General History
Baie Verte was first settled by the French in the late 1600's. English settlers arrived in the late 1870's but the French controlled the area until 1904. In 1911, with a population of 68, there were lumbers, fishermen, mechanics, miners, a few trappers (beavers) and one office worker.
In 1939, Mrs. Ella Whalen opened the first post and telegraph office. The following year, planes were used instead of dogteams to deliver mail in winter. Boats were used during the summer months. A Bank of Nova Scotia opened in 1957.
The next year, in 1958, the town was incorporated with William Eaton as Mayor. Over the years Baie Verte has changed from a lumber town to a mining town.
In 1891 Baie Verte had a population of 13 people. By 1911 there were 68 residents. The large increase from 282 people in 1945 to 650 people in 1946 was attributed to a rash of land sales by Bowater. Statistics show a steady increase in population to 2692 residents in 1981. However, by 1986 it had begun to decline with 1900 in 1995.
In the late 1930s, Baie Verte became a depot for Bowater Pulp and Paper Company. Thus, forestry became the most important industry. Bowater employed over 600 men, not all residents of Baie Verte. The company built a staff house, manager's house, clinic, warehouse and store. The first manager of Bowater was Ronald Porter, followed by Roy Johnson and John Bulley. A first aid man ran the clinic during its first few years of operation. Then a nurse and doctor (Dr. Howse) took over.
During the 1850s, the Terra Nova Mine, a copper/sulfur mine, opened. The mine was in operation until 1916 and, while in operation, employed approximately 200 men. It is believed that the mine was sabotaged by a German official in 1915. Whether or not this story is true, the mine closed a year later due to the fact that no further deposits could be found.
In 1955, George McNaughton and Norman Peters discovered asbestos in Baie Verte. Asbestos became a very valuable mineral and was very high in demand. Advocate Mines Ltd., owned by John Mansville, was in operation mining asbestos in 1963. It was an open-pit mine which employed 500 people. There was a week-long shutdown in 1981 and another for three months the following year. Baie Verte Mines, Inc. reopened the mine in 1982. After that time there were several temporary shutdowns. In 1991 Teranova took over the mine. It then changed from a dry to a wet processing mine. In turn, the number of employees decreased to between 70 and 80. TeraNova mines closed permanently in 1995.
Consolidated Rambler Mines Ltd. opened in 1964. It employed approximately 200 men. This mine closed in 1982.
The first school was started in the late 1930s in a barnhouse. George Walsh was the first teacher. A new Roman Catholic School was built in the 1940s with Marie (Barker) Sullivan being the teacher. Another United school was erected a few years later with Harrison Pike as teacher.
As for denominations represented, there were Roman Catholic, Church of England, Methodist and Salvation Army people living in Baie Verte in the early 1900s.
Ella Whalen moved to Baie Verte in 1936. Mrs. Whalen, born in 1907, was a midwife for many years. She traveled to the various communities acting as a midwife until she had a baby of her own and adopted another. After her husband died 32 years ago, she was left with a teenager and a six-year-old to raise. In 1939, Mrs. Whalen opened the first post and telegraph office in Baie Verte. She recalls many of the first happenings in earlier years.
Lewis Jacobs moved to Baie Verte in 1939. Lewis worked with Bowaters cooking and loading the booms. He was quite impressed with the amount of pay and recalls one August when he earned $120. During the war in 1942, Lewis met Emma (his wife) in St. John's. Tuberculosis caused him to be unable to serve in the army and after marrying Emma, he returned to Baie Verte and built a house. Lewis and Emma are retired now. They still consider Baie Verte to be their home but do a lot of traveling throughout Canada visiting their ten children.
Tourism, Recreation & Crafts
Baie Verte has a number of recreational facilities available to the public. These consist of a bowling alley, stadium, curling club, ski slope, walking trail, cross country ski trails, gymnasiums, soccer and softball fields, swimming pool with dome and a tennis court. There are also a number of playgrounds and picnic sites located in the town.
Copper Creek Mountain was opened in 1994 for its first season of downhill skiing. The challenge of Copper Creek is born out of the surrounding spirit and history of the Baie Verte Peninsula. Copper Creek consists of 8 downhill ski trails ranging from easy to their most difficult.
The Rattling Brook Walking Trail and the Sam Blagdon Memorial Walking Trail are two beautiful and scenic walking trails located in Baie Verte
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