Abandoned community of Petites, Newfoundland

[@debrap947]

Ah!!! That blue house in the frame when you first are on the island is the home of my ancestors the Bennett's! My heart just flipped. Oh and the Bonnell's at the grave stones. Amelia (Bennett) Bonnell(Saul) is my 3x great grandmother! On my way over to my mom's to show her. This is too exciting. That's my long lost family!!! What a treasure you found for us...bless you.

[@SteveCSilva]

I'm so happy to read that. I still have to write about my experience visiting the community. I have lots of photos to dig through.

[@peepgal]

I was born in St John's. My mother was raised in Heart's Content. As children we would visit my grandparents. My mother was a war bride and settled in NYC. My brother and I loved the summers we spent in Heart's Content. I could go on and on about the fishing, ponds, gardens and the people. I went back in 2001, 2002 and 2003. In 2001 the house of my grandparents was torn down. I still remember the mustard color and the property. My great grandfather was a blacksmith, my grandfather was the post master and my grandmother came from Bonavista. I just love my heritage.

[@Edwin777-z9x]

She is intoxicating bellísima!!!

[@pgmurrin]

I now live in Calgary Alberta for the past 20 years, watching this video makes me feel so homesick, I feel like selling everything I can’t take with me and just come home.

[@captaincanada5139]

and so do we all !

[@joannekerr6380]

Thank you Steve for posting your video. My mom saw the house she was born and raised in in 1930's and lived until she moved away in the late 40's....also her grandfather's neighboring home (which the weather started to knock over in 2017). At the time Bob & Jennie Gosse (my grandparents) and Eldred and Lavinia Gosse (my great grandparents) lived just inland of the quarry stone rock pile. The best view of both houses is around the 21:14 mark on the way out of the harbor. Water was drawn from the brook and electricity was many years later. The church's restoration is a monumental undertaking that I'm following on their FaceBook page. Again, thank you for the tour.

[@SteveCSilva]

Thank you for your comment. I enjoy hearing stories about what life was like there. This was spontaneous visit, and I didn't have much time to shoot there. I took quite a few photos that I'll have to post, too. I might go again one day; I'd love to capture more of the community.

[@dionysuscs5478]

Beautiful. My grandmother taught here when my mom was only little. I recently visited over the summer with my mother and we were able to go inside the church and take a tour around all of the little houses. Such a shame this place isn't being preserved or repaired. It was a sanctuary for so many in its prime. May it rest well.

[@petropete3122]

I stayed with the Payne family for a night back in 1996 straight across the harbour from where you tied up your boat. Beautiful quiet little community back then. Heartbreaking to see it now. Tks for sharing.

[@alonsocushing2398]

Terrific videography Steve and a fascinating but very sad subject.

[@pypnhot]

Thanks for sharing, my great grandmother, Laura White, was born and raised there. She was born 1886. I wish I knew what house she lived in.

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

Want me to try and find some info on your G grandma?

[@rickjm66]

I Lived here until I was 71/2 Years old, before and After Power was put in , Also when we use to burn Coal,then Wood and Finally Oil. No Running water either ,Slop Pails and Piss Pots for using the Bathroom.

[@rickjm66]

My Dad Had Promised my Mother that when they got Married and where able to do it ,Move to her Home town just up the Coast a place Called Isle aux Morts,it had at the Time A little more opportunities,For work ,Better School, and Access to Doctors Hospital etc .Plus it wasn't Isolated,It had Roads to and From other Communities.

[@jimf1964]

It's so terribly sad we're losing communities like this. Worse for the residents obviously, but sad for many Canadians, because it's such a part of our heritage. Our real heritage. Not the one that's being forced on us now. But boy that must have been a rough place to pass the winters!

[@garychynne1377]

right on jim.

[@lifefordummies]

Thanks for sharing! I grew up not far from here. We could see the lights at night from the petites, it was just down the coast from us. So sad to see it in this condition. based on the date of the newspaper it was right around when I finished highschool when the town moved on... :(

[@peytonl4924]

If you look up the tv show “land and sea” on KZbin there’s an episode called draggers and trawlers and they are in petites talking to people as the fishery is collapsing. So sad.

