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District Communities
Black Tickle/ Domino | Cartwright
| Capstan Island | Charlottetown
| Forteau | L'Anse
au Clair | L'Anse au Loup
Lodge Bay | Mary's
Harbour | Normans Bay | Paradise
River | Pinsent's Arm | Pinware
| Port Hope Simpson
Red Bay | St. Lewis
| West St. Modeste | William's
Harbour |
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Population: 229
Postal Code
A0K 1N0
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The community of Black Tickle/
Domino is located on the Island of Ponds. Black Tickle was founded in
the mid-nineteenth century by a group of British seamen who had
jumped ship. In 1865 naval commander, Captain Hood made a report
of the population and fishing catches from Battle Harbour to Red
Island in Labrador. One of the largest establishments of that
time was Black Tickle. The mainstay of the community is still
fishing.
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Population: 628
Postal Code
A0K 1V0
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Established in 1775, Cartwright
was named after Captain George Cartwright. He was an English
merchant and adventurer who established a fish and fur trading
business. The settlement of Cartwright provided him with an
excellent sheltered harbour and FlagStaff Hill gave him a
lookout point from which he could look for privateers. He
erected two canons there, both of which are still in place
today. The business first established by Cartwright was sold to
the Hudson's Bay Company in 1837 and this business still
operates in Cartwright today. The Mealy Mountains can be seen
from the community. The Eagle River, 20 miles to the southwest,
has the best salmon fly fishing in the world. Ten miles to the
north is a 56 km stretch of sandy beach which the Vikings called
the "Wonderstrands". To the east, lies the Atlantic
Ocean and the Gannet Islands Seabird Ecological Reserve - home
to 50,000 common murre, 35,000 puffins and 8,000 other birds.
Eighteen miles to the east of the community lies Table Bay which
is home to the largest colony for breeding eiders in Labrador.
The Labrador Fisherman's Union Shrimp Company operates a crab
plant which employs 100 - 150 people. The facility also
processes whelk.
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Population: 46
Postal Code
A0K 5S0
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Capstan Island is a small
fishing community with a rocky coastline. It is not
actually an island but got its name from a small tidal island
off shore, where in 1851 the residents constructed a capstan, a
sturdy wooden post and handle, mounted in a stabilizing frame,
used to wind-in a rope or cable. The capstan pulled a line
attached to the door of a seal net, or trap, that stretched to
the mainland capturing seals on their spring migration. Capstan
Island has excellent garden soil. The region's only commercial
greenhouse is located here. The "battery", a
formidable and very steep headland that has a history of
frightful tales and a presence which gives a bad turn in
winter's ice and snow, looms in contrast to the small community
of Capstan Island.
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Population: 350
Postal Code
A0K 5Y0
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Charlottetown first existed
as "Old Cove", a winter place for summer fishing
stations such as Square Islands, Seal Islands, Hawke Harbour,
Dead Islands, Triangle, Tub Harbour, Venison Tickle, and
Pinsent's Arm. These summer fishing stations were populated by
families from Carbonear and Harbour Grace in Conception Bay, who
fished for salmon in the summer and trapped in the winter.
Charlottetown was selected as a permanent settlement in 1950 by
Benjamin Powell Sr. and Clarence Perry. They were interested in
medical, educational and religious services for their families.
" Old Cove" was renamed Charlottetown by Mr. Powell in
hopes that it would become the capital of the bay, as
Charlottetown is the capital of Prince Edward Island. This same
Benjamin Powell Sr. wrote many books about life in Labrador. He
is a well- known Labrador author and has been honored with the
Order of Canada. During the summer of 2001, the Labrador
Fishermen's Union Shrimp Co. Ltd. opened in the first-ever
shrimp processing facility for Labrador in Charlottetown.
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Population:
Postal Code
A0K 2P0
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Forteau includes the small
communities of English Point and Buckles Point. Its name is
derived from the French words meaning "Strong Waters".
A Jersey merchant, De Quettville, started a fishing business
there in 1774 and in 1818 it was reported that Forteau was the
largest British establishment in the Straits. Guernseymen
settled in Forteau on the western side of the bay at Buckle's
Point, while a group from Devonshire, England settled at English
Point on the eastern side of the bay. When Bishop Field of the
Anglican Church was appointed to Newfoundland in 1845, he was
surprised to learn that Labrador was within his jurisdiction. He
visited Forteau in 1848 and in 1849 the first church was built
there. In 1909 the International Grenfell Association built a
nursing station here and the Grenfell Regional Health Services
continues to give medical service in this region although from
new facilities. The parking area at the end of the branch road
along the west side of Forteau Bay is the beginning of the
Overfalls Brook Hiking Trail. This trail provides an excellent
lookout over Forteau Bay with Point Amour lighthouse visible in
the distance, and the reward at trails end is a pure Labrador
stream cascading over rocky cliffs on its way to the ocean. The
Forteau River is a scheduled salmon river. The mouth of the
river is a good place to go birdwatching.
