to 1981 and from 1983 to 1984. MacLeans produced a total of 3,514,989 tons of ore. There were four official strikes in the history of Buchans mining operation. The first was in 1941 and lasted 15 days. The second, involving just miners, happened in 1955 and lasted 36 days. The third strike lasted from June 12 to November 12, 1971. The fourth, final and longest strike lasted from March 15 to October 2, 1973. Between 1927 and 1984,

5244-429: The mine's development. In the spring of 1926, Asarco began prospecting for additional orebodies on the lease land, led by Asarco engineer J.Ward Williams and Swedish Geophysicist Hans Lundberg. This prospecting led to the discoveries that would ensure a long and prosperous mining operation at Buchans and the construction of a permanent company town. Old Buchans The original 1905 Buchans discovery made by Matty Mitchell

5336-427: The month she was taken. Government agents took her to St. John's, Newfoundland . The colonial government hoped to make Demasduit comfortable while she was living in the colony so she might be a bridge between them and the Beothuk. Demasduit learned some English , and taught the settlers about 200 words of the Beothuk language. In January 1820, Demasduit was released to rejoin her people, but she died of tuberculosis on

5428-469: The native savages [Beothuk] of the said island of Newfoundland ", as well as the subsequent Proclamation issued by Governor John Holloway on July 30, 1807, which prohibited mistreatment of the Beothuk and offered a reward for any information on such mistreatment. Such proclamations seemed to have little effect, as writing in 1766, Governor Hugh Palliser reported to the British secretary of state that "

5520-471: The north shores of Red Indian Lake. Known locally as the "New Road", this road initially extended as far as Star River. Its extension, improvement and the addition of new bridges led to its connection to the Burgeo Highway (Route 480). Several studies have explored and recommended the upgrade of this route to have a provincial class highway connecting routes 480 and 370. These studies include reports of

5612-411: The over-hunting of caribou, leading to a decrease in the caribou population in Newfoundland. The Beothuks emigrated from their traditional land and lifestyle into ecosystems unable to support them, causing under-nourishment and, eventually, starvation. Population estimates of Beothuks remaining at the end of the first decade of the 19th century vary widely, from about 150 up to 3,000. Information about

SECTION 60

#1732783177448

5704-526: The people could not be answered because few record-keeping Europeans contacted the Beothuk. By contrast, peoples such as the Huron or the Mi'kmaq interacted with the French missionaries , who studied and taught them and had extensive trade with French, Dutch, and English merchants - all of whom made records of their encounters. There are references that document Beothuk presence in the region of Notre Dame Bay in

5796-540: The population of the town, which had fluctuated but remained between 2,500 and 3,000 throughout the most prosperous years of the mine, began to drop in the late 1970s as ore reserves dwindled, production declined and layoffs occurred. By 1985, the population had decreased to 1,500. The 2011 Canadian Census reported the population of Buchans to be 696. The 2016 census reported the population of Buchans to be 642. Considerable environmental remediation work and study continued after Asarco's initial work on tailings revegetation in

5888-400: The post office and then subsequently lost. Additionally all images of this were subsequently lost once again due to neglect leaving nothing but first hand accounts to even confirm the existence of the remains and artifacts, leaving them entirely to the public imagination. Other accounts confirm that this is fairly normal for Beothuk remains. In 2007, DNA testing was conducted on material from

5980-568: The recycling of mine tailings to remove Barite for use in engineering services related to offshore drilling. A reorganized version of the Barite recycling operation first attempted by Asarco in the early 1980s, prepared and tested by another group in the late 1990s, did operate under Pennecon in 2009 and intermittently under another partnership in the 2010s. The tailings ponds near the Lucky Strike mine site contain millions of tons of material that

6072-415: The region of the Exploits River , Twillingate , Newfoundland and Labrador; and formed unions with European colonists, Inuit and Mi'kmaq. Some families from Twillingate claim descent from the Beothuk people of the early 19th century. In 1910, a 75-year-old Indigenous woman named Santu Toney claimed she was the daughter of a Mi'kmaq mother and a Beothuk father. She recorded a song in the Beothuk language for

6164-505: The region. In later years, road access and helicopters were preferred for such work. A hangar was constructed near the Buchans dam. Among the bush planes based there between the 1950s and 1970s were the de Havilland Otter and later the de Havilland Beaver. The hangar was demolished in the early 1990s. In the 1960s, a road was extended from the Buchans Highway (at a point near Buchans River) to provide access to resources located near

6256-489: The remains are now lost and unable to be verified. A prime example of this is a picture of what was said to be a mummified Beothuk child, which was lost by the Newfoundland Museum that it was held in due to the fact that the museum shared a building with a post office. In the early 1900s the child's remains, as well as the remains of an adult Beothuk and a number of other Beothuk artifacts, were put in storage by