[@dodge-ut6ti]

What are the winters like on the coast that far north? Enjoyed watching the vidio.

[@charlieanstey9998]

One of my grandfathers was born there. Thank you for posting.

[@AMG93]

I love this video, I come back to it every few months. Sadly resettlement is all too familiar even today.

[@schott106]

The last house pictured. Was that still lived in? Looked maintained but door open

[@jonathantee5355]

I can't imagine how they all survived years ago they were so tuff and hard working, it's crazy

[@captaincanada5139]

I from Cape Breton My Grandfather used to say the Devil never set foot on Newfoundland because they were to tough for him !

[@Cars99012]

Can't wait to move home, buy a boat, and resume being a Newfie.

[@wanieta9271]

It’s so sad to watch this video, these are homes , memories of people that lived there once upon a time. The houses are left there to just rot away.

[@letlovelastlonger]

I could imagine children jumping from rock to rock and chasing one another and falling and scraping their knees.

[@williama3309]

Yes i was one of them children i still have some of the scars from falling on almost every rock in Petites i lived there from my birth in 1967 and moved away in 84

[@abugalib9696]

I can hear the children laughing; may be some geese cackling.

[@glennairis557]

Thank you showing part of my family history... My grandfather was born there early 1900s.

[@SteveCSilva]

Thank you for your comment, Susan. Feel free to comment on what life was like for your grandfather when he lived there (if you know); I'm sure others would enjoy reading about it.

[@francesd2913]

Such a beautiful site and so sad the people had to leave. They must have been heartbroken.

[@DEAFPERCY1]

So sad like this. Thanks for share.

[@jdhinckley1954]

So sad to see another island community left behind and fading away. All too common. It looked like there was a tailings pile to port on the way in. Was granite quarried there at one time? I hope those who visit will respect for the community that it once was.

[@DougJohns]

there are many islands like that around newfoundland... many started with only a few families yet grew to many hundred people... with no other influx of people and new blood it makes these families very close indeed.

[@glennairis557]

Ty for the reply... My sister has lots info about the town. My grandfathers name is Garfeild Douglas Hann. Born in petities Newfoundland june 1. 1918. Passed away April 20. 1989

[@williama3309]

Hi susan my aunt and uncle was Eva Hann and Percy Hann of Petites

[@glennairis557]

@@williama3309 wow interesting... we are related then...

[@marianfrances4959]

Hello from Alberta. Thanks for sharing.

[@randykeeping2661]

I was there yesterday. In the old school there was a duck was sat there looking at us

[@annetterussell4429]

Love the glass doornobs

[@reginasharris8218]

I just found out today that my grandmother : Violet Susanna Matthews was from Petites. I always thought she was born in Nova Scotia, Her date of birth : July 22, 1886 . born to William Matthews and Louisa Forward.

[@reginasharris8218]

My name is Regina Harris

[@SteveCSilva]

Thanks for sharing.

[@nilakshigoonasekara4845]

Luv from Sri Lanka😘

[@MrTomlarge420]

Wonderful video thank you

[@romnada]

when was the last time people living there thank you josef

[@SteveCSilva]

From what I've read, most residents left by 2003, but it appears that some still visit/live there at times.

[@patriciatrovatti393]

What happened with this community? Why everyone left this city? Thank you

[@renegademanxxx]

Government resettlement around 2003... The CBC program Land & Sea did a show on it in 2017 I think

[@patriciatrovatti393]

@@renegademanxxx Nice. Thank you

[@rayhann5212]

Would bring a tear to a glass eye. How sad.

[@debbiehalfyard2257]

this is so interesting,,,, Ihave recently taken up an interest for Petites cause I want to bring my dad back over there if I can,,, My father James is the son of Nina Courtney

[@deannavallis6906]

My grandfather was a Courtney, born and raised in the fishery.

