Boyd's Cove

Origin of Name: Origin of the community name of Boyd's Cove is uncertain, but it may have been named after some of the early settlers in the area.

Population: 525 (includes surrounding area) (1996), Protestant

Early Settlement: While Palaeoeskimo and Maritime Archaic peoples visited the area approximately 2100 to 2700 years ago, Beothuk Indians were the first people to settle in the area. In the 1800s, Europeans began to arrive and soon established a permanent presence in the region.

Employment: Although lumbering, farming, and the service industry make up a key element of the local economy, many residents commute to jobs in larger centers such as Gander.

Interesting Facts about Boyd's Cove

• 700s to 1800s, Beothuks camp, hunt and fish in the area.
• 1891, Census data records the population as employed in either the fishery or agriculture.
• 1900s, Local lumber is harvested for nearby mills.
• 1911, Two church schools are recorded in the area, one Roman Catholic and the other Church of England.
• 1911, Population is recorded as 114.
• 1921, Boyd's Cove agricultural industry continues to grow and it becomes one of the largest suppliers of hay, potato, turnip and cabbage in the Notre Dame Bay area.
• 1935, Community continues to grow with a population of 300.
• 1940, Three sawmills are reported to be operating in the area.
• 1960s, Road construction connects Boyd's Cove with Birchy Bay and Gander.
• 1984, Professor Ralph Pastore of Memorial University publishes his Excavations at Boyd's Cove-Preliminary Findings in Archaeology in Newfoundland and Labrador.