Heart's Content, Newfoundland and Labrador
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Heart's Content ( NST) an incorporated town in Trinity Bay on the Bay de Verde Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The natural harbour that make up the town is located on the east side of Trinity Bay and it is built along the northeast side and the southeast base of this harbour.
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[edit] Geography
Large natural harbour opening out to Trinity Bay in a generally southwestern direction and protected from the harsh northern and eastern winds of the North Atlantic.
Heart's Content is also at the crossroads of the main highway for Trinty Bay on the western side of the Bay de Verde peninsula and the highway cutting across the Bay de Verde peninsula between Victoria on the Conception Bay side and Heart's Content.
[edit] Towns and Communities nearby
Heart's Content and surrounding areas are dotted by small fishing communities that were established due the proximity of each community to the fishing grounds. Some of the communities within a 15 minute driving distance from Heart's Content are as follows;
- Winterton
- Turks Cove
- New Perlican
- Heart's Desire
- Heart's Delight
- Islington
[edit] History
The first references to Heart's Content came from John Guy's journal of his voyage into Trinity Bay in 1612. Through much of the 17th Century Heart's Content was used by migratory fisherman from England. However, permanent settlement by at least 1677.
Like many other Newfoundland English settlements, this small village was a victim to the French army of "Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville" in 1697.
Heart's Content was given its place in the history of international communications by Cyrus Field who choose it as the terminus of his Transatlantic telegraph cable. In July 1866, when the cable was brought ashore, it was described as "a sheltered nook, where ships may ride at anchor safe from the storms of the ocean…on the beach is a small village of sixty houses, most of them the dwelling of these hardy men who vex the northern sea with their fisheries…"
Heart's Content did not depend of the cable industry alone for its economically successful standing. Besides the growing importance of the Labrador fishery and the seal hunt, as well as the shipbuilding industry, other economic stimuli made it a growing and prosperous community. Transportation connections between Heart's Content and the rest of the Avalon Peninsula improved and greatly accommodated the movement of people and goods, and the overall production of business the town and other areas of Trinity and Conception Bays.
Within 10 years of incorporation Heart's Content obtained most of the facilitates and the amenities of a small town. These included a town hall, fire station, a municipal park, water a sewage system, a ballpark and a senior citizens club.
[edit] 17th century
- 1697 - French under d'Iberville enter Heart's Content. The final 30 men plus women and children holdup in a fort commanded by Irishmen. The occupants surrender to the French.
- 1700 – Census taken records a population of 35, 5 fishing-stages and 7 boats.
[edit] 18th century
- 1783 – A docking facility established to build sailing craft of all types. This was the first attempt to diversify the economy of Heart's Content. At its height, the industry employs 100 men, shipwrights, sail-makers, caulkers, woodsmen, sailors and blacksmiths.
[edit] 19th century
- 1823 – Society for the Propagation of the Gospel opens its first school in Heart's Content, with Thomas Parker as teacher.
- 1862 – Rev. George Gardner founds the Fisherman’s Society at Heart's Content, later the Society of United Fishermen.
- 1865 – Heart's Content is chosen as the location for the first transatlantic submarine telegraph cable.
- 1866 (July 27) - Transatlantic cable from Valentia, Ireland is landed at Heart's Content by the S.S. Great Eastern.
- 1873 – Fisherman’s Society organized in 1862 becomes the Society of United Fisherman with Rev. George Gardner as its first Grand Master.
- 1873 and 1874 – Two more cables are laid between Heart's Content and Ireland.
- 1870’s – The Methodist congregation is organized, they also built a school.
- 1880 and 1894 – Two more cables were laid marking Heart’s Content station as one of the most important in the world at this time.
- 1880’s – Population grows to an estimated 1,200 residents.
[edit] 20th century
- 1915 – Heart’s Content is linked by railway with the Conception Bay branch of the Reid Newfoundland Railway system. The rail connection allows the Anglo Newfoundland Development Company to use Heart’s Content as a winter port for shipments of newsprint from its mill at Grand Falls.
- 1918 – The brick cable station is enlarged to serve the "Anglo-American Telegraph Company and its successor, Western Union, until its closure in 1965.
- 1920 – A hydroelectric power plant is constructed by the Public Service Electric Company.
- 1930’s – The decline in the fishing industry puts a complete end to the shipbuilding and boat building, and the loss of the railway, drastically reduces the economic base of the town.
- 1932 – The United Towns Electric Company purchases the hydroelectric power plant and it was incorporated into its system.
- 1935 - Anglo Newfoundland Development Company stops using the port.
- 1960 – The power plant is enlarged and re-built, and for a short time made part of the Avalon power grid.
- 1967 – Heart’s Content is incorporated as a Local Improvement District.
- 1968 – The brick cable building closed in 1965 is bought by the Provincial Government as an historic site and soon after begins a restoration project to make the almost 100 year old building a communications museum.
- 1974 – (July 27) – 108 years after the landing of the transatlantic cable in the New World, the restored communications museum officially opens.
[edit] Current
[edit] Economy
During the 18th century, the inshore cod fishery was the main source of income. Agriculture in the summer and logging in the winter also helped the fisherman and their families.
[edit] Climate
The climate of the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent land areas is influenced by the temperatures of the surface waters and water currents as well as the winds blowing across the waters. Because of the oceans' great capacity for retaining heat, the climate of Heart's Content are moderate and free of extreme seasonal variations.
Precipitation falls on the area both as snow in the wintertime and moderate rainfall in summer.
The Gulf Stream and Labrador Current converge just of the coast of Newfoundland and provide for very dense fog that can linger in the area for days.
[edit] Culture
[edit] Demographics
| Population in 2001 | 495 |
| Population change | -8.0% |
| Number of families | 140 |
| Number of married couples | 135 |
| Total number of dwellings | 180 |
| Catholic | 4% |
| Protestant | 96% |
| Land Area | 62.81 sq. km. |
[edit] Notable Residents
[edit] Tourist attractions
- Cable Station Historic Site
- Society of United Fishermen No.1
- Cable Staff House Registered Heritage Site
- Heart’s Content Lighthouse
- Heart’s Content Harbour Authority
