Hawthorne Cottage National Historic Site of Canada is open to the public during the summer months. It offers a lively look at the golden age of outport life in the beautiful town of Brigus.
Group & School tours are also available by appointment through the spring and fall.
At the back door of the house, in the kitchen, the gift shop offers books and videos on the arctic as well as unique and hand-crafted gift items.
Hawthorne Cottage was the Brigus home of
Captain Robert Bartlett. Born in 1875, this famous arctic explorer was
involved in Peary's North Pole expeditions and commanded the Karluk in the
Canadian Arctic Expedition (1913-14). "Captain Bob" became a significant
figure in the history of arctic exploration, and participated in numerous
other scientific voyages for groups such as National Geographic and the
Smithsonian. Next year we will celebrate Bartlett's entire career, with Celebrating Bartlett 2009 and use the centenary of the North Pole expedition as a starting point.
The Cottage, located in the heart of Brigus, has a rich and diverse history.
More than 170 years old, it was moved on log rollers ten kilometres to its present location
in 1834. The original family name was Leamon. Captain Bob's mother inherited the house. Since the seafaring men of Brigus were away for much of the year,
"Nana Barr" and two of Bob's sisters, Emma & Eleanor were the main residents, and maintained the home and community connections. The House passed from Nana Barr to Bob, and eventually to his sisters. As Captain Bob's fame
grew, the women had many visitors, and other family members came back in the summer to visit.
Hawthorne Cottage was a centre point in the life of the Town of Brigus.
Through sealing, fishing, and Arctic exploration, the Bartlett Family
reflected the way of life of a family, a community, and a province. They
reached out far beyond the world of an outport village, and forged
connections of international importance. You can learn more about Hawthorne Cottage and this outport life in the booklet, "But Summer Will Come", by historican James Candow.
Visitors to
Hawthorne Cottage would be ushered into the "Artic" Room to see memorabilia
of Captain Bob's voyages. Both the historical significance of Bartlett's work and the architectural
quality of Hawthorne Cottage have been recognized by the Historic Sites and
Monuments Board of Canada. Plaques commemorating Captain Bartlett and
Hawthorne Cottage can be found while strolling around the beautiful community of Brigus.
"Live on the Lawn", a series of live theatre performances by the
Baccalieu Players, takes place 4 days a week at 2:00 pm on the Cottage grounds. The
plays reflect the life of Bob Bartlett, as well as the vibrant culture of
Brigus. All revenue earned though on-site admission fees and giftshop sales
is directly invested in preserving and presenting Hawthorne Cottage.
For more information on Hawthorne Cottage, hours of operation, summer events or school tours, call (709) 528-4004 during the summer months. During the off-season, call
1-877-753-9262, for details on off-season special appointment site visits. To learn more about the Parks Canada family of National Parks and National Historic Sites of Canada in Newfoundland and Labrador, visit the Parks Canada Web site.