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Population: 264
Postal Code
A0K 3K0
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L'Anse Au Clair was first
established by French settlers in the early 1700s. Shortly after
the Quebec-Labrador border dispute in 1825, Newfoundlanders and
people from the south of England also began settling in L'Anse
au Clair. The original name of the community was Anse St. Clair
named after one of the first merchants to establish here, whose
last name was St. Clair. This community has one of the nicest
sandy beaches in the area and a walking trail that brings you to
the Jersey Rooms, a site with foundations of buildings and stone
walkways that were part of an 18th century fishing enterprise.
Other walking trails in the community and along the shoreline
will take you to Doctor's Path, Bubbling Sands, and Aunt Mary
Jane's Playhouse. The Gateway to Labrador Visitor Centre, a
restored early 20th century church is an attraction itself with
its Gothic Revival style architecture and exhibits that showcase
all there is to see and do along Labrador Coastal Drive.
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Population: 631
Postal Code
A0K 3L0
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L'Anse au Loup is a French
name meaning "Wolf Cove". Although L'Anse Au Loup was
first established by the French in the early 1700's, it was
later settled by English, Scots and Irish. A thriving fishing
and sealing industry was established at L'Anse Au Loup as early
as 1778 by Noble and Pinson from England. It is still primarily
a fishing community. The Labrador Fishermans Union Shrimp Co.
Ltd , one of the most modern fish processing facilities in the
province, has its headquarters in L'Anse Au Loup.
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Population: 90
Postal Code
A0K 1T0
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Lodge Bay got its name from
Ranger Lodge which was settled by Captain George Cartwright in
the 17th century. Ranger was the name of his first ship and
Lodge was the name of their homes in England at that time. It
later became the winter home of fishermen from Conception Bay
who had summer fishing stations off Cape Charles and Camp
Islands.
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Population: 474
Postal Code
A0K 3P0
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Mary's Harbour surrounds the
beautiful St. Mary's River. St. Mary's River was the site of a
salmon fishery as early as the 1780's. However Mary's Harbour
was not a permanent settlement until after a fire at Battle
Harbour in 1930. The International Grenfell Association decided
to relocate its hospital and boarding school, destroyed by the
fire, from Battle Harbour to Mary's Harbour. Mary's Harbour has
always depended on the fishery for its livelihood. Since the cod
moratorium the community has thrived on the crab fishery. The
Labrador Fishermen's Union Shrimp Company employs over 120
people at the local crab processing facility. It is also the
gateway to the National Historic District of Battle Harbour.
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Population: 52
Postal Code
A0K 5Y0
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Normans Bay is in an
extension of Martin Bay. The community is reliant on the postal,
air, and medical services in Charlottetown. Norman Bay was a
winter settlement for the fishing stations of Snug Harbour and
Venison Tickle. At the time when southeast Labrador fishing
stations were being encouraged to resettle in the 1960's, the
Ward family at Snug Harbour resisted pressures to move to
Charlottetown or another larger community and instead made
Norman Bay their permanent home.
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Population: 18
Postal Code
A0K 3Y0
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Paradise River is located on
the east side of the river also named Paradise River. The
Paradise River provided an important route between the coast and
the Labrador interior for native peoples prior to European
settlement. The community of Paradise River was established in
1775 by George Cartwright. The people of Paradise River were
involved in the cod and salmon fishery in the summer months and
fur trapping and hunting in the winter. Employment in the
community today comes the operation of small local sawmills or
as guides to fishing and hunting camps on the Eagle River.
Paradise River has access to Cartwright for public services.
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Population: 55
Postal Code
A0K 5Y0
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Pinsent's Arm is located on
the south side of St. Michael's Bay, about 20 km southeast of
Charlottetown. The community of Pinsent's Arm had historically
served as the winter place for the fishing communities of Square
Islands, Triangle, and other stations at the mouth of St.
Michael's Bay but was settled permanently in the late 1950's. It
is believed that the community and Pinsent's Island to the east
were named for an early trader on the Labrador coast, Andrew
Pinson. Pinsent's Arm relies on many services at Charlottetown,
such as schooling for high school grades levels II and III,
postal services, and medical services.
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Population: 166
Postal Code
A0K 5S0
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Pinware is anglicized from
the French "Pied Noir", named for a black rock
resembling a foot at the mouth of Black Rock Brook. Pinware is
situated on the western edge of the mouth of the Pinware River.
