Cape Race
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112 HARBOUR DR
Cape Race, A0A 4B0


Newfoundland Tourism Region : Avalon


Cape Race: Located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula, Hamilton (1996) raises the possibility that its name could also be of Portuguese or French origin, or a combination of both.

He wrote: The headland makes its appearance as Capo raso (Vespucci 1505-6) and cap de raze (Cartier 1535-6).

As capo raso, it might have been inspired by the name of the last Portuguese territory seen by a ship leaving Lisbon to cross the Atlantic: or it might have been named by early French mariners for Pointe du Raz on the coast of Brittany.

In any event, the meaning has a nautical 'twist' and refers to a headland which has to be literally 'shaved by.'

Since it lies to the east of Trepassey Bay, which was named for the Baie des Trépassés in Brittany, the case for the Breton origin is stronger, with Capo raso as a translation.

The area has always been known as being treacherous because of its offshore rocks and the fact, that according to material presented in the ENL there is thick fog for over half the year (i.e., 158 days/yr.) making it a navigational hazard.

Given that it is the first landfall marker for North America on the Atlantic side, the need for a lighthouse was recognized early on.

The first lighthouse was built in 1856; the present one was built in 1907 and at the time it was considered to be one of the best in the world, as well as being the biggest on the Atlantic side of North America.

It is still manned year round. In the late 1970s Cape Race was designated a National Historic Site and today there is a small but very informative interpretive centre on site which outlines the role of the lighthouse and the lighthouse keepers over the years.

Used with permission from "Uncovering the Origin of 1001 Unique Place Names in Newfoundland and Labrador" 2021 Jennifer Leigh Hill

Address of this page: http://nl.ruralroutes.com/CapeRace



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