While the website that is maintained by Laval High School in Placentia is well laid out and worthwhile having in existence, it contains numerous historical and grammatical errors. The excerpt from ARGENTIA: A Historic Look, which appears in “Entry One” below is the first of the examples we will be presenting in this section of Misconceptions and Fabrications Pertaining to Argentia's History. Correspondence to two different principals of Laval has failed to have the situation corrected. When a respected place of learning posts, and continues to keep such erroneous information — which is contrary to all the historical records that exist in British, Spanish, French, and Portuguese archives — on the internet, it is little wonder why historians in those places cringe and pass it off by uttering phrases such as “Stupid Newfies!”

Entry One

On the web page ARGENTIA: A Historic Look — written by Wayne Power, and authorized by his English Language teacher, Sylvia McGrath, the very first statement reads:

First mapped by the Portuguese explorers Gaspar and Miguel Cortreal [sic] in 1503, Petite Plaisance (Argentia's original name) was first settled in the late 1600s as a part of the French settlement of Plaisance (Placentia), Argentia was first a small French fishing village.

Repudiation of Wayne Power's Statement

The correct surname of the Portuguese explorers is Corte-Real and, in 1503, they were both dead. That is a well-documented historical fact. Moreover, not only did they not visit the Argentia area, they did not visit Newfoundland. Refer to section Misconceptions and Fabrications of Local Sources for details.

Petite Plaisance was not “first settled in the late-1600s.” It was first settled by the French about the same time as Plaisance and Pointe Verte were … in the 1630s. However, the exact date and year are not known. In 1662, it became part of the triad French capital of Plaisance, Petite Plaisance, and Pointe Verte.

Entry Two

The next entry which was not credited to any particular individual, so it is logical to assume it was posted as official school information. However, it is historically incorrect. Under the heading “U.S. Navy Floating Drydock [sic] and Ship Repair” — the following information appears:

The U.S. Naval Base had a ship repair unit at which hundreds of ships of the American and Allied Navies, as well as United Nations [sic] merchant vessels obtained repairs and service during World War 11 [sic]. In the picture is a view of the busy interior of one of the main machine shops of this two-three million dollar unit [sic].

In the picture is the Floating Dry Dock no. 25 [sic], located next to the Ship Repair building, with a frigate in drydock [sic], which was used on the U.S. Naval Base at Argentia.

Repudiation of “ U.S. Navy Floating Drydock [sic] and Ship Repair”

•  While President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill unofficially referred the allies as the “United Nations,” there was no such organization during World War II. All merchant vessels were “allied merchant ships.” The United Nations did not come into being until Wednesday, October 24, 1945.

•  By using numerals in “World War 11,” the entry means “World War Eleven.” It should read World War II.

•  The cost of constructing the Ship Repair Facility was 2.8 million dollars. The Ship Repair building on Marquise Neck was only one component of the facility and the cost of its construction was $1.3 million. The floating dry dock, holding facilities, and land access structures accounted for the rest.

•  The photograph identified as “Floating Dry Dock no. 25 [sic]” is not correct. The vessel in the photo is an aircraft carrier and it was not even close to looking like the floating drydock, which was located at Sandy Cove for the entire time it was in use at Argentia. The correct identification is presented with the following two photographs:

The British Royal Navy's attacker-class escort aircraft carrier HMS Tracker (D-24), as seen sailing through Argentia inner harbour in May 1943. From the archives of former U.S. Naval Station, Argentia.

The British Royal Navy destroyer U-66 sailing past HMS Tracker as it is being secured to the northern end of the Fleet Dock in May 1942. From the archives of former U.S. Naval Station, Argentia.

As a matter of interest, the HMS Tracker was built by Willamette Iron & Steel Corporation of Portland, Oregon. It was formally turned over to the British Admiralty by the government of the United States on Sunday, January 31, 1943. The Tracker was the first of ten Royal Navy carriers (CVEs in U.S. Navy) to be completed at Portland — five each at Willamette Iron & Steel Corporation (WI&SC), and Commercial Iron Works (CIW). In order of completion, they were: HMS Tracker (WI&SC), HMS Searcher (CIW), HMS Ravager (CIW), HMS Trumpeter (CIW), HMS Slinger (WI&SC), HMS Premier (WI&SC), HMS Speaker (WI&SC), HMS Arbiter (CIW), HMS Rajah (WI&SC), and HMS Trouncer (CIW).

