| |
Grenfell Drive/Straits Region
The following are profiles of communities in the Grenfell Drive area.
Roddickton
Incorporated as a town in 1953, Roddickton was originally named Easter Brook and was used by residents of Englee for salmon fishing, hunting and trapping. In 1906, the Grenfell Mission began a sawmill operation here and the name was changed to Roddickton in honour of Thomas G. Roddick, a supporter of the Mission. The first settlers of the community were residents of Englee and Wild Cove who went there to work in the sawmill operation and to clear land for growing crops for the St. Anthony hospital. The first census was taken in 1911, and showed a population of 46, but by 1921 there were only 8 residents left and the community was abandoned the next year. Four years later, the sawmill was reopened and in the 1930's Bowater began pulpwood cutting in the area. By 1945, the population rose to 548. In the 1960s, a road was constructed to Roddickton which ended its isolation and made it an the areas service and supply centre. During this time, many residents from the smaller communities in the area were resettled to Roddickton and in 1961 the population was 1185. In the 1970's, things began to decline. The pulpwood operations owned by Bowater closed causing many to leave the area. In the 1980s, a crab plant was opened up to provide employment for the community, but in the late 1980's a fire destroyed it and the sawmill. By 1992, the sawmill was running again, the crab plant had been rebuilt, but was not operating.Englee
Englee was incorporated as a town in 1948, but the French were active in the fishery there in the 1860s and 1870s. Most of the area permanent settlers moved to the community between 1870 and 1900. These residents were fishermen, builders, and trappers and they also grew their own vegetables and raised some livestock. In the late 1880s Baxter Crocker opened the first fishing establishment in the town. In the 1950s the Canada Bay Cold Storage Company Limited began a fresh-frozen codfish and fresh salmon operation.Conche
The community may have taken its name from a French family name Chibon or Chiban, from a place name Conches, an abbey in Normandy named for the shellfish conch found in the area, or from the shape of the peninsula, which resembles a conche shell. In 1702, Conche was the scene of an encounter by French and British warships. As a result three vessels were sunk and can be seen today on the harbour floor. From 1713 to 1904, Conche came under the French Shore boundary and was a major site for the French Fishery. It is believed that James Hubert Drover was the first English settler. The first census was taken in 1857 and showed 101 settlers. During this time, there were many disputes between the English and the French. In the late 1800s, the salmon fishery became important to the town but after 1900, this fishery declined and the economy became based on the salt cod fishery. Between 1920 and 1930 a salmon cannery and cod oil refinery operated in Conche. The community was incorporated as a town in 1960. In the 1970s, the salt fish plant was converted to a frozen processing plant.Croque
The name of the community may be from the French "croc" (boat-hook) because the head of the bay is shaped somewhat like a hook. Croque was one of the principle stations of the French on the French Shore. The first settlers in the mid-1800s were Patrick Kearney and James Hope. There is a French cemetery at Epine Cadoret which dates back to the late 1700s.Main Brook
Main Brook was incorporated as a town in 1948, but it was most likely inhabited by the Maritime Archaic Indians, Dorset Eskimo and possibly the Beothuk.It was also used by the French from the 1500s, as well as by English fishermen in the 1800s. No permanent settlement was established until 1920 when the Simms family moved from St. Anthony. In the 1920s, a sawmill was established by Thomas Coates and was still run by the family in the 1980s. The first census was in 1935 and showed there were 60 people inhabiting Main Brook. Bowater's established a company town at Main Brook because of the areas rich timber stands. It was so successful the government appointed a town council, making it only one of eleven incorporated towns before Confederation. In 1968, Bowater's closed their operation at Main Brook and the community was devastated. In the 1970s and 1980s, attempts were made to revitalize the forest industry, but all failed. Some citizens returned to the fishery and the building of a new road hoped to make available more modern services to the area.
