Pendragon Trail

The Pendragon Trail was named for the Schooner Pendragon that left Northern Arm one summer’s day in 1914 and was never heard from again. Henry Evans, owner and skipper of the vessel assembled a crew and headed for Labrador in late July. His wife had passed away a year earlier so he took with him on this voyage George, his 11 year old son.

It was a long voyage from Northern Arm to Labrador, so it was not unusual that the summer would pass without a word from the crew. However in late September of that same year, The Twillingate Sun reported a “rumour” that The Pendragon had gone down with all hands lost. The Burial Register of the Methodist Church in Botwood lists the names of the young men and woman who lost their lives one tragic day in the summer on 1914. We remember them here: Henry Evans (57), Jethro Manuel (24), George Evans (11), Robert Blake (36), Benson Evans (23), Frederick Ginn (31), Gladstone Manuel (19), Georgina Cook (21)

Part of the Pendragon Trail was called “Oxen Road” by our ancestors. This is the road where oxen hauled timber from neighbouring forests to the shipbuilding sites on Evans’ Point. The Oxen Road starts at the beginning of the trail opposite the parking lot, and travels along the trail out onto Evans’ Point. (Note: Even though the trail extends out onto the point, the land there is owned by the Evans family) Evans’ Point is home to the sawmill sight. Sawmills were constructed and operated by the Evans family in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. These sawmills were used to saw lumber which was used in the construction of the schooners. The old boilers used in these mills can still be seen today out on Evans’ Point, one of which is in its proper, upright position, and the other tipped down onto the ground. Another part of the trail was called “Strawberry Lane” due to the abundance of wild strawberries.