The first port of call for the HMS Tracker after its shake-down cruises was U.S. Naval Operating Base, Argentia. When the Royal Navy established a British task force at Argentia in 1943, it was assembled around two of the new attacker-class carriers; namely, the HMS Tracker (D-24) and HMS Biter (D-97), which were assigned to Argentia on a permanent basis. Together with the American destroyers operating out of Argentia, the Tracker and Biter had outstanding successes against enemy submarines in the North Atlantic.

Ground view of the floating dry dock, ARD-18, as seen at Sandy Cove in June 1946 . A U.S. Coast Guard cutter is in ARD-18 for repairs to stern section after being hit by another vessel while attempting to dock at the Fleet Dock in windy conditions. From the archives of former U.S. Naval Station, Argentia.

An aerial view of a U.S. military freighter in ARD-18 for an annual inspection and repairs of any deficiencies, as seen in July 1946. From the archives of former U.S. Naval Station, Argentia.

The ARD-18 (Auxiliary Repair Dry-dock) was floating division of the Ship Repair. In the U.S. Navy's official list of assets, the formal designation of ARD-18 at the time of commissioning was USS YFB - 25.

As a matter of interest, the five sailors who — because of insufficient evidence — got away with murdering Patrick McGee of Placentia on the Northeast Arm near Dunville in 1953 were apprentice journalists who were assigned to ARD-18.

Entry Three

Like Entry Two, the next entry was not credited to any individual and appears to have been posted as official school information. It, too, contains historically incorrect information. The following information appears under the heading“ Chronology of U.S. Naval Operating Base [sic] 1941-1945, Argentia, Nfld.”

Repudiation of “ Chronology of U.S. Naval Operating Base 1941-1945, Argentia, Nfld.”

The style and wording of most entries under “Event” are not smooth reading, clear, or indicative of what was actually meant to be said. Perhaps that is because most were copied verbatim from other sources. As an example, the names of ships consist of the designation “U.S.S.” in front of the name in all capital letters. Some people write the names of ships that way or by setting them off with quotation marks. Others use “Bold” type for the names. In entry 33, capitalization and quotation marks are used in naming the ships “EASTWIND” and “SOUTHWIND.” All three ways, or any combination of the three are incorrect. The names of ships, as with those of books and planes, should be italicized. Using periods in “U.S.S.” is also unnecessary. Instead of writing “U.S.S. DAVIS” in entry 34, the name of the destroyer should have appeared as USS Davis.

Also, many acronyms were used without indicating what they were. Since there are many identical acronyms in the U.S. military that bear different meanings, it would have been appropriate to indicate which unit was actually being referenced. Again, that situation exists because of copying from other sources without any knowledge of the acronyms' meanings. Although there are many minor errors, only the major points of contention in the preceding table will be discussed or corrected in the following paragraphs.

In No. 6, reference is made to “the Atlantic Charter Meeting.” The proper name is “Atlantic Meeting.” The name “Atlantic Charter” was not coined until after the famous meeting had taken place and was announced to the world.

In No. 12, “Fairwing 7” is written instead of Fleet Air Wing 7.

In No. 13, the statement “Vice Admiral Bristol, CTF-24 died of pneumonia at Argentia, largely brought on by overwork and strain of directing the Allied anti-submarine effort” is false. Admiral Bristol died suddenly as a result of a massive myocardial infarction, which is better known as a “heart attack.” It was not precipitated by the “strain of directing the Allied anti-submarine effort” but by the stress associated with the inquiry following the USS Truxtun and USS Pollux disaster. The fact that he smoked two to three packs of Camel cigarettes a day probably made a significant contribution to his adverse health condition.

In No. 15, the statement “Pilots of Fleet Air Wing 7 and destroyers of Task Force 24 sank German submarines at very approaches to harbor” is false. Not one submarine was ever sunk in Placentia Bay. See details pertaining to the sinking of German submarines off the coast of Newfoundland in section Misconceptions and Fabrications of Bob Noseworthy.

In No. 17, the statement “ Several officers lost their lives” is incorrect. Two officers died of smoke inhalation in that disaster.

In No. 30, Captain Lester J. Hudson was singled out as being appointed “Commandant.” Why bother mentioning only one commanding officer when there were 36 during the time the Americans occupied Argentia? Hudson 's tour of duty in Argentia was certainly no more outstanding that any of the other people who held the position.