The following are profiles of the communities found in the Straits region, starting in the south at Barrd Harbour, and extending north to Big Brook (Please note that not every community is profiled here):
Barr'd Harbour
One of the smallest communities on the Viking Trail, Barr'd Harbour is probably named for the reef off the rocky shores of the bay. In the late 1800's a lobster factory was operated there by the French. This operation was against a 1783 agreement which forbade the French from erecting any permanent buildings on the French Shore. This was the only French factory involved in the profitable lobster fishery on the coast. The site was used as a winter home for French fishermen and the first settler was a French fisherman named Genneaux around 1904. The first English settler was Eli Gaulton from Savage Cove around 1910. The first census was taken in 1911 and showed a population of 16. The community depends on the lobster and herring fisheries as its main source of employment. By 1921 there were two lobster factories in the community and in 1958, along with residents of Eddies Cove West, they built a herring salting plant. Since the late 1960s both lobster and pickled and fresh herring have been sent to other communities for distribution.Reefs Harbour
The community is known locally as Race Harbour. The first settlers were Joseph Tucker and family from Carbonear in 1907. They lived on Dog Island and wintered at St. Margaret's Bay. When they moved their summer residence to the area other families also moved there. The first census was taken in 1911 and it showed a population of 9, but as many as 50 fished in the area during the summer months. By 1963 there were 163 residents in the community. Most residents' income comes from the cod, herring, and lobster fisheries as well as some seasonal lumbering. In the 1960s a road was constructed to the community and this allowed better access to the other communities along the coast. It also allowed many residents to leave to look for work or resettle in the larger communities of Port au Choix and Port Saunders.Shoal Cove West
Shoal Cove West was probably first settled by a nephew of George Coombs, one the earliest settlers on the coast. Later, the Applins also moved into the area. The first settlers fished for salmon and cod and trapped in the winter. By the 1890s with the establishment of a lobster factory at New Ferolle and the growing cod trap fishery, more people began to settle in the area. The first census was taken in 1901 and it showed a population of 17. By 1911 the number of residents had increased to 44. Between 1951 and 1961 the population of the community rose to 269 from 148. This increase was the result of families resettling from Current Island. In 1951 a storm destroyed the fishing premises in the community and as a result of this a breakwater was constructed to protect the harbour from other such destruction. Today the area still depends upon the fishery, mainly lobster, as its main industry.New Ferolle
The name of this community probably comes from the Basque who fished in this area and is possibly named for the fishing village El Ferolle, near Corunna in northern Spain. The area was also used by the French after 1713 when it became part of the French Shore. The English began to settle the area in the early to mid 1800's. The first settler of the community is believed to be a man named Rumbolt. The first census was taken in 1874 and showed a population of 27, but by 1891 the population had dropped by 10 people. In 1921 the number of people had increased to 77. By the 1920s the residents were involved not only in the cod fishery, there were nine lobster factories and well as salmon processing. In the winter, residents moved to St. Margaret's Bay and Castor River to log. Many people tended vegetable gardens and kept some livestock. In the late 1960s, 39 people were resettled to Port au Choix under the province's resettlement program.Plum Point
Plum Point was known as Old Ferolle, but the name of the community was changed to Plum Point in 1931 to distinguish it from New Ferolle. The community was used by the Basque as a base for preparations when retuning home from the summer fishery. It was later used by the French as a fishing room. In 1884, there were 30 settlers but the area was later abandoned and the first recorded settler was Henry Coombs in 1897. The residents relied on the fishery, mainly cod, lobster and herring. In 1928, the International Plup and Paper Company began a pulpwood cutting operation in the area. The population of the town remained small until the 1960's when some families from Current Island and St. Genevieve Bay resettled here. Along with the fishery, Plum Point has become a small service centre for the area.Brig Bay
The area was first known as Brigg Bay on Captain James Cook's 1766 map and was probably named after a ship called a brig or for a town in Lincolnshire, England. The bay was seasonally fished by the French from the early 1800s and was later settled by the English for its deep, sheltered harbour. The first settler of the community was probably Louis Garrow who lived there in 1872 when a fisheries survey was done. In the late 1800s, several lobster canneries were operating in the community and later logging and sawmills were another source of employment. By 1940 the community was a port of call for northern coastal boats and later the site of one of the most successful cooperatives in the area. By 1980, the fish plant in the community was processing fish for the Canadian and American markets and the settlement was also a distribution centre for other communities in the area. This fish plant closed some years later, creating economic hardship in the surrounding area.Bird Cove
