Reprinted from The Packet, October 2, 2015
by Lester Green
Southwest Arm Historical Society hosted another successful Heritage Fair on Sept. 12 at the 50+ Club in Hillview.
 A present from Northern Bight. A souvenir from Hillview when it was called Northern Bight. |
 Clock belonged to James Stoyles of Hillview, approximately 150 years old. Currently owned by Ron Martin. |
About 80 people came out to browse through the displays of items used by ancestors from Southwest Arm area.One of the many unique items on display was a bedspread completed by the Lady’s Aid of St. Jones Within. The bedspread was created as a fundraiser for the church. Rebecca Squires volunteered to complete the bedspread by embroidering the names of individuals who donated five cents to the church. After completion, the bedspread went on tickets and was won by Mary Alice (Stoyles) Critch. It was then given to Alma Loder, as her name was displayed on the bedspread. This item is displayed on our website under the window Lifestyle-Virtual Museum-Bedroom section.
Melvina Eddy displayed a vintage Singer sewing machine. Other items that drew attention were a 150-year-old clock, originally belonging to James Stoyles of Hillview, owned today by Ron Martin, and a vintage pair of binoculars.
Two mugs on display reflected on days gone by. One a souvenir mug labelled “A present from Northern Bight” reflected back on the days when Hillview was known by this name. The other a Mustache mug, originally owned by Elisha Gregory of Queen’s Cove and now owned by his daughter, Marie Frost, caused one to think of the days when men commonly wore elaborate mustaches and needed to keep the hair out of favorite tea.
There were a number of other items that was displayed and can be viewed on the Heritage Society’s website, http://swahsociety.com/
After the displays were packed away, visitors were treated to a lunch, followed by entertainment by local musicians.
The main event, the square dance, began at 7 p.m. and went on for a couple of hours.
While many might be too young to recall the square dances that were performed years ago it appears some folks from the communities of St. Jones Within, Hatchet Cove and Hillview have not lost a beat.
It was a joy to watch the performance and the dancers certainly burned off lots of calories from their meal.
Editor’s note: The Southwest Army Historical Society continues to research the past of the local area. Anyone who has photos or written documents to add to the group’s website, to share with others, should contact Lester Green or any other member of the society.