44 MAIN RD |
Newfoundland Tourism Region : Avalon
New Harbour: While there is an "Old" Perlican and a "New" Perlican, an "Old" Bonaventure and a "New" Bonaventure, there have been a number of "New" Harbours but there is no comparable "Old Harbour" that was settled first.
According to Brooks (2013) the name "New Harbour" came about because, as the southern shore of Trinity Bay was being developed and settlers were looking for "new" areas to fish in and "new" land to log, they just kept heading south "from Heart's Delight to Whiteway, from Green's Harbour to Hopeall and then eventually to a 'new harbour' a little further down the bay"- it was that harbour that became New Harbour.
The following history comes from Wikipedia:
Going as far back as 1800, [New Harbour] was a major ship building center.
In the past, the railroad served to provide the transportation of paper from the Grand Falls Mill to Heart's Content, for shipping to foreign markets....
New Harbour was first settled by Europeans, during the mid-1700s. Various families settled in New Harbour, each in its own Room; (a Room is a few acres of land where sons, grandsons etc. all built their homes).
For example, Thornes' Room fronts on the Pond; generations of Thornes have built homes on the nearby lands. Earlier family names include Pitcher, Williams, Newhook, Higdon, Woodman, Pollett, Cranford, Hillier, Hefford, George, Thorne.
The people of New Hr. have made livings from industries such as Fishing, Shipbuilding, the Pothead Drive, Hunting, Mink Ranching, Farming and from Working Seasonally, in distant places.
In the above quotation the term "pothead" may lead to some confusion. According to the DNLE, a "pothead" or "pot-head" is another name for the northern pilot whale (Globicephala melaena).
This toothed whale is "easily recognized by the prominent bulbous head which is the source of the local vernacular appellation 'pothead' and by its broad-based dorsal fin.
Small numbers were harpooned in 1947-50 and the first large landings (3100 in 1951) began when the practice of driving the animals ashore was initiated".
Specifically, a pot-head drive refers to the "practice of chasing pot-head whales into shore around Dildo by banging on metal, making great deal of noise".
The population of New Harbour in 2016 was recorded as 491, a decrease of 2.0% from the 501 enumerated 5-years earlier in 2011.
Cat's Cove: Not to be confused with "Mad Cat Cove" in Labrador or Lumsden which was known as Cat Harbour until 1917, when it was renamed in honour of Rev. James Lumsden, why this community was called Cat's Cove remains a mystery to the research team.
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/NewHarbourDildo