Brigus Tunnel — Attraction in Brigus

One of the many "hidden Gems" that are well known & loved by locals but would astonish those from other parts of the world after realizing that there are a multitude of diverse historical treasures like these in dozens of other surrounding towns & communities, both literally & figuratively carved in stone! The stories behind each of these monuments are crucial to helping others understand how Newfoundlanders became known for being resilient & proud because it's not our style to brag about benefitting from gifts bestowed on us that others weren't lucky...

“The Brigus Tunnel was built for Capt. Abraham Bartlett by the Cornish miner John Hoskins during the summer of 1860. Its purpose was to provide easy access to the Bartlett wharf which projected into the deep water at its outer end. Since the holes into which the blasting charges were placed had to be drilled by hand, a special forge was constructed near the site for keeping the drills sharpened. The only explosive used was black gunpowder. The job was completed after four months of...

An interesting little place, particularly if you enjoy the geology of NL. A bit disappointing the far side of the tunnel ends with a railing, but the real bummer is how much graffiti is on the tunnel walls. In fact, you'll see this everywhere in NL. It's quite sad. Surely the town could remove it every year as part of regular maintenance?

The view from the Bartlett memorial is the real star in this area, and the walk to it, and the...