6348-704: The same elements because they are all former occupational sites. These sites show a variety of material culture based on what period they are from however most contain the remains of animals, remainders of permanent and semipermanent structures such as remains of fire pits and sleeping hollows. Several sites, such as Sampson's Head Cove, had wooden and bone tools as well as stone arrowheads. There have also been instances of stone jewelry found at residential sites. Several people have claimed to have uncovered Beothuk burials; however, these are not substantiated by much evidence of this. Additionally, many cases of Beothuk remains may have been true at one point but because of mishandling

6440-456: The summer of 1956. While the northwest runway was rarely used even between 1942 and 1965 (drainage issues with the site), and fell into complete disrepair at the end of that period, the southwest–northeast runway has been repaired from time to time for use in more recent decades. Asarco also made use of Buchans Lake as a base for various float-planes over the years. These planes were used for transportation and to supply mineral exploration camps in

6532-435: The teeth of Demasduit and her husband Nonosabasut , two Beothuk individuals buried in the 1820s. The results assigned them to Haplogroup X (mtDNA) and Haplogroup C (mtDNA) , respectively, which are also found in current Mi'kmaq populations in Newfoundland. DNA research indicates they were solely of First Nation Indigenous maternal ancestry, unlike some earlier studies suggesting an Indigenous/European hybrid. However,

6624-454: The time of European contact in the 15th century; however, there may have been no more than 500 to 700 people. Based on the carrying capacity of the ecosystem at the time of contact the population is estimated to have been between 1,000 and 1,500. They lived in independent, self-sufficient, extended family groups of 30 to 55 people. Like many other hunter-gatherers , they appear to have had band leaders but probably not more formal chiefs, in

6716-618: The time, there was no European cure for the disease. The area around eastern Notre Dame Bay, on the northeast coast of Newfoundland, contains numerous archeological sites containing material from Indigenous cultures. One of these is the Boyd's Cove site. At the foot of a bay, it is protected by a maze of islands sheltering it from waves and winds. The site was found in 1981 during an archeological survey to locate Beothuk sites to study their artifacts for insight into Beothuk culture. Records and information were limited, therefore some questions about

6808-495: The time. ANDco mined bulk samples seasonally at the sit from 1906 to 1911. Metallurgical methods would have to improve in order to be able to mine and process the deposit. Improved processes were discovered in 1925. Further exploration in 1926 led to more discoveries and a partnership between the mineral rights holding ANDco and the American Smelting and Refining Company (Asarco). Mining operations commenced in 1927 as did

6900-493: The town of Millertown was constructed, and in 1905 the Anglo-Newfoundland Development (AND) Company acquired a 99-year lease on timber and mineral rights for the land surrounding the lake. Prospector, Guide and Trapper Matty Mitchell is credited with discovering a large high grade base metal deposit on the banks of the Buchans River on the north side of the lake. He was working for the AND Company at

6992-468: The town's major recreational services. After the Buchans highway was opened in 1956, several families who wished to own their own houses independent of the company-administered town settled on the banks of the Buchans River at the point where the highway crossed it, in a settlement known as "Pigeon Inlet." This settlement was named after the fictional community of "Pigeon Inlet" created by Newfoundland writer Ted Russell. In 1963 these houses were re-located to

7084-500: The vicinity of the lake (including members of the Qalipu first nation), the provincial government announced it was pausing the renaming plans and would be opening a consultation process on the name. Concerns were also raised about whether a Mi'kmaq name would be appropriate for a lake in traditional Beothuk territory. Arguments against any change to the lake's name included reference to Canada's geographical naming protocols, which prioritize

7176-481: The views of those people who live closest to the geographical feature to be renamed. Objectors also cited indigenous language guides that allow for historical and legacy names, terms and references. No report on the results of the provincial government consultation was ever published or shared publicly. In October 2021, the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly introduced legislation to officially rename

7268-514: The voyage to Notre Dame Bay. Shanawdithit was Demasduit's niece and the last known full-blooded Beothuk. In April 1823, she was in her early twenties. She, her mother, and sister sought food and help from a white trapper , as they were starving. The three were taken to St. John's, but her mother and sister died of tuberculosis, an epidemic among the First Nations . Called Nancy April by the settlers, Shanawdithit lived for several years in

7360-579: The years between Come Home Year festivals. Fundraising efforts at these events, as well as others such as the annual "Save Our Plant" (SOP) curling bonspiel help ensure that the residents of Buchans are able to continue to maintain and enjoy many of the exceptional recreational facilities and amenities established during the Asarco mining era. As typical of Newfoundland, Buchans has a humid continental climate with maritime influences. It has significant seasonal lag , which renders September to be only slightly cooler than June in spite of much less daylight. Over

7452-471: The years of Asarco mining at Buchans, a total of twenty-three men lost their lives in accidents. The majority of these deaths occurred in the earlier years of the operations. Initial years AND co purchased the Millertown Railway in 1910, which had been constructed in 1900 and linked to the Newfoundland Railway at Millertown Junction . Almost all travel to the Buchans River site prior to

