Avondale, Newfoundland and Labrador
Encyclopedia
Avondale is a Canadian
town located on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula
in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
.
The community is situated at the southwestern head of Conception Bay
in Division No. 1
. It is located 59 km (36.7 mi) southwest of St. John's
and 72 km (44.7 mi) northeast of Placentia
.
Prior to January 1, 1898 Avondale was known as Salmon Cove but was renamed to avoid confusion with two other nearby communities of the same name in the Port de Grave and Brigus Districts. The name Avondale was suggested by the parish priest Rev John Roe because of the resemblance to his native area in Ireland, taking the name from Thomas Moore's poem, "The Meeting of the Waters". Earliest record of settlement per Fishing Room Grants is for John Mahaney in 1773, a census of 1812 reports 12 inhabitants. Settlers to the area were primarily Irish Roman Catholic with a smaller number of Jersey French and English. Avondale incorporated the communities of Salmon Cove, Gasters, Northern Arm, and Southern Arm.
In 1863, the Anglo American Telegraph Company set up a repeater station which was eventually taken over by the Reid Newfoundland Railway Company in the late 1880s when the Newfoundland Railway
was constructed through the area and a station was built. In addition to the railway station, it also hosted a post office
, a money order
office, and one church. It functioned as a lumber
ing, fishing
and farming settlement in what was known as the Harbour Main District. The population dwindled in the early 1900s as men began migrating to the eastern US (Boston and New York) to find work.
Its first postmaster was Edward Kennedy who came to the area in 1889 after the railway was built. CN Rail
abandoned its railway operations on Newfoundland in 1988 (see: Terra Transport
). The Avondale railway station remains preserved along with a small display of retired railway cars and a locomotive. The Avondale station is the oldest railway station in the province.
Avondale has lost approximately one third of its population since 1976 when it numbered 937 residents.
Statistics Canada detail demographics follow link
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
town located on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland.The peninsula is home to 257,223 people, which is approximately 51% of Newfoundland's population in 2009, and is the location of the provincial capital, St. John's. It is connected to the...
in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
.
The community is situated at the southwestern head of Conception Bay
Conception Bay
Conception Bay is a Canadian bay located on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland. The bay indents the Avalon Peninsula with the opening of the bay to the Atlantic Ocean at the northeast. It is bounded by Cape St. Francis in the south and Split Point near Bay de Verde in the north...
in Division No. 1
Division No. 1, Newfoundland and Labrador
Division No. 1, Newfoundland and Labrador is a census division covering the entire Avalon Peninsula including the Isthmus of Avalon of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador...
. It is located 59 km (36.7 mi) southwest of St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
and 72 km (44.7 mi) northeast of Placentia
Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador
Placentia is a town on the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland and Labrador, consisting of the amalgamated communities of Jerseyside, Townside, Freshwater, Dunville and Argentia...
.
Prior to January 1, 1898 Avondale was known as Salmon Cove but was renamed to avoid confusion with two other nearby communities of the same name in the Port de Grave and Brigus Districts. The name Avondale was suggested by the parish priest Rev John Roe because of the resemblance to his native area in Ireland, taking the name from Thomas Moore's poem, "The Meeting of the Waters". Earliest record of settlement per Fishing Room Grants is for John Mahaney in 1773, a census of 1812 reports 12 inhabitants. Settlers to the area were primarily Irish Roman Catholic with a smaller number of Jersey French and English. Avondale incorporated the communities of Salmon Cove, Gasters, Northern Arm, and Southern Arm.
In 1863, the Anglo American Telegraph Company set up a repeater station which was eventually taken over by the Reid Newfoundland Railway Company in the late 1880s when the Newfoundland Railway
Newfoundland Railway
The Newfoundland Railway was a railway which operated on the island of Newfoundland from 1898 to 1988. With a total track length of , it was the longest narrow gauge railway system in North America.-Early construction:...
was constructed through the area and a station was built. In addition to the railway station, it also hosted a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, a money order
Money order
A money order is a payment order for a pre-specified amount of money. Because it is required that the funds be prepaid for the amount shown on it, it is a more trusted method of payment than a cheque.-History of money orders:...
office, and one church. It functioned as a lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
ing, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and farming settlement in what was known as the Harbour Main District. The population dwindled in the early 1900s as men began migrating to the eastern US (Boston and New York) to find work.
Its first postmaster was Edward Kennedy who came to the area in 1889 after the railway was built. CN Rail
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
abandoned its railway operations on Newfoundland in 1988 (see: Terra Transport
Terra Transport
Terra Transport was the name for the Newfoundland Transportation Division, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian National Railway , created in 1979 as a means to organize the company's operations on the island of Newfoundland.-Background:...
). The Avondale railway station remains preserved along with a small display of retired railway cars and a locomotive. The Avondale station is the oldest railway station in the province.
Avondale has lost approximately one third of its population since 1976 when it numbered 937 residents.
| Population in 2006 | 667 |
| Population change from 2001 | -4.9% |
| Median age (2001) | 39.9 |
| Number of families (2001) | 210 |
| Number of married couples (2001) | 145 |
| Total number of dwellings (2006) | 313 |
| Catholic (2001) | 94.3% |
| Protestant (2001) | 5.7% |
| 2006 Land Area (km².) | 29.93 |
Statistics Canada detail demographics follow link
| North: Conception Bay Conception Bay Conception Bay is a Canadian bay located on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland. The bay indents the Avalon Peninsula with the opening of the bay to the Atlantic Ocean at the northeast. It is bounded by Cape St. Francis in the south and Split Point near Bay de Verde in the north... |
||
| West: Conception Harbour Conception Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador Conception Harbour is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is in Division No. 1 on Conception Bay.According to the 2001 Statistics Canada Census:*Population: 801*% Change : -9.8*Dwellings: 353... |
Avondale |
East: Harbour Main-Chapel's Cove-Lakeview Harbour Main-Chapel's Cove-Lakeview, Newfoundland and Labrador Harbour Main-Chapel's Cove-Lakeview is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is in Division No. 1, on Conception Bay... |
| South: Division No. 1, Subd. O Division No. 1, Subd. O, Newfoundland and Labrador Division No. 1, Subd. O is an unorganized subdivision on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in Division No. 1. It's divided into two parts, the northern portion touches Conception Bay.According to the 2001 Statistics Canada Census:... |