2358 TOPSAIL RD |
Newfoundland Tourism Region : Avalon
Topsail: Brooks (2013) gives three possible derivations of the name of this town.
First, that the land, when viewed from sea, looks like the "topsail" of a schooner;
second, that if standing on that same land, and one looked out to see, the first thing that would be seen on the horizon of an approaching schooner would be the "topsail";
and third (which he described as being "the weakest") it that the name comes from the surname, Thorpe, a "gentleman" who was known to log the area.
In the ENL it is stated that "Topsail" was probably named for nearby Topsail Head, "which is visible from the opposite site of the Bay". Topside Head is said to have been "identified on eighteenth-century maps of Conception Bay, but there is no record of settlement before about 1820 (although Topsail Beach was used as a summer fishing station in 1815)".
This information, however, gives no reason why the head went by the name of "Topsail". The following, from the ENL paints an interesting picture of early Topside:
Early in its history Topsail was recognized for its beauty and its fine "bathing" beach. After 1857 the St. John's elite would visit the area on horseback and once the railway was built excursions to Topsail became a major feature of the service, with the first regular passenger trains in June of 1882.
The Butler Hotel (also known as the "Popinn") opened in 1895. Later, the Seaview and Woodstock hotels were established. For the wealthy of St. John's, Topsail became a popular place for country homes, while permanent residents would often rent their spare rooms to summer tourists.
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/Topsail