Laurie McLean

Introduction

The Burnside Heritage Foundation (BHF) is a non-profit organization based in the community of Burnside, Bonavista Bay. It is creating a cultural tourism attraction, incorporating the rich archaeological, historical and natural historical legacy of the Burnside region. The Foundation started in 1989 as the Burnside Heritage project when Enterprise Newfoundland and Labrador contributed funds to evaluate the potential of its proposal for developing local cultural tourism. This study included an archaeological survey in 1989 and 1990, performed by consulting archaeologist Laurie McLean, along with local adults and students of the coast surrounding Burnside. Twelve new archaeological sites were added to the thirteen that had been found through previous research, and detailed excavations conducted at selected locations added other important new information. The successful 1989-90 year and previous archaeology projects ultimately became the foundation of the Burnside Heritage Foundation cultural tourism development.

Archaeological excavations were resumed in 1992 and continued on an annual basis. 40 archaeological sites are now known in the 1400 square km BHF study area and 36 of these were used in the 5000 year Aboriginal occupation of the region. Ten of the sites are within the Bloody Bay Cove quarry where Aboriginals obtained stone for making tools during most of this period. The quarry was discovered during the 1989-90 archaeological surveys and is now one of the cornerstones of the BHF tourism product.

The Foundation expanded its archaeological program in 1995 to incorporate a field school in conjunction with Memorial University’s Archaeology Unit. Laurie McLean and Dr. Mike Deal of M.U.N. designed a course of activities in which archaeology students would learn fundamentals of field reserch through excavations at a number of sites around Burnside.

Archaeology

Archaeological surveying, excavating and mapping were carried out on 10 days from June 22-August 18 and 22 days between August 19 and December 20, 1996. Surveying located three new sites, one of which may have seen a Beothuk-European battle during the early 1700s and has generated much public interest. Finding new sites such as these provides an important diversity of future excavation options for the BHF which is integral to mounting a long-term archaeology program. It also guarantees that the BHF’s interpretive message will slightly change from year to year and returning visitors will not see the same static product.

The Bloody Bay Cove hiking trail directly impacts on a number of sites in the quarry and it is imperative that archaeologists understand that such localities are being prepared for use in public interpretation which inadvertently opens them up to destructive forces. This is a key point in the concept of sustainable tourism as well, namely that tapping a specific resource must conscientiously utilize it while not destroying it. Explicit attention to conservation issues in carefully implemented tourism plans also provides additional marketing quality as many tourism consumers are concerned about such topics and appreciate seeing appropriate action.

Conclusion

The archaeological information generated in conjunction with all of the BHF’s activities updates the message of the Foundation’s interpretive display and our knowledge of Newfoundland’s past in general.

Although more infrastructural elements are still required, including partial reconstruction of some of the archaeological remains at the Beaches and Bloody Bay Cove, increased revenues are anticipated through the development and exploitation of the existing infrastructure and the BHF’s activities and programs.

*The current report is a greatly abbreviated version of the original.