Hillview: Located 5.6 km (3.5 mi) the number of hills in the area most likely give rise to the origin of the name of this community.

It is known that there were residents in the area as far back as 1839, as evidence of tilts were seen by Joseph Beete Jukes, the surveyor who sailed the Southwest arm that year. In his journal he recorded his trip as follows: ...

Just before we arrived at the head of the arm we caught sight of a heap of chips of wood in a cove on the right hand, which the men said was probably near a winter-house or tilt. We made for it accordingly, and found a path leading in about fifty yards to a very good tilt.

The house which we had thus lighted upon had been occupied by a party the preceding winter building a large boat, which was the reason of the pile of chips we saw on the shore, being the place where they had built and launched her.

Just before dark I followed a narrow path into the woods, the path came out on a small marsh at the foot of a rocky hill.

The South West Arm Historical Society's (SWAHS) website includes a lengthy excerpt from the Magazine Decks Awash which gives the history of Hillview. The following is from that source:

Hillview was originally known as North (or Northern) Bight, and was settled in the mid-1800s by families from Conception Bay because of substantial stands of timber.

The community was named Hillview because of the beautiful late summer and fall views of the surrounding hills. Several local residents still comment on this, and Doreen Avery [a local resident] proudly refers to the view as the best in all of Newfoundland.

The first settlers were probably seasonal, summering in Labrador. The first arrivals were James Stoyles and David Benson from Grates Cove. The Churchill and Frost families arrived next.

These early settlers were engaged in lumbering, shipbuilding, the Labrador fishery and some inshore fishing. As many as 20 schooners left the community at one time, with the first being owned by James Stoyles.....

The community name was changed to Hillview in 1913, but Northern Bight and Dark Hole were still listed separately in the 1935 census.

Older residents still refer to the southern section of the community as Dark Hole. Churchill's Cove was to the north, but was often missed in the census.

The 2016 Census showed for the combined areas of Hillview-Adeytown-Hatchet Cove-St. Jones Within to be 436, a drop of 2 from 2011.

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/HillviewNL