" Discover the Heritage of the Baccalieu Trail "
History Timeline
1708 – 1709 – Joseph Parsons and Thomas Moore are living at Blackhead, which is probably the first of these coves settled. The other coves were probably settled in the mid to late 1700’s. Early settlers at Adam’s Cove included James Adams, Robert Evans and George Hudson.
1765 – The Methodist Clergyman, Lawrence Coughlan is making regular visits to the North Shore from Harbour Grace.
1769 – The first Methodist church in Newfoundland is built at Blackhead.
1774 – Two fishing stages are shown on a map of Board Cove. These may have belonged to Dennis Dunn and the five children of John LeGrow, resident there in 1776.
1793 – Small Point is home to John King and Michael Hurley.
1816 – Blackhead becomes part of a Methodist circuit, with two ministers.
1830 – 1831 – Religious revival converts many people in the surrounding area to the Methodist faith.
1836 – Census reports about 1000 people in the Small Point – Adam’s Cove area, the majority of whom are Methodists. Adam’s Cove has a population of 264.
1845 – Census first lists Broad Cove (580 residents) and Blackhead (257 residents) separately.
1800’s (mid) – The North Shore of Conception Bay is becoming over fished and all the useable shore space is densely populated.
1857 – Small Point is first noted (as Lower Small Point) with a population of 79. There are schools in both Blackhead and Adam’s Cove.
1871 – William Baggs and John and Levi Hudson were planters in Adam’s Cove. Merchant Timothy O’Leary establishes premises in Upper Island Cove and Lower Small Point.
1884 – Over 200 fishermen from this North Shore area are involved in the Labrador fishery.
1894 – The Legrow family had become the most important dealers and planters in the area. The Moores and Hudsons are well known "fish killers" in Blackhead. James Evans is a general dealer, Charles Moores and Robert and George Hudson are planters in Adam’s Cove.
1900 (circa) Lower Small Point has 256 residents , Broad Cove South has 381 residents, Broad Cove North has 186 residents , Blackhead has 268 residents and Adam’s Cove has 459 residents
1900’s (early) – Many people from this area find work as miners on Bell Island or in the lumber industry. Some families chose to leave these communities and many of them end up in Massachusetts and New York.
1911 – About 1600 people reside in these four communities.
1920’s and 1930’s – There is a collapse in the Labrador fishery and a decline in the local shore fishery.
1945 – The population of Small Point, Broad Cove, Blackhead and Adam’s Cove is 803.
1950’s – Traditional salt fish industry begins to be replaced by a fresh-frozen fishery, which changes the remaining shore fishery in Conception Bay. Fishermen no longer cure their catches in the small coves along the shore.
1970’s – Most homes are located along the highway.
1994 – Common family names include: Adam’s Cove: Baggs, Hollett, and Hudson. Blackhead: Bennett Broad Cove: Bishop, Delaney, LeGrow and O’Leary. Small Point: Doyle, Kennell, Peach and Trickett.
