1 Poplar Lane |
Newfoundland Tourism Region : Central
Traytown; Located at the "elbow" of the Northeast Arm of Alexander Bay in central Bonavista Bay, Traytown is believed to have been named after the town of same name in
England.
According to the ENL sources, the town of "Troytown" has given way to an expression with a very distinct meaning where it is stated that "it is likely that the name comes from Troytown, near Dorchester, a village that had a famous maze or labyrinth cut into its turf [land as such] Troytown eventually became a West Country expression, referring to a maze, or "a scene of disorder or confusion".
Troytown is also the earliest recorded version of Traytown, Trinity Bay and Triton, Notre Dame Bay- all of which have some features in common.
The well-known geologist J.B. Jukes visited the area in 1840. He is quoted as saying "There are no permanent inhabitants in this place, and though several families generally winter there, there is nothing like a town, and I did not leam why it was called Troy.... The depth of water at the entrance of Troytown is only sufficient for a small skiff, and much of the water inside is very shoal."
Because of the lack of moorage, fishery was never a major part of the economy, rather it was settled when a water-powered sawmill was built in the early 1880s. The community first appears in the Census, as "Mill Town" or "Troy Town", in 1884 with a population of nine.
With its proximity to Terra Nova Provincial Park, tourism is now a major employer in the town, with it several amenities (e.g., hotels, restaurants) geared toward making the tourist enjoy the area to the maximum. The population in 2016 was 267, reflecting a 5.7% decrease from the 283 recorded in 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/Traytown