7544-437: Was 2,505 feet (764 m) deep. The mine operated from 1950 to 1978. It produced a total of 3,508,226 tons of ore. The deepest orebody mined at Buchans was MacLeans. It was named after Dr. Hugh J. MacLean, Asarco's chief geologist in Buchans from 1941 until his tragic death in a bush plane crash at South Pond in 1951. MacLeans was discovered in 1950. MacLeans mine shaft was completed at a depth of 3,526 feet below surface [though

7636-590: Was a Beothuk woman, about 23 years old at the time she was captured by a party led by the fisherman John Peyton Sr. near Beothuk Lake in March 1819. The governor of the Newfoundland Colony was seeking to encourage trade and end hostilities with the Beothuk. He approved an expedition, to be led by the Scottish explorer David Buchan , to recover a boat and other fishing gear foraged by the Beothuk. Buchan

7728-512: Was a nursing mother with child. Her husband, Nonosabasut , confronted Peyton Sr. and his party, attempting to negotiate for the release of his wife. Peyton Sr. refused and a scuffle broke out between him and Nonosabasut, resulting in the death of the latter. Peyton Sr. and his party took Demasduit to Twillingate, with her baby dying before they reached the settlement. The settlers at the Newfound Colony named Demasduit Mary March after

7820-419: Was accompanied by two soldiers; the Beothuk mistakenly thought Buchan had hostile intentions and killed and decapitated the soldiers accompanying him. In 1819, an armed party led by Peyton Sr, totaling about nine men (including Peyton Jr.), came upon a Beothuk camp looking for stolen fishing gear. The Beothuk scattered, although Demasduit was unable to escape and begged for mercy, exposing her breasts to show she

7912-659: Was discovered after a chance change of plans in exploration, was discovered on July 14, 1926. This mine, with its iconic 100 ft headframe overlooking the town; would produce ore from 1928 to 1958 and again from 1972 to 1979. In that time, 6,253,660 tons of ore were produced at Lucky Strike. As with all underground mines at Buchans, its nowmal underground "levels" were approximately 200 ft apart from one another and included elaborate workings for an office, explosives magazine, lunch room, and other functional areas. Lucky strike mine shaft extends 714 ft underground. Oriental orebody, named due to its location east of Buchans River,

8004-455: Was discovered on August 7, 1926. It would go on to produce ore as an underground mine from 1935 to 1969 and again briefly from surface/pit sources from 1980 to 1981 and from 1983 to 1984. 3,372,224 Tons of ore were produced over the life of Oriental mine. Rothermere was discovered near the end of 1947. It was named after Lord Rothermere, whose family founded the AND company. The Rothermere mine shaft

8096-423: Was done during an annual multi-day spring celebration. It designated tribal identity; for example, decorating newborn children was a way to welcome them into the tribe. Forbidding a person to wear ochre was a form of punishment. Their main food were caribou , salmon , and seals , augmented by harvesting other animal and plant species. The Beothuk followed the seasonal migratory habits of their principal quarry. In

8188-624: Was enhanced or reconstructed multiple times in the period from 1912 to 1926. Beothuk The Beothuk ( / b iː ˈ ɒ t ə k / or / ˈ b eɪ . ə θ ʊ k / ; also spelled Beothuck ) were a group of Indigenous people of Canada who lived on the island of Newfoundland . The Beothuk culture formed around 1500 CE. This may have been the most recent cultural manifestation of peoples who first migrated from Labrador to present-day Newfoundland around 1 CE. The ancestors of this group had three earlier cultural phases, each lasting approximately 500 years. The Beothuk lived throughout

8280-701: Was only the first in a series of discoveries that would lead to 57 years of continuous mining later during the life of the down. "Old Buchans" as that mine was called, only produced a small percentage of the ore at Buchans - 217,135 tons. It was mined from 1943 to 1956 [Asarco accessed this orebody not through the original 1906-1911 shaft but connected to the mine primarily via 1 level in Oriental] and again in 1977 and 1978 [1977-78 - open pit/surface]. Besides Old Buchans, four major mines operated at different times between 1927 and 1984 - Lucky Strike Mine, Oriental, Rothermere, and MacLeans. Lucky Strike orebody, named because it

8372-483: Was trucked to Botwood by Cook's Transport Ltd. From the port of Botwood the ore would be sent to smelters all over the world. The Buchans railway bed remains a popular trail for ATVs and snowmobiles. An airstrip was constructed east of Buchans Lake in 1942. Buchans Airport was constructed initially by the Canadian Department of Transport with the permission of the government of the Dominion of Newfoundland for use by

8464-424: Was worn next to the skin, to trap air against a person's body. Beothuk canoes were made of caribou or seal skin, and the bows of canoes were stiffened with spruce bark. Canoes resembled kayaks and were said to be fifteen feet (4.57 m) in length and two and a half feet (0.76 m) in width with enough room to carry children, dogs, and property. The Beothuk followed elaborate burial practices. After wrapping

#447552