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Monuments
Deep Cove Winterhousing Site
For many years, Newfoundlanders had a tradition unique in North America. They would spend their summers and falls in homes near the coastal waters which provided their livelihood, but in winter, would move further inland to the more sheltered areas where they spent their winters. The tradition, "winterhousing," was practiced throughout the Viking Trail region, including near Anchor Point, at a site known as Deep Cove, which will probably become the region's next national historic site. A national board has reviewed the history of Deep Cove and the importance of winterhousing to the history of the province. The board has given its approval for Deep Cove to become a national historic site and the designation is awaiting ministerial approval. The Deep Cove winterhousing site can be seen from a roadside pull-off on the Viking Trail just south of Anchor Point. Nearby is located a trail which leads hikers to Deep Cove and in winter serves as a cross country ski trail.Sir Wilfred Grenfell Monument, St. Anthony
The medical missionary whose legendary life shaped much of the Northern Peninsula and Southern Labrador holds a lofty place in the history of the Viking Trail. To mark Dr. Grenfell's importance to the region, he was the subject of a monument which now stands at the entrance to the Grenfell Interpretation Centre. The monument shows Dr. Grenfell dressed in a parka, carrying his medical bag, and it evokes images of his towering presence in northern Newfoundland in the early years of this century.L'Anse Amour, Southern Labrador
On the road leading to the Point Amour Lighthouse is an unobtrusive reminder of the ancient history that has shaped Southern Labrador. A mound of soil topped with round beach stones marks the final resting place of a young boy who was buried there some 7500 years ago. The burial mound is the oldest known in the New World and it contains the remains of a maritime Archaic Indian boy estimated to be 12 years-old at the time of his death. In that era, the sandy beaches around L'Anse Amour were used as a camping place by the Maritime Archaic Indians. Living there during the spring and summer, these short, broad-headed people survived by hunting seals, walrus, and seabirds, by fishing for salmon and charr, and by gathering berries.The grave was discovered in 1973 by archaeologists who were searching for archaeological sites on the coast of Labrador. The burial site is located on the edge of a sandy terrace, near a brook behind the site of an ancient campsite. The details of the burial suggest it was not typical of Maritime Archaic Indian burials. The remains were found at the bottom of a four-foot deep pit, covered with red ochre and wrapped in skins of birch rind. The body was placed face down on the bottom of the pit and a large flat rock was placed on its back. Fires were lit on either side of the body and the discovery of burnt fragments of animal bone suggests that food was cooked. A number of tools and weapons were placed around the body. The pit was then filled with sand and a thick layer of boulders placed on top.