Unique Places in Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

Port Hope Simpson is a small community strategically located centrally on the south east coast of Labrador. The forestry and tourism industries are very popular in the area.

This is a beautiful view of the Alexis River. A great area for boating and fishing. It's location makes it a great base point as well to explore the southeast coast of Labrador.

North West River is central Labrador's oldest community, just 30 kilometres away from Happy Valley - Goose Bay. North West River is also straight across the river from the Innu community of Sheshatshiu.

North West River is also home to the famous beach festival every summer.

Mary's Harbour is my birth place and home to many aunts, uncles, grand parents and friends so naturally I would recommend a visit to Mary's Harbour.

It is mainly a snow crab fishing village where most of the employment is generating in the fishery sector. With the opening of the new coastal Labrador highway tourism is providing new employment.

Mary's Harbour is also a gateway to the restored and historically rich Battle Harbour.

It is also home of the Crab Festival an event that takes place every August so for some amazing seafood dishes I highly recommend this event for the bakeoff competition alone!

Nain, Labrador has always been one of my favorite communities to explore to date in Labrador.

It is Labrador and Newfoundland's most northerly settled community. The culture, fishing and scenery in Nain make it well worth the visit.

I have a link to my own Nain page with more tips and amazing pictures of this area of the province.

Happy Valley - Goose Bay is located in central Labrador and a great place for a stagging point for the rest of Labrador.

Happy Valley - Goose Bay itself is very rich in Innu, Metis and Inuit culture. Combined in the summer months with nationalities from England, Italy and Germany the town is truly a melting pot of cultures unriveled by other towns in the province.

I have a link to my own Happy Valley page with many more tips on activities for this region.

Description:
Battle Harbour is about 9 miles away from Mary's Harbour, Labrador on the southeast coast, maybe a little closer from St. Lewis, Labrador. The historic fishing village has been rebuilt and it really is like stepping back in time.

I have fond memories as a kid spending a lot of time in the Battle Harbour area in speed boats jigging for the now elusive cod fish.

If you have access to a speed boat there are also a lot of remains of other old vising villages in the area. For example ask about Trap Cove, Maddie's Cove and Indian Cove.

These three are all within walking distance if you have a guide and great bakeapple country!

Be sure to visit the Battle Harbour Web Site

History:

The mercantile saltfish premises of Battle Harbour was established by a British firm, John Slade & Company in the mid 1700's. Because of its location Battle Harbour, became the major base for the region's cod and seal fisheries and for commercial trade and for two centuries was known unofficially as the capital of Labrador. The first provincial hospital, outside of the capital of St. John?s, was established there in 1893 by Dr. Wilfred Grenfell, and it was the site from which Commander Robert Peary announced his successful expedition to the North Pole in 1909. Noted ecclesiastical architect William Grey designed the Church of St. James the Apostle for Battle Harbour in the late 1840s. Built in 1852 and restored in 1991, St. James is the sole surviving example of Grey's work. It is also the oldest surviving Anglican church in Labrador.

The relocation of community residents under a government-sponsored resettlement program from 1965 to 1970 to nearby Mary?s Harbour, the replacement of saltfish operations with fresh and frozen fish industries and then the decline in the inshore fishery at the start of the 1990s saw an end to all operations at Battle Harbour.

Source: www.labradorcoastaldrive.com

This is a national jewell so make an effort to get to Battle Harbour!!

Description:
Cartwright is a great place in Labrador from which to access the famous Eagle River, the Wonderstrands, sea kayaking and also a port for the provincial ferry system.

History:

Cartwright, established in 1775, was named after Captain George Cartwright. He was an English merchant and adventurer who established a fish and fur trading business. The settlement of Cartwright provided him with an excellent sheltered harbour and FlagStaff Hill gave him a lookout point from which he could look for privateers. He erected two canons there, both of which are still in place today. The business first established by Cartwright was sold to the Hudson's Bay Company in 1837 and this business still operates in Cartwright today. The Mealy Mountains can be seen from the community. The Eagle River, 20 miles to the southwest, has the best salmon fly fishing in the world. Ten miles to the north is a 56 km stretch of sandy beach which the Vikings called the "Wonderstrands". To the east, lies the Atlantic Ocean and the Gannet Islands Seabird Ecological Reserve - home to 50,000 common murre, 35,000 puffins and 8,000 other birds. Eighteen miles to the east of the community lies Table Bay which is home to the largest colony for breeding eiders in Labrador. The Labrador Fisherman's Union Shrimp Company operates a crab plant which employs 100 - 150 people.The facility also processes whelk.

Directions:
Labrador regions southeast coast or zone 4.

Description:
Charlottetown is a great place to call home on the southeast coast of Labrador. It is an excellent village to get a feeling for small town Labrador with a rich fishing history and existing industry. Also a great place to try boating!

Charlottetown first existed as "Old Cove", a winter place for summer fishing stations such as Square Islands, Seal Islands, Hawks Harbour, Dead Islands, Triangle, Tub Harbour, Venison Tickle, and Pinsent's Arm. These summer fishing stations were populated by families from Carbonear and Harbour Grace in Conception Bay, who fished for salmon in the summer and trapped in the winter.

Charlottetown was selected as a permanent settlement in 1950 by Benjamin Powell Sr. and Clarence Perry. They were interested in medical, educational and religious services for their families. " Old Cove" was renamed Charlottetown by Mr. Powell in hopes that it would become the capital of the bay, as Charlottetown is the capital of Prince Edward Island. This same Benjamin Powell Sr. wrote many books about life in Labrador. He is a well- known Labrador author and has been honored with the Order of Canada.

During the summer of 2001, the Labrador Fishermen's Union Shrimp Co. Ltd. opened in the first-ever shrimp processing facility for Labrador in Charlottetown.

Directions:
Labrador regions southeast coast or zone 4.