Bonavista (2021 population: 3,190) is a town on the Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland in the Canadian province of

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic Canada, Atlantic region. The province comprises t ...

. Unlike many Newfoundland coastal settlements, Bonavista was built on an open plain, not in a steep cove, and thus had room to expand to its current area of . Bonavista is located approximately 300km from the provincial capital of St. John's.

History

John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto), a freelance Italian explorer, was contracted by England's Henry VII to find new lands, and a sea route to the Orient. Cabot set sail from

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in his ship the '' Matthew'' in 1497. When Cabot first saw land he reputedly said "O Buon Vista" ("Oh, Happy Sight!") giving rise to the name of the town and nearby

Cape Bonavista Cape Bonavista is a headland located on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located at the northeastern tip of the Bonavista Peninsula, which separates Trinity Bay to the south ...

. Cabot landed with "a crucifix and raised banners with the arms of the Holy Father and those of the King of England". The land was inhabited, as the expedition found a trail leading inland, a site where a fire had been, and "a stick half a yard long pierced at both ends, carved and painted with brazil". The harbour was not ideal, eventually requiring the construction of several

breakwaters A breakwater is a permanent structure constructed at a coastal area to protect against tides, currents, waves, and storm surges. Part of a coastal management system, breakwaters are installed to minimize erosion, and to protect anchorages, h ...

. Despite this Bonavista became one of the most important towns in Newfoundland due to its proximity to the rich fishing and sealing grounds to the north of the peninsula. The Spanish, Portuguese, French and English fished off Cape Bonavista during the 16th century, but the Spanish and Portuguese presence soon declined, leaving the French and English as the dominant powers. Tension between the French and English sometimes resulted in military action, including an unsuccessful attempt in 1704 by the French to burn the town. The

French Shore The French Shore (French language, French: ''Côte française de Terre-Neuve''), also called The Treaty Shore, resulted from the 1713 ratifications of the Treaty of Utrecht. The provisions of the treaty allowed the French to fish in season along t ...

, which had Bonavista as its eastern terminus, was established by the

Treaty of Utrecht The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vacant throne ...

in 1713. Fishing rights in the area continued to be a source of tension between the French and English. Bonavista was a major commercial centre and the evidence for this is preserved at the

Ryan Premises The Ryan Premises is a National Historic Site of Canada located in the town of Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is preserved as an example of a large-scale merchant operation in a Newfoundland outport. The site consists of the proprietor' ...

, a National Historic Site maintained by Parks Canada. It is a restored example of a large fish merchant's operation. Bonavista's status was further enhanced by the development of the

Fishermen's Protective Union The Fishermen's Protective Union (sometimes called the Fisherman's Protective Union, the FPU, The Union or the Union Party) was a workers' organisation and political party in the Dominion of Newfoundland. The development of the FPU mirrored that ...

in the early 20th century, and the creation of nearby Port Union. During the peak years of 1891-1901, the Bonavista Peninsula's population of about 20,000 was centred in Bonavista. The Bonavista Cold Storage Co. fish plant, now a Fishery Products InternationalFishery Products International
/ref> operation, became the centre of fishery production after the decline of salt fish markets. In 1722 the first school in Newfoundland was built in Bonavista by Rev. Henry Jones.

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by Statistics Canada, Bonavista had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Climate

Bonavista has a subarctic climate ( Dfc) due to its cold water temperatures surrounding the location, keeping June temperatures below in terms of mean temperatures. Although winters are relatively mild by Canadian standards, there is heavy snowfall and frequent cold days. Winter lasts from December through April. Bonavista is one of the windiest places in Canada with an average wind speed of .

Attractions

*The

*The Matthew Replica *The Mockbeggar Plantation *The Dungeon *White Rock Murals * Cape Bonavista Light * Bonavista Archives *Cabot Stadium *Puffins, whales, and icebergs

Notable people

* Adam Pardy,

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

player * Michael Ryder, National Hockey League player

References

External links

Town of Bonvaista Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonavista, Newfoundland And Labrador Populated coastal places in Canada Towns in Newfoundland and Labrador Fishing communities in Canada