STEPHENVILLE, N.L. — Trixie Hines, who became a resident of Acadian Village Retirement Home on March 4, is enjoying her new surroundings as she nears her 104th birthday.
The native of Sandy Point was born there on July 12, 1915. and never left until 1963 when she moved to Seal Rocks in St. George’s, then Stephenville Crossing, and finally made her way into Stephenville.
Prior to moving to Acadian Village, she lived for 40 years mostly on her own, in the Stephenville Manor.
Hines said she’s being well taken care of at the Acadian and praised staff and manager Robert Chaulk.
Trixie’s memories of Sandy Point include mummering:
Other memorie's from Hines' youth:
• Three to four man-of-war ships visiting each year.
• Crew having big midnight suppers at the Orange Hall.
• Man-of-war ships coming in for entertainment and dances.
• Man-of-war dances every day of the week they were in.
• Afternoon soccer games when they were in.
• Spring of year fishing vessels of up to 15 filled with herring and cod.
• Different ponds to skate on.
• Skating from Sandy Point to St. George’s on sea ice and return in the winter.
• Watching horse races on ice that took place from Flat Bay to Stephenville Crossing.
• Concerts in school on Easter and Christmas.
• Dances in the Orange Hall.
• Big parties on Orangeman’s Day with dancing and music.
• Anglicans and Roman Catholics both had big churches.
• Sandy Point capital of west coast until the railway went through in the late 1800s.
• After that a decline in Sandy Point and St. George’s picked up with railway station.
• Roman Catholic convent and catholic school floated to St. George’s.
