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Origin of Name: Newtown was originally known as Inner Pinchard's Islands or Inner Islands. The name was changed to Newtown in 1892. Wesleyville is named in honour of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.
Population: 3, 061 (includes Badger's Quay-Valleyfield-Pool's Island, 1996), Protestant
Early Settlement: Newfoundland Beothuk Indians may have visited the area in the pre-contact era, and English and French fishermen fished off the shores throughout the 1700s and 1800s. Permanent European settlement begins in the mid 1800s.
Employment: Sealing, seafaring and the fishery were the mainstays of the economy for many years. More recently, tourism and various service industries have diversified the economy.
Interesting Facts about Newtown-Wesleyville
- 1850s, European settlement of the area begins as people move in to the area from the offshore Pinchard's Island.
- 1870s, The offshore island of Bennett's Island is abandoned.
- 1874, Census puts Newtown's population at 167.
- 1875, Benjamin Barbour family house is constructed.
- 1880, Newtown's Church of England school and chapel is built.
- 1880s-, Since Newtown is scattered over many islands and part of the mainland of Newfoundland it becomes known as the "Venice of Newfoundland"
- 1889, Methodist Church is built in Newtown.
- 1893, E. & S. Barbour Limited is established in Newtown.
- 1895, St. Luke's Anglican Church is built at Newtown.
- 1904, Alphaeus Barbour House in Newtown is constructed. It is loosely modeled on Waterford Manor in St. John's
- 1929, Captain Job Kean Barbour of Newtown, while enroute from St. John's to Newtown in the schooner Neptune II is caught in a wicked storm and cut adrift. Forty eight days later the vessel arrives in Tobermory Scotland.
- 1941, David Blackwood is born in Wesleyville. Becomes one of the most famous painters in Newfoundland.
- 1954, Community of Newtown is incorporated.
Local Historic Sites: Barbour Living Heritage Village, Newtown; Bonavista North Regional Museum, Wesleyville.
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