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Formerly known
as "Lord Nelson Orange Lodge #149", the building we now occupy was
constructed around 1908 in the very scenic West Coast community
of Woody Point. Woody Point lies in the heart of beautiful Gros
Morne National Park.
Until the late
1970's it was the center for almost all social events on the south
side of Bonne Bay such as weddings, fairs, suppers, and times. Traditionally,
on Easter Monday people would walk from as far away as Bellburns
on the Northern Peninsula, about 30 miles, for the annual Orangeman's
time.
Every older person from the area has his or her own special memories
of the Lodge. They remember it as being the place where they got
married or engaged or where they had their first dance. One story
even tells of the night that it was so stormy outside that when
the dance was over, people couldn't get home so the stayed until
the next day when the storm had passed.
The
building was sold in 1985, and used by local fisherman to be used as a place
to mend nets and fishing gear. A few years later, it was used as
a snowmobile repair shop, and later in 1998 it was obtained by its
current owner, Charlie Payne, a long time member of "Uncle Harry's
Bar Band". Since its acquisition, it has been restored as closely
as possible to its original form, leaving all moldings, windows
and facings firmly intact, and been designated a Newfoundland &
Labrador Heritage Structure by Heritage Newfoundland & Labrador.
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