Tag: History

Bell Island – A Rewarding Day Trip from St. John’s

A twenty minute drive from St. John’s will take you to Portugal Cove where you catch the ferry to Bell Island. It is a short ride across “the tickle”. As you approach the great rock in Conception Bay you will marvel at the extreme height of the steep cliffs that encircle the island. So formidable is the island that one wonders exactly how it’s possible to get to the top. However, on arrival you will easily drive up the slope from the wharf to the tableland of the island above. Exploring the 9 by 3 kilometre rock provides all kinds […]

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Brigus and Cupids – History and Archaeology

The villages of Brigus and nearby Cupids are ideal destinations for a day trip from St. John’s. Brigus Brigus is 86 km (53 mi.) from St. John’s (about an hour’s drive). Nestled in a protected harbour, Brigus is as close to the image of a perfect Newfoundland outport that you are likely to find. The streets of the sleepy village are lined with brightly coloured and well maintained old houses. Stop in at The Country Corner for gifts and fresh cod chowder with blueberry crisp, and visit other welcoming shops in town. If you want to stay the night in […]

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Arnold’s Cove: Friendly and history filled

Arnold’s Cove is one of the nicest towns that I have had the pleasure to visit in Newfoundland. It is a small town and the people there are welcoming of almost everyone. One of the main attractions of Arnold’s Cove is the houses along the coast. Many of these homes are from the resettlement of Newfoundland when it became a province of Canada. They were floated from across the islands and settled onto the coast. They are houses that are unique to Newfoundland and there are many of them in Arnold’s Cove. The main summer attraction of Arnold’s Cove is […]

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10 Interesting facts about John Cabot

Upon reading Mr. Hunter’s article in Canada’s History (“Rewriting History” by Douglas Hunter April/May 2010), I learned some little known facts about John Cabot, the explorer who stumbled upon Canada’s East Coast (Newfoundland) in the 15th Century. The article is essentially a conglomeration of disputed facts about the explorer’s journey presented by various scholars. However, the crux of the article is the disappointment in losing years worth of research by British historian Alwyn Ruddock. She devoted her life (1916 – 2006) to the history of John Cabot’s three voyages to the New World (Eastern Canada) from Bristol, England. Throughout her […]

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