Port Union gets boost, part of province's hydro history
The Union Electric building in historic Port Union is being restored thanks to an investment from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Some $100,000 was awarded to the Sir William Ford Coaker Heritage Foundation last week through the a regional development fund. That money will be used to carry out an extensive restoration project on the building.
The foundation's executive co-ordinator, Edith Samson, said the overhaul is long overdue.
"It was really in a sad state of disrepair. We've been trying to find some funds to restore the exterior of the building and we're hoping to do the interior later," Samson told CBC.
Samson said the building's foundation was in need of repair. Floor joists needed to be replaced and existing walls had started to rot.
Once finished, Samson hopes to use the space for crafting workshops and hosting lectures.
A part of hydro history
Port Union is the only union-built town in North America.
Founded in 1916 by William Ford Coaker and members of the Fishermen's Protective Union, the town was established to create a commercial and economic foundation for Newfoundland fishermen.
"Most people don't realize that when Sir William Ford Coaker formed Port Union, he wanted to make it a very modern community and bring all of the amenities to rural Newfoundland that would have been available in St. John's," said Samson.
Within decades, Port Union had a seal plant, its own spur railway line, coal and salt sheds, a soft drink factory, a warehouse with electric elevators, a movie theatre and a community nurse.
"People here had electricity in 1918, 1920," said Samson. "The bungalow — Coaker's home — was the first all-electric home in Newfoundland."
Leading the charge
The towns of Port Union, Catalina, Elliston and Bonavista were all powered by Union Electric.
Samson grew up on the Northern Peninsula and said, by comparison, Port Union was far ahead of other communities in the province.
"I can remember when we ended up with hydro electricity on the Northern Peninsula. I can remember when they put the roads through — and I'm not that old.
"All the things they had here and they took for granted in 1918 are things that didn't happen on the Northern Peninsula until the late 60s, early 70s," she said.
At a time when most plant workers depended on fish flakes and reasonable weather conditions to dry cod, the plant in Port Union was using electric driers. Samson said fish was being dried in a matter of hours.
People don't really connect things back to rural.- Edith Samson, Sir William Ford Coaker Heritage Foundation
Union Electric later merged with three other light and power companies to form Newfoundland Power.
Coaker's secretary, Aaron Bailey, later became chairman of its board.
Samson said many people in the province are surprised to learn that Newfoundland Power got its start in rural Newfoundland, and Union Electric is a part of that history.
"People don't really connect things back to rural," said Samson.
"Here was this man who worked with Union Electric, who was the chairperson of Newfoundland Power for many years, and had his headquarters for all of Newfoundland Power in this building that we're restoring."
With files from Julie Skinner