Virgin Arm, Newfoundland and Labrador
Encyclopedia
Virgin Arm–Carter's Cove is a designated place
located on New World Island
in the Canadian
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
. The area had a population of 616 in the Canada 2006 Census
.
The community of Virgin Arm is located at the head of Friday's Bay, on New World Island. Its name probably originated in the fact that the narrow arm was not settled until the 1870s, although it was used for winter woods work and schooner
-building by fishermen from Tizzard's Harbour and Twillingate
from the early 19th century.
The first record of settlement at Virgin Arm is from Lovell's Newfoundland Directory (1871), which identifies fisherman John Smith as a resident and notes a population of 10 people. However, Smith appeared in the subsequent records, while Virgin Arm was not enumerated separately in the Census until 1901 (pop. 70). Locally, the first settler is said to have been a Curtis, of Snellings Cove, Twillingate. William Curtis
was resident by 1876, and by 1882 had been joined by John Hicks
and a family named Nicholas, also of Twillingate. At about the turn of the 20th century several other families settled: Burt's (from Tizzard's Harbour),Gleason's, Hann's, Ings' and Price's.
As Virgin Arm was quite distant from the best headland fishing grounds, most fishermen were involved in the fisheries on the Labrador
and French Shore. The most lucrative small-boat fisheries in the area were for bait fishes and lobster
, in both Friday's Bay and Dildo Run. New World Island
is only one kilometer wide at the bottom of Virgin Arm and early in the 20th century there was a tramway built between the two bodies of water for the transportation of fishing boats and lumber.
Virgin Arm had a strong tradition of woods work and, after the decline of the schooner
fisheries in the 1920s and 1930s, many people found employment in pulpwood
cutting or in supplying local sawmills. The population had grown to 225 by 1945.
In the mid-1960s the completion of a network of roads and causeways connecting the various communities of New World Island with each other and with the mainland saw Virgin Arm South emerging as a service center of the area with such facilities as the New World Island Medical Clinic and a regional high school, Coaker Academy. In addition, several businesses serving New World Island have been located along the Road to the Isles leading towards Summerford.
Designated place
A designated place or DPL is a type of community or populated area identified by Statistics Canada for statistical purposes. DPLs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages.DPLs are communities that lack...
located on New World Island
New World Island
New World Island is an island in Notre Dame Bay, just off the coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.The island is connected to Newfoundland by a causeway. The prominent communities on the island are Summerford, Virgin Arm, Hillgrade, Newville, Cobb's Arm and...
in the Canadian
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...
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 area had a population of 616 in the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
.
The community of Virgin Arm is located at the head of Friday's Bay, on New World Island. Its name probably originated in the fact that the narrow arm was not settled until the 1870s, although it was used for winter woods work and schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
-building by fishermen from Tizzard's Harbour and Twillingate
Twillingate
Twillingate is a town of 2,448 people located on the Twillingate Islands in Notre Dame Bay. It is located off the northeastern shore of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was incorporated on September 30, 1965. The town is about north of Lewisporte and...
from the early 19th century.
The first record of settlement at Virgin Arm is from Lovell's Newfoundland Directory (1871), which identifies fisherman John Smith as a resident and notes a population of 10 people. However, Smith appeared in the subsequent records, while Virgin Arm was not enumerated separately in the Census until 1901 (pop. 70). Locally, the first settler is said to have been a Curtis, of Snellings Cove, Twillingate. William Curtis
William Curtis
William Curtis was an English botanist and entomologist, who was born at Alton, Hampshire.Curtis began as an apothecary, before turning his attention to botany and other natural history. The publications he prepared effectively reached a wider audience than early works on the subject had intended...
was resident by 1876, and by 1882 had been joined by John Hicks
John Hicks
Sir John Richard Hicks was a British economist and one of the most important and influential economists of the twentieth century. The most familiar of his many contributions in the field of economics were his statement of consumer demand theory in microeconomics, and the IS/LM model , which...
and a family named Nicholas, also of Twillingate. At about the turn of the 20th century several other families settled: Burt's (from Tizzard's Harbour),Gleason's, Hann's, Ings' and Price's.
As Virgin Arm was quite distant from the best headland fishing grounds, most fishermen were involved in the fisheries on the Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
and French Shore. The most lucrative small-boat fisheries in the area were for bait fishes and lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
, in both Friday's Bay and Dildo Run. New World Island
New World Island
New World Island is an island in Notre Dame Bay, just off the coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.The island is connected to Newfoundland by a causeway. The prominent communities on the island are Summerford, Virgin Arm, Hillgrade, Newville, Cobb's Arm and...
is only one kilometer wide at the bottom of Virgin Arm and early in the 20th century there was a tramway built between the two bodies of water for the transportation of fishing boats and lumber.
Virgin Arm had a strong tradition of woods work and, after the decline of the schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
fisheries in the 1920s and 1930s, many people found employment in pulpwood
Pulpwood
Pulpwood refers to timber with the principal use of making wood pulp for paper production.-Applications:* Trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 16% of world pulp production, old growth forests 9% and second- and third- and more generation forests account for the balance...
cutting or in supplying local sawmills. The population had grown to 225 by 1945.
In the mid-1960s the completion of a network of roads and causeways connecting the various communities of New World Island with each other and with the mainland saw Virgin Arm South emerging as a service center of the area with such facilities as the New World Island Medical Clinic and a regional high school, Coaker Academy. In addition, several businesses serving New World Island have been located along the Road to the Isles leading towards Summerford.