As part of the government relocation program in the 1960's,
Pinware became the residence for families from East St. Modeste
and Salmon Point, where a Provincial Park now stands. Long
before there were any permanent settlers in the area, French
fishermen lived here in big summer houses, caught and dried
their fish, and barked their twine in a big iron barking pot
that can still be seen at Ship Head.
Some of the oldest archaeological sites in Labrador are located
in this community dating back to 9000 years ago.
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Population: 575
Postal Code
A0K 4E0
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Port Hope Simpson is located
on the south side of the Alexis River. It was founded in 1934 as
a logging camp and was named after the Commissioner of Natural
Resources, Sir John Hope Simpson. This community has great
natural assets nearby. Shinneys Water Complex makes up 2,500
square kilometers of over 1000 islands rising dramatically above
sea level. These protected waters are ideal for all types of
boating.
The Alexis River, an excellent salmon river, has hosted George
W. Bush.
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Population: 264
Postal Code
A0K 4K0
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The easternmost community of Red
Bay is accessible by paved highway. It was named "Baie
Rouge" by the French in the 17th century. It's an ideal
natural harbour, sheltered from the ocean by Saddle Island. Red
Bay is the site of an extensively studied archaeological dig,
begun in 1978, of a large 16th century seasonal Basque whaling
station. Underwater archaeology at Red Bay has revealed the most
complete 16th century ocean-going vessel excavated to date. This
vessel is believed to be the Basque galleon, the San Juan. Two
other galleons as well as several smaller boats associated with
the whaling industry were also located in Red Bay Harbour.Parks
Canada operates the Red Bay National Historic Site of Canada to
tell an incredible story of hardship, exploitation and profit
through walking tours, video presentation, interpretive displays
and numerous original artifacts.
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Population: 300
Postal Code
A0K 4W0
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St. Lewis is the most
easterly permanent community on the North American mainland and
is one of the best locations on Labrador Coastal Drive to see
icebergs.
Once called Fox Harbour, St. Lewis was depicted on maps as early
as 1502-1503 as Ilha de Frey Luis. St. Lewis, because of its
sheltered location and proximity to good fishing grounds and
seal migration routes was a prime fishing centre on the
southeastern coast of Labrador for over 200 years. Not only was
it a favorite place for fishing but it was also a good place to
construct small boats and early establishments left crews to
winter there for just this purpose. The Loder family from
Harbour Grace, Newfoundland had established a fish trading
business and constructed premises in the community that was to
operate for many years. The Loder Premises have now been
restored and houses exhibits relating the history of St. Lewis.
St Lewis has been a radar site since
1954 when the Americans constructed a radar site as part of the
Pinetree Radar System (DEW Line). By the mid- 1960's the site
had closed but this was long enough to expose the residents to
many new trends of the outside world. A Loran C Station is still
operated by the Canadian Coastguard at St. Lewis. The site of
the old USAF radar station has a spectacular 360 degree view of
St. Lewis Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean. It is now the beginning
of a wonderful walking trail that leads to Deepwater Creek, a
community that had been abandoned when residents moved to St.
Lewis.
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Population: 330
Postal Code
A0K 5S0
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West St. Modeste was given
its name by Pierre Constantine, a merchant of New France, who
named it in memory of his ancestral home in Normandy- St. Modete.
He gave his concession the pompous title of " Seigneurie du
Grand St. Modet" and directed his fishing operations from
two locations, Grand St. Modet and Petit St. Modet. About 1800,
these locations became the villages of East St. Modet and West
St. Modet. Over the years Modet has changed to Modeste. East St.
Modeste has been abandoned. Dr. Wilfred Grenfell opened the
second co-operative store of Labrador in West. St. Modeste in
1903. The Oblate Missionaries chose the community for their
mission" Our Lady of Labrador" which was established
in 1958.
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Population: 59
Postal Code
A0K 5V0
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William's Harbour is located
on the south side of Granby Island in Alexis Bay. It is
accessible by boat and air in the summer and off course by
snowmobile in the winter freeze up. Until the late 1970's,
William's Harbour was used only as a summer fishing station of
nearby Rexon's Cove or Port Hope Simpson. The Harbour is
believed to have been settled by the 1840's by the family of an
Inuk named Samuel Kibenook (now spelled Kippenhuck), and was
later joined by his son-in-law William Russell. William's
Harbour is the gateway to Gilbert Bay which has been designated
a marine protected area. A genetically and geographically
distinct population of Atlantic cod, known as Gadus morhua,
lives in the Bay.
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