HISTORY OF HAPPY VALLEY

HISTORY OF HAPPY VALLEY

The history of Happy Valley begins in 1943.

First, I would like you to close your eyes and try to imagine that there was nothing but trees, everywhere---not a house of any description. There were birch, spruce, fir, and willow trees, and moss covering the ground.

It was in September of 1943 that three families came by motor boat from Davis Inlet, Big Bay, and Makkovik, towns on the North Coast, to obtain work at the Air Base.

During the year of 1942 and the spring of 1943, the men had been employed by McNamara Construction Company which was building the Base and in 1943, after having been North for a holiday, they returned and were engaged to work for the Americans. In 1942 they had been living at Otter Creek, very near the Dock, but the Canadian C.O. told them that no more families were to live at Otter Creek, as it was too near the fuel storage tanks.

Mr. Gilbert Saunders, Mr. John Broomfield, and Mr. Thorwald Perrault the first settlers here had to find a suitable place to build their homes at least five miles from the base. Various sites were examined, but the three men finally decided that the mainland on the bank of the Hamilton River would be most suitable. However, the only means of getting there was either by coming down the river from the Base by motorboat or driving down a very rough logging road that McNamara had built. Trucks were only able to come as far as Henry's Point (or Boat Club) where McNamara had a sawmill. From there they walked about two miles on a still rougher road, across the sand bar and an island (now known as Birch Island), and finally across the creek, a stream off the Hamilton River.

The men came first and cut down enough trees to make tent space. It was midnight when they arrived, having come from Otter Creek by motorboat and getting stuck on the sand bar. Eventually we did arrive and when we left the boat we had to pull ourselves up over the bank by the trees and willows. There we found the three tents pitched so life began in Happy Valley. Our baggage and belongings were stacked on the bank and covered with tarpaulins. During the weeks that followed everyone was busy with the building of houses. The men worked night and day and the USAF agreed to send a truck as far as Henry's Point to transport the men to the Base for work. This meant the men had to get up early enough to leave the tent, cross the creek by boat or box, then walk to Henry's Point, returning in the evening and after supper working on their houses. The sound of hammers could be heard quite late at night...

Written in 1967 by ALICE PERRAULT

THEM DAYS VOL. 1.4