Entry Four

The section titled “ Argentia - Employment in the Early Years” is credited as a group effort with no mention of any particular student. It is written in different styles and the conflicting use of both open and close punctuation makes it difficult to discern the meaning of certain portions of the text. Since the opening statement credited Uprooted: The Argentia Story for the information that was used, the misinformation passed on by Eileen Houlihan was propagated by the students of Laval high School. See section Misconceptions and Fabrications of Eileen Houlihan for details. Errors in information, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are indicated by the appearance of [sic] immediately afterward. The entire text on the webpage reads as follows:

Argentia - Employment in the Early Years

The following information on Argentia, dating back to the 1800's [sic], is taken from Mrs. Eileen Houlihan's book, Uprooted [sic] with some adaptions [sic] of text throughout.

The Mine

Argentia was one of several Newfoundland towns named after a specific mineral found in the town. This silver lode was discovered by a John Burke of Argentia. Because of financial difficulties he could not develop his claim, and so had to sell it to Baron Francis Von Ellerhausen, a German engineer who came to Canada in 1862 to develop the copper mine in Bett's Cove, Notre Dame Bay. In 1883, under a London firm called the Cliff Silver Mines Company, Ellerhausen began working at Silver Cliff [sic], as the Argentia mine came to be known. He found it in bad shape due to [sic] the previous unskilled mining efforts, [sic] and he left Newfoundland the following year. Several other attempts were made to promote Silver Cliff [sic], but they were unsuccessful. In 1887 [sic] a shipment of ore bound for Britain sank in the mid-Atlantic. St. John's merchant and auctioneer John W. Foran obtained the property in 1892 and finally located the main ore body [sic], which the others had not been able to find; in spite of this, he made no profit.

The last attempt was carried out between 1922 and 1925 by the Silver Cliff Mining Company of St. John's, but it met with no greater success than had the preceding efforts. From 1942 onwards [sic] the mine was part of the territory under the jurisdiction of the former U.S. Naval Base [sic].

It is impossible now to ascertain how much employment was created locally by the working of this [sic] mine, but it is definite that during the last phase of its operation men from Argentia were employed.

The Fishery

The cod fishery was the mainstay of the economy of Argentia during the 19th century. Large boats with crews of 10 to 15 men fished on the Grand Banks while the smaller boats, with crews of 5 or 6, fished at Golden Bay near Cape St. Mary's. The inshore fishery was operated from small open boats which returned home daily.

Since there was no refrigeration [sic] the fish had to be split, salted, and dried on rough platforms called flakes. The livers of the codfish were put in a pork barrel and allowed to rot. The oil produced from the rotting livers was used for nutritional purposes as well as for the oil lamps, the only source of artificial light at the time. A string of wool soaked in the cod oil served as a wick. The kerosene lamp came into use at a later date and the luxury of electricity came in 1925.

The fishermen saw very little money for their labour. In the spring [sic] the fish merchants advanced whatever materials, gear and food would be needed for the season, and at the end of the season they bought the fish, deducted what was owed to them, and paid the fishermen the balance “in kind” with flour, pork, salt beef and molasses. By the end of February [sic] these [sic] staple foods would be almost used up, which accounts for the expression “the long, hungry month of March”. [sic]

Then, as now, the price of fish fluctuated from year to year, and of course a good catch could never be a certainty. By the late 1800's [sic] the Bank [sic] fishery at Argentia had ended. The next generation of young men had begun emigrating to the U.S. in search of steadier and more lucrative employment.

The Liquor Trade

In the early 1920's [sic] liquor was not easily obtained legally, and at one time it was even necessary to get a prescription from a doctor. Later [sic] a permit could be purchased which allowed the owner to buy two bottles a week. Because [sic] of those restrictions [sic] there was a brisk trade in liquor from St. Pierre to Argentia. The fishing captains who dealt in this [sic] illegal trade had their regular customers, some of whom retailed it while others shipped it on to St. John's. There is a story told of one wholesaler who sank his stock in a pond while waiting to dispose of it. He had apparently been watched be some young men who, under the cover of darkness, stole the entire stock.

There were a few retailers, or bootleggers, as they were called, who continued their trade even after the construction of the U.S. Naval Base began. Restrictions were lifted, however, and liquor permits discontinued at the time of “Come Home Year” in 1966.