Bird Cove was probably used by the English and French from 1800 on for lobster fishing. The town's first settlers were Michael Meany, his wife, and their four children in 1873. By 1911 there were three lobster factories operating in the community. Between 1921 and 1981 the population of the town has rose from 44 to nearly 400 as families from nearby communities have moved there to fish for lobster. In recent years the community has diversified into tourism following the recent discovery of artifacts which have given Bird Cove status as an important archaeological site for aboriginal peoples. A former school in the community has been converted into a local museum and each summer, there are archeological digs in and around the community.Blue Cove
Originally called Blue Guts Cove, after 1921 it was listed as Blue Cove. The Pittmans of Seal Cove were probably the community's first residents. The first census was taken in 1911 and it showed a population of 18. The area was first fished by the French in the 19th century. When the English settled the area, seal hunting, the lobster, cod and Labrador fisheries, woods work and fur trapping all became part of the community's economy. Today, the community's economy is based mainly on the inshore and longliner fisheries catching lobster, herring, salmon, shrimp, halibut, redfish, turbot and scallop.Pond Cove
Pond Cove may have been named by Captain James Cook in 1764 after nearby Grand Pond. The Basques and the French were familiar with the fishing grounds in the area. The first English settlers in 1870 were the Coombs family and by 1884 there were 24 residents of the community. In 1951, there were 37 residents. In the 1960s, some families from Current Island were resettled in Pond Cove increasing the population to about 70.Forresters Point
The community has also been known as Forrest's Point, Forsey's Point, Forester's Point, and Forest's Tickle. It may have been named for H.H. Forest, a magistrate and preventative officer on the treaty shore in 1857. The first settler may have been Bill Williams, and his wife Hannah. It is believed he tried to murder her and she was regarded by the next generation as having supernatural powers. The first census was taken in 1891 and it showed a population of 47. By 1911 the community had grown to 54 residents. The biggest population increase came between the years 1969 to 1970. During this time 55 people from Current Island were resettled to the community. In 1888, a lobster factory was started by a Mr. Chetwynd of Nova Scotia. By the early 1900's there were as many as seven lobster factories were in operation. Cod and herring fisheries were also important to the community and later contract pulpwood cutting. Today the prime employer for the residents is the fishery. In 1971 a road was constructed which linked Forresters Point to other communities in the Strait of Belle Isle.Black Duck Cove
The community was named after the Black Duck, a common waterfowl in Newfoundland. The first settlers of the community were probably William Dredge and George Coombs. They married the daughters of Lt. Alexander Duncan, a deserter from the British navy, who settled at Anchor Point. In 1872, the first census was taken and it showed a population of 9. The community continued to grow, but slowly. In 1911 the population of settlement consisted of only five families. The community was first occupied for its salmon and fur trapping potential, later lobster and logging became important sources of income. In the 1960s some families from Current Island resettled in the community causing the population to grow to 121 by 1966. The fish plant is the main employer in Black Duck Cove.Pigeon Cove
In 1891 only one family lived in the area. Ten years later four people populated the community. In 1920 Zephaniah and Elizabeth Applin and family moved to the cove. The Applins fished for herring and lobster and operated a small lobster factory. Until 1971 fewer than 30 people lived in the community. With the improvement of roads in the area, several families from Current Island built houses along the road to Pigeon Cove.St. Barbe
St. Barbe was named after a second century Breton martyr by French migratory fishermen who used the area as an anchorage when following the fish northward. In the 1800s, it was used by the Genge family of Anchor Point as a fishing station. The first census was taken in 1874, and the population was 4. The Genge family lived at Anchor Point until at least 1894, and the community does not appear in the census again until 1911 when the Doyle family moved there, increasing the population to five people. In the 1940s, the Toope family moved to St. Barbe increasing the population to 11. After the Northern Peninsula highway was completed in the 1960s, families began to move there from Current Island, increasing the population to 59. In 1966, St. Barbe became the Newfoundland terminal for the ferry service between Blanc Sablon, Quebec and the Labrador Straits.Anchor Point
In the late 1700s, Anchor Point became the first English settlement on the Northern Peninsula and its first residents were Robert Bartlett and his nephew Robert Genge, both from Yeovil, Somerset. By the 1850's, the community was used as a base for the salmon, sealing and fur-trapping industries on the St. Barbe coast by the Genge family business. Throughout this time, there were many confrontations between the English settlers and the French fishermen over fishing rights on the French Shore. In 1848, the first cemetery on the Strait of Belle Isle was consecrated at Anchor Point by Bishop Edward Feild.
