Town of Burlington

Government Wharf

The first wharf to be built in Burlington was over one hundred feet long. This wharf was in use when thistles had the saw mill operating. The wharf was used for the transportation of goods. Large steam boats would come in to this wharf, bringing groceries coal and flower for the towns local stores. hese
groceries were carried from the boat to the other end of the wharf by the means of trolleys. There were tracks on the wharf which these trolleys would travel by, and once the ships had unloaded all the groceries, the lumber from the mill was placed on the trolleys to be carried back out to the boat to be shipped elsewhere.

Over the years the wharf was being used less and less, and eventually it was torn down by a contractor.

As time went on, another wharf was constructed by the Rural Development Association in Baie Verte. This is the wharf that is now standing today. However, unfortunately it was no good for the larger ships, because it was not long, and the water was too shallow. As time went on, with little use, this wharf has also deteriorated and is now considered unsafe. A sign has been put up by the community council stating that the wharf is closed, and to use only at your own risk.

No funding is going to be rewarded for the maintenance or renovation of this wharf, and it probably won’t be long before the wharf will no longer be usable at all.

Rink & Playground

The Hockey Rink always served as a major area in the town for mostly the men and youth. In the ‘not so distant’ past, crowds of men and youth would take over the rink and spend hours playing their favorite sport-hockey. We are unsure of the date when the rink was placed in its location. The playground idea was introduced at the Come Home Year Celebrations in 1995 and it seemed that a few donations poured in to support the cause. In the next few years’ swings, slides, monkey bars, zip line; tire swings and seesaws were placed on the grounds, next to the hockey rink. Uncle Claude Lush built a lot of the items himself with a major project of a ‘copy house’ for the kids to play in. A plaque, which was a poem written by Billy Squires was embedded into a brick frame at the entrance of the playground. Sadly, the playground area in the past years was left unsupervised and was abused by vandalizers. No attempt was made to fix up the remains of the playground but the slide, swings and monkey bars are still intact.

The Green

‘The Green’, located in Perry’s Cove, served many years as a place for families and friends to have picnics. The beautiful scenery and the closeness to the ocean made the ‘Green’ a favorite spot for many. The area is formally known as ‘Goudie’s Field’ since it is along side ‘Goudie’s Brook’. The Green also served as an area for softball, football and other outdoor sports. The town has yet to build anything in the area due to the uncertainty of the ownership of the land. A bridge is needed to cross the small brook that flows by the Green and is placed and maintained by residents in the area.

Salmon Trail

The Salmon Trail was cut a few years back in two different phases. The first and second phases consisted of groups of workers who ‘opened’ the path by cutting out the trees and shrubs that were grown in the way. They built bridges for hikers to cross over when the path met with water and/or a lot of mud.

The trail leads into a well known site in Burlington-Two Mile Falls and the trail follows along the North West Brook. The beauty of the area is a favorite to visitors and residents of the town.

Back in Time Musuem

The Back In Time Museum was started by Burlington resident Alonzo Saunders. Alonzo is committed to bringing the people who visit his museum on a journey to the past. He does this by showing some of the rarest and interesting historic artifacts you've ever seen. Relating mostly to Newfoundland culture, the Back in Time Museum will bring you on a journey only the greatest of novels can carry you on. Things only dreamt of in books and fairy tales, now becoming reality, as the moment you step inside you literally feel yourself travel through the realms of time, into yesteryear and entering the days of your grandfather, great-grandfather, and beyond.

Some of the oldest and most interesting objects lie just inside the doorway of this museum. Those who enter leave with a great knowledge and understanding of how life was like before faucets, electricity, and all the luxuries we enjoy today. Owner Alonzo Saunders has also built a great knowledge for the artifacts he carries, and is happy to explain anything you may have questions about or don't understand. Students have visited from schools searching information on history projects. Senior citizens have visited just to bring back memories of childhood days, and even to learn what it was like before their day. Teenagers and young adults have dropped by out of curiosity and have been amazed by all the things they saw.
The Back in Time Museum is a result of a lot of hard work and a passion to see History come to life once more. If you would like to learn more about the Back in Time Museum, please visit http://backintimemuseum.tripod.com.

Park

The park area in the town of Burlington is somewhat a new attraction for the town. Built about some five years ago, it still serves as a main attraction and hangout to the town’s youth and residents. Like the Salmon Trail, the park was built at the same time under the same phases. The first part of the park area consisted of one walkway and the gazebo, with the addition of more walkways and a fire pit. Picnic tables were added to make the visit more enjoyable. The park area serves as a main attraction for visitors of the town, this is where they come and have a lunch and sit back to enjoy their surroundings. Located at the intersection of the town, many people, young and old enjoy the area and what it offers.