[@garychynne1377]

gee this is bad. twist me in a knot. i heard of the petites my folks had friends. to bad guess it never ends. sad though for all the thoughts going through all our heads seeing this. thank you

[@mariapierce2707]

did I hear one man comes back 10 weeks a year to catch lobster? I wish more would...I feel sad watching what once was.... :

[@SteveCSilva]

According to the man who took me there, one man stays here for a period of time every year to fish.

[@jeremybenoit759]

We all leave with dreams of the big city, only to realize for most people a dream is all it is, and for others that dream turns into a nightmare.

[@jondennispinckney2405]

Were wer the newfys

[@annetterussell4429]

What year was it when the people had to leave

[@SteveCSilva]

It was resettled in 2003, according to this article: www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/society/bethany-united-church.php

[@tommyhatcher3399]

Looked on Wikipedia. Resettled in 2003. I suppose every culture has their own words of horror and "resettled" is one of ours.

[@Moe-zo4fm]

If any one has old pics or stories of Salmonier where my Great Grandfather Denis Corcoran fished and his brothers and sons. Or pics of Crawley Island or stories. My Grandmother was from Long Harbour her Father my Great Grandfather Michael Murphy and my Great Great Grandfather Patrick Murphy came to Rams Island in the 1800’s from Wexford. They were 1 of the first 5 families on Crawley Island. My grandparents moved to Nova Scotia. And my Grandmother died when my mother was 5. I never got to meet her. I would be so grateful to anyone with information.❤️

[@charlesayache6801]

Why did they go?

[@dionysuscs5478]

I stood up on the front of the pews of the church. Heartbreaking, the state it's in

[@romnada]

thank you for great video

[@Merle1987]

This is real Canadiana! This is what they should have made us watch in school. This is real journalism! This should be on the CBC!

[@abugalib9696]

Looks nice, may be government will renovate, provide other amenities someday.

[@BramHepburn]

Amenities?

[@abugalib9696]

@@BramHepburn hospitals, stores, education, airport, electricity, etc

[@petropete3122]

@@abugalib9696 not a chance. The government bought the few that were left there out to get them out of there.

[@thatsMYbeef]

i would feel so at home in newfoundland..i am from reindeer lake saskatchewan and all we have here are rocks rocks and tree trees..and fyi: it aint flat....lol

[@thatsMYbeef]

i hope you helped that poor bird who was trying to fly out..tell me you did..

[@SteveCSilva]

@@thatsMYbeef I didn't but my talented companion did.

[@christopherkent2359]

The video would be even better were there the audio present! Only very faintly, practically non existent, can one make out any voice over. Could have been better.

[@johnwattdotca]

After coming back from Newfoundland, St. Johns', and Labrador, Goose Bay, and visiting my parents, my mother, a Daughter of the Gael, said my Scottish heart had been awakened. I wanted to ask about it. Bay-an-uck-let.

[@ryanvilleneuve515]

How do you get to Petites nl?

[@SteveCSilva]

A man from a nearby community took me there on his boat.

[@finnmacdonald4439]

How is vacation?

[@SteveCSilva]

It was great, thank you.

[@mandm2349]

News paper was dated 2003... that's not that Long ago

[@Merle1987]

Somebody should go collect all these mouldy two by fours and recycle them, trade them in for cat food and cigrits.

[@yannreminiac6981]

what a pity: c'est triste de voir des maisons qui pourraient retaper et servir de cottages en été

[@cjanderson768]

I wish we could resettle these communities. So sad.

[@scottthompson7637]

A shame......a church just waiting for parishioners that never come.

[@ingenuity168]

It's a beautiful place. 😥 Too rocky even for roads.

[@garywatton9347]

It's old and not everyone wanted it but everyone wants that property

[@poundtacos4006]

Hahahaha! Took the bird by hand and threw him outside! Wicked!

[@jilldezsenyi7361]

Cnt hear a word ..bummer

[@garychynne1377]

what a shame

[@vancemyers6655]

THE WORLD IS BIGGER THAN YOU KNOW

[@ronaldmorrissey6065]

Very sad

[@baybuoy3843]

Resettled ...

[@annetterussell2195]

you should do some talking during your video