The first census was taken in 1873 and it showed a population of 12. By the 1920's, cod, lobster and herring became the important industries, while timber cutting for Bowaters Limited became an important source of winter income. In 1981, cod and scallops were the species of choice, and approximately 13,680 ton were processed at the Anchor Point fish plant. The town was incorporated in 1974.Flowers Cove
The modern community of Flowers Cove, which was incorporated in 1961, also includes Nameless Cove and Mistaken Cove. The former name of the community was French Island Harbour because it was used by the French in their migratory fishery from the 19th century. The current names origin has two theories. One it is from the Italian "fior d'aqua"(flower) which is used to describe any rock appearing on the surface of the water. The other theory is the harbour was named Flour Cove by Captain James Cook because of the breakers which form at the mouth of the cove. Nameless Cove is known locally as Lower Flowers Cove. The area is very barren and there was a shortage of wood and water, but people settled here for the areas fishery and its good harbour. The first settlers for the community were Henry Whalen of Brigus and John Carnell of Catalina around 1850. The first census taken in 1857 showed a population of 70 people. After 1870, when the French had abandoned the area, people began to move to the area from other parts of the island. In 1874 the population of the community had increased to 268 residents. The main income sources for the residents of the area were the fishery, mainly cod, lobster, and later salmon. Agriculture was limited to small domestic gardens because of the gravelly, poorly drained soils. In 1910 Sir Wilfred Grenfell started the third of his cooperatives in the community, later it was taken over by private enterprise. In 1944 another cooperative was set up by 15 communities in the area and by the 1960s the St. Barbe Cooperative Society was the most important supplier of goods in the area. The fishery is the major employer in the community, and the town has also become the major service centre for the surrounding communities.Savage Cove
The French fishermen gave the community its original name (Anse aux Savages) because it was frequently used by aboriginal people. The community has the most northerly sheltered harbour on the Newfoundland side of the Strait of Belle Isle. Savage Cove was not a major French fishing station, but was used by them as a place to obtain bait. The first settler was George Gaulton and his wife Susan Gould, who moved there in the 1830s. For many years they were the only inhabitants of the area and anyone who tried to moved there was told by the Gaultons there was no room. The first census of the area was taken in 1869 and it showed a population of 23. By 1874 the population of the settlement had grown to 50. This reflected the recent arrival of new settlers to the area. In the late 1800s to early 1900s, many fishermen became involved in the lobster fishery and those that fished for cod began to use traps. In the 1970s the community became part of the longliner fishery when the Canadian Saltfish Corporation built a new processing plant and wharf in the community. After the closure of the saltfish plant, many fishermen became and are still involved in the scallop fishery.Green Island Cove
The community is also known as Green Island Harbour and it takes its name from a small, grassy island offshore. It may have been known to the French as l aux Gioilans (Isle of Gulls). It was not used by the French as a fishing room because of its unsuitable harbour. The community was first settled by the English in the 1870's. Thomas Mitchelmore of Dartmouth, Devon is considered the first permanent settler of the area. Later, James McLean of Greenock, Scotland, settled there as well. Between 1880 to 1909 these two families settled all the land on the northern section of the cove. The first census was taken in 1869 and it showed a population of 8. The community grew slowly and by 1901 the number of residents had reached 56. Green Island Cove was established as a sealing and furring post by the Genge family of Anchor Point. Later, the cod, herring and salmon fisheries became the important industries. From the 1930's to the 1960's pulpwood cutting for Bowaters Limited of Corner Brook became another source of income. In 1963 a road was constructed to the community which linked to the community to the rest of the Northern Peninsula.Green Island Brook
This community is named for a small, grassy offshore island adjacent to the mainland and for the brook which runs through the community into the sea. The community was settled in the 1880's by the Macey and Noseworthy families. Like many communities in the area, it was settled by Newfoundlanders who were there to take part in the cod fishery. Before this time, most of the inhabitants of the area were seasonal residents, there to take part in the salmon fishery or to set up a base for furring activities. Later, herring and sealing became important to the settlement's economy. The first census in 1884 reported 18 residents of the community.Pines Cove
The name of the community is from the French "Anse aux Epingles", Pin Cove. In 1874 there were seven settlers in Pines Cove and the earliest known family name is Fraize. By 1884 there were 48 residents, the population remained around this number until after Confederation. The economy of the town relies mainly on the lobster fishery, but some subsistence farming and woods work are also done. The construction of a road to the community in the 1960's allowed easier access to other communities along the coast.Lower Cove
Lower Cove is one of the smallest communities on the Northern Peninsula. The community is sometimes referred to as Lonesome Cove. It was probably used a seasonal salmon fishing post by the mid 1850s. The first resident of the community was Thomas Mitchelmore in 1854. Later, the Noseworthys moved to the community, probably around 1880s. The community's first census was taken in 1921 and it showed a population of 9. The population of the community has never exceeded 32 residents.