Whitbourne, Newfoundland and Labrador

Whitbourne
Town
Seal
Whitbourne Location of Whitbourne in Newfoundland
Coordinates: 47°25′N 53°32′W / 47.417°N 53.533°W / 47.417; -53.533
Country	Canada
Province	Newfoundland and Labrador
Census division	1
Settled	1880
Area
• Total	21.41 km2 (8.27 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	916
• Density	42.8/km2 (111/sq mi)
Time zone	Newfoundland Time (UTC-3:30)
• Summer (DST)	Newfoundland Daylight (UTC-2:30)
Area code(s)	709
Highways	Route 1 Route 80 Route 81 Route 100

Whitbourne is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada in Division 1.

History

Whitbourne, Newfoundland’s first inland town, is named after Sir Richard Whitbourne, one of the most colourful early settlers of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador who wrote a book about Newfoundland that was published in 1620. Sir Richard was appointed by the High Court of the Admiralty to set up the first English law court in the New World in 1615 in Trinity. He was kidnapped and held by the notorious Pirate Peter Easton in Harbour Grace. He also described a mermaid that he saw in St. John's harbour. Later, he became governor of Renews on the Southern Shore.

Whitbourne, unlike most communities on the Island of Newfoundland is inland. It was founded in about 1880 during the construction of the Newfoundland Railway. The railway continued to be an important employer in the Town until its abandonment in 1988, although its economic significance declined gradually throughout the twentieth century.

Sir Robert Bond, the Prime Minister from 1900 to 1909, played a role in the expansion and planning of the Town and developed an elaborate country home, the "Grange", there. The house is no longer in existence, but part of the estate is now Sir Robert Bond Park, which is noted for an unusual abundance of northern lichens including the relatively rare Degelia plumbea or blue felt lichen Degelia.

Present day

The town of Whitbourne is located just off the Trans-Canada Highway on Route 81. It is located at the centre of three possible routes to visit the Avalon Peninsula. Route 80 is one of the two entrances to the Baccalieu Trail, Route 100 and Route 81 lead to the Marine Atlantic Ferry Service in Argentia and other parts of Placentia and St. Mary's Bays, and Route 1, the Trans Canada leads towards the second entrance to the Baccalieu Trail and the capital city of St. John's. As a result, there is a Provincial Visitor Information Centre on the Trans Canada near the town.

Whitbourne has many of the amenities of a small town that has traditionally been a regional service centre. The town’s Wetlands Conservation Trail is of interest to many visitors. It is the hometown of Shannon Tweed.

Demographics

According to the 2011 Statistics Canada Census:

• Population: 916
• % Change (2006-2011): +7.1
• Dwellings: 478
• Area (km²): 21.41
• Density (persons per km²): 42.8

See also

• List of cities and towns in Newfoundland and Labrador

References

• Towns of Trinity Bay The Baccalieu Trail Tourism Association, with permission from Webmaster.

		Division No. 1, Subd. Y
	Division No. 1, Subd. Y		Subdivision 1M
		Whitbourne
		Division No. 1, Subd. X

Coordinates: 47°25′N 53°32′W / 47.417°N 53.533°W / 47.417; -53.533

Division 1, Newfoundland and Labrador (Avalon Peninsula)
Cities	Mount Pearl St. John's
Towns	Admirals Beach Aquaforte Arnold's Cove Avondale Bauline Bay Bulls Bay de Verde Bay Roberts Bishop's Cove Branch Brigus Bryant's Cove Cape Broyle Carbonear Chance Cove Chapel Arm Clarke's Beach Colinet Colliers Come By Chance Conception Bay South Conception Harbour Cupids Fermeuse Ferryland Flatrock Fox Harbour Gaskiers–Point La Haye Grey River Hant's Harbour Harbour Grace Harbour Main–Chapel's Cove–Lakeview Heart's Content Heart's Delight–Islington Heart's Desire Holyrood Logy Bay–Middle Cove–Outer Cove Long Harbour–Mount Arlington Heights Mount Carmel–Mitchells Brook–St. Catherines New Perlican Norman's Cove–Long Cove North River Old Perlican Paradise Petty Harbour–Maddox Cove Placentia Point Lance Port Kirwan Portugal Cove–St. Philip's Portugal Cove South Pouch Cove Renews–Cappahayden Riverhead St. Bride's St. Joseph's St. Mary's St. Shott's St. Vincent's–St. Stephen's–Peter's River Salmon Cove Small Point–Adam's Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove South River Southern Harbour Spaniard's Bay Sunnyside Torbay Trepassey Upper Island Cove Victoria Wabana Whitbourne Whiteway Winterton Witless Bay
Unorganized subdivisions	Subdivision 1A Subdivision 1B Subdivision 1C Subdivision 1D Subdivision 1E Subdivision 1F Subdivision 1G Subdivision 1H Subdivision 1I Subdivision 1J Subdivision 1K Subdivision 1L Subdivision 1M Subdivision 1N Subdivision 1O Subdivision 1R Subdivision 1U Subdivision 1V Subdivision 1W Subdivision 1X Subdivision 1Y
Unincorporated communities	Admiral's Cove Arnold's Cove Station Baccalieu Island Bareneed Bellevue Black Duck Pond Blow Me Down Bradley's Cove Bristol's Hope Burnt Cove Burnt Point Caplin Cove Cuslett Daniel's Cove Dildo The Dock Fair Haven Flatrock Goobies Gooseberry Cove Gould's Road Grates Cove Great Barasway Green's Harbour Gull Island Hibb's Cove Hopeall Iona Job's Cove Kingston Lance Cove Little Barasway Lower Island Cove Low Point Mahers Marysvale New Chelsea–New Melbourne–Brownsdale–Sibley's Cove–Lead Cove New Harbour Northern Bay Ochre Pit Cove Patrick's Cove–Angels Cove Perry's Cove Point Verde Port de Grave Rantem Red Head Cove St. Michaels Ship Harbour Thornlea Trinny Cove Turks Cove Western Bay
See also: Municipalities of St. John's Metropolitan Area Census divisions of Newfoundland and Labrador