Transportation

Until 1920 [sic] the terminus of the Placentia branch of the railway had been at Jersey Side. There was, however, no safe harbour for the coastal boats which took passengers and freight to their final destinations around Placentia Bay and along the South Coast [sic] as far as Port-aux-Basques. It was decided then to extend the railway to Argentia, which had a safe, landlocked harbour, for the most part [sic] ice-free in winter. Of course [sic] this [sic] did not sit well with the people of Placentia, who aired their opposition in the press in no uncertain terms; nevertheless, the change was made. It is worth noting that on its first run to the Argentia terminus the freight consisted of the pews for the newly erected Church [sic] on Mount Rosary; these [sic] are the same pews now being used in the Holy Rosary Church in Freshwater. The mixed feelings which resulted due to [sic] the extension of the railway to Argentia, is illustrated in a Poem [sic] composed by Professor William Murphy, who returned to Argentia in the 1920's [sic] to find the railway terminal built on his homestead.

The extension of the railway to Argentia was a considerable boost to the economy of the community and probably accounts for the phasing out of the fishery there. In addition to the several longshoremen who transferred the freight from the train to the two coastal boats, the Argyle [sis] and the Glencoe [sic]; these [sic] boats made regular runs to and from Argentia. The Railway [sic] station itself [sic] gave employment to a number of people: the station agent, George Abbott; the assistant, Abbott's son Walter; telegraph operator/dispatcher Raymond Whelan; customs collector Matt Murphy; and tidewater [sic] Albert O'Reilly. As well, several Argentia men secured positions on the train and on the coastal boats, while some crew members from outside the community rented houses and took up residence in Argentia with their families. The passenger train to Argentia made its last run in 1983 [sic], ending 63 years of service.

About twice a year coal boats arrived and had to be unloaded manually, thus employing many extra workers, even if only for a short time. Those working in the hold of the ship shovelled the coal into large tubs which were then hoisted by crane. This [sic] coal was used to generate steam for the engines of the train and for the steamers.

To accommodate passengers coming and going on the coastal boats, the Davis Hotel was built soon after Argentia became the terminus. This [sic] provided a few more jobs. Obviously then, the railway had an impact on the community from both a social and an economic point of view.

Health Care

Because [sic] the Commission of Government - which replaced Responsible Government in 1934 - was concerned with the health care of the people, thirteen small “cottage hospitals” were located throughout the island. One was built at Argentia in 1936 [sic] to serve not only the residents of the immediate area but also people living in the small and remote communities of Placentia Bay. The hospital was erected quite near the dock [sic] for the convenience of those patients who came by way of coastal boats. The resident physician, a Dr. John Green [sic] from Toronto, was well liked and gave excellent medical service. The hospital provided some employment in addition to filling a great need in the life of the whole area.

The Herring Factory

In 1936 [sic] a herring factory was built near the site of the present C.N. Terminal. Fishermen from around Placentia Bay brought their catches to this factory, where they were dried in a rotary drier operated by steam power [sic]. The herring was [sic] then ground into fish meal and exported for poultry feed. Although this [sic] was only a seasonal operation [sic] it provided some badly needed employment, for the effects of the dreadful [sic] Depression of 1929-1939 were being felt at this [sic] time.

Repudiation of “ Argentia - Employment in the Early Years” Errors

Point one — as for the “ Silver Cliff, ” the correct name of the mine was the Silver Cliffs Mine.

Point two — the statement “St. John's merchant and auctioneer John W. Foran obtained the property in 1892 and finally located the main ore body [sic], which the others had not been able to find; in spite of this, he made no profit” is incorrect.

A “mother lode” of silver was never found at the mine, which was located in Broad Cove. During the 1960s, a group of Americans had samples they took from the mine assayed in the United States. The reports showed that the amount of silver was not of sufficient quality and quantity to make commercial mining a viable venture.

Point three — the statement “It is impossible now to ascertain how much employment was created locally by the working of this mine [sic], but it is definite that during the last phase of its operation men from Argentia were employed” is also incorrect.

Quite a lot of information was documented on the Silver Cliffs Mine at various official sources. When he tried to conduct a mining operation, John Burke had six men working for him and he paid them the paltry sum of thirty cents per day.

Under the management of German engineer, Baron Francis von Ellershausen, fifty men were employed at the Silver Cliffs Mine and were paid one dollar each per day.

Point four — under the ownership of John Foran, Robert Murphy, William Mackay, Leslie Marshall, and James O'Neill-Conroy, 35 men were employed by the Silver Cliff Mining Company Limited. Of that small workforce, 25 men were from Argentia. The men's wages at that time were 75 cents per day.

Point five — as for the statement “From 1942 onwards [sic] the mine was part of the territory under the jurisdiction of the former U.S. Naval Base [sic], the Broad Cove area was under the jurisdiction of the United States government," five branches of its armed forces operated out of Argentia, which was officially known as U.S. Naval Operating Base, Argentia, not “U.S. Naval Base.”

Point six — reference to “the two coastal boats, the Argyle and the Glencoe” shows a lack of information pertaining to the railway-coastal boat system in Argentia. Firstly, the names of those ships should have been italicized. There were more than those two vessels associated with that passenger and freight service in Argentia. As an example, the SS Baccalieu, SS Bar Haven, SS Bruce, MV Bonavista, SS Burgeo, SS Cabot Strait, SS Caribou, SS Glencoe, SS Home, MV Northern Ranger, MV Kyle, MV Patrick Morris, SS Portia, MV Springdale, and MV William Carson were some of the other vessels that used the port of Argentia on a regular basis.

Point seven — as for the phrase “…tidewater [sic] Albert O'Reilly,” there is no such position as a “tidewater.” Albert O'Reilly was a tidewaiter, which meant he boarded vessels before they entered Argentia harbour and conducted an inspection to ensure that passengers and crew were not trying to avoid paying customs.

Point eight — the statement “The passenger train to Argentia made its last run in 1983, ending 63 years of service” is incorrect. Sixty-three years of railway service to Argentia — 96 years of service to the Placentia region — ended when a mixed train — that is a combination of passenger and freight cars — made the final run on the morning of Wednesday, September 19, 1984.

Point nine — In reference to cottage hospitals, the site stated “…one was built at Argentia in 1936.” Construction of Argentia Cottage Hospital began in the summer of 1935 and it was officially opened in April 1936. As for the physician being Dr. John Green, a little research would have shown that the Jewish man's surname was Greenberg.

Point ten — the statement “The hospital was erected quite near the dock for the convenience of those patients who came by way of coastal boats” is incorrect. The railway station and dock were in Sandy Cove and the hospital was located on Black Point. Two local car owners were hired by the Argentia Board of Health — one permanently and one as a back-up — to convey patients from Sandy Cove to the hospital.

Point eleven — the poor economic conditions that existed between 1929 and 1939 were referred to as the Great Depression, not the “dreadful Depression.”

Entry Five

Life in Argentia Prior to World War — By Rebecca Fagan

The Community

At one time the peninsula of Argentia was connected to the mainland by a very narrow neck of land called Marquise Neck [sic]. In the early 1900's [sic] the community of Marquise [sic] and the Argentia Peninsula, together with the smaller outlying settlements, made up the community of Argentia. In the 1920's [sic] the community of Marquise had about 35 families and a school population of about 35. It had its own two-room school, post office, and two general stores. The following information [from Eileen Houlihan's book] gives a glimpse into life in Argentia prior to people having to leave their homes.

Livelihood

Most of the male population at Argentia found employment at home, and those who didn't sought work elsewhere. Since many of them were carpenters they built their own homes and kept them in good repair. They supplemented their income by cultivating hayfields, growing a variety of vegetables, and raising livestock and poultry. The women sewed or knitted most of the articles of clothing needed by their families and helped with the gardening and haymaking. Consequently during the ten years of the Depression very few Argentia people had to seek government assistance.

Telephones

The only telephones were Father Dee's and a pay phone for general use [sic]. As a result the people visited each other often. The people liked to keep abreast of current affairs, both local and foreign, even before the advent of radio. As parents they were interested in education, and as a result many of their children entered various professions such as teaching, nursing and business.

Social Activities

There were numerous social activities. The annual Garden Party [sic], usually held on August 15 [sic], was the greatest festivity of the year. It took place in a large field not far from where the CN Ferry Dock [sic] is now. Suppers and refreshments were present [sic], as well as sideshows and games of chance. The great majority of the community attended, and people came by boat from Fox Harbour. On a couple of occasions the train went to Jersey Side to accommodate those from the Placentia area who wished to attend [sic]. The highlight of the Garden Party [sic] was an impromptu concert in the Parish Hall [sic], followed by a dance which lasted until daylight.

There was usually a Ball [sic] on Easter Monday night, at which time the ladies wore formal gowns and the Belle of the Ball was decided by vote. Quadrilles, lancers and waltzes were danced to the music of the accordion [sic]. About midnight a meal was served. There was no bar service at that time. Gentlemen sometimes brought along flasks which they shared with their friends outside the dance hall. Rum was the usual drink, which on occasion was drank [sic] straight from the bottle.

At the end of the first school term each year a concert was held, followed by a presentation of prizes and awards for the previous year. On St. Patrick's night an Irish concert, consisting of local talent, was always