Port Anson

Port Anson, situated on the southwestern shore of Sunday Cove Island, is surrounded by lavish green forest, fertile land and the natural beauty of the sea, making it a delightful area to explore. These characteristics undoubtedly enticed the early settlers to this region. The main industry is the fishery, but some residents are involved in the logging industry as well.

Local History

Port Anson was originally known as Sunday Cove Tickle, then as Newtown, the community was named Port Anson around 1903. Tradition says that the name Port Anson came from Port Handsome.

The earliest Census did not list separate communities on Sunday Cove Island, therefore, the population recorded in 1857 of 63 people included the whole island. Settlers recorded in 1869 included Thomas Hewlett and Abram Rowsell who were known to live at Port Anson. Early settlers were attracted to Port Anson by good timber stands as well as by good agricultural land. By 1911 when the first Census records recorded separate figures for the communities on the island, Port Anson had a population of 144.

Some settlers were fishermen or miners and others sold farm produce. Three residents reported farming as their employment as late as 1921. Eventually local lumber operations and pulpwood cutting in Roberts Arm was also a source of employment. By 1940 five sawmills were being operated by Port Anson residents. One of these resident T.J. Hewlett and Sons became a major supplier and employer for the entire area. In 1961 the population had increased to 407.

In the 1950's when Hewlett's moved to Springdale some people left to work in the logging industry in Central Newfoundland. When the resettlement program was in existence in the 1960's, many families took advantage of it and moved to Roberts Arm and Springdale. In 1971 there were only 123 people left in the community.

Early settlers of Port Anson were mostly Methodists. In 1911 the Salvation Army was established and the Pentecostal Assemblies arrived in the mid 1930's. The Salvation Army operated a school for a few years in 1924. A community school operated from 1947 to 1967 until the Pentecostal Assemblies assumed control. In 1974, a causeway was build across Sunday Cove Tickle, since then high school students were bussed to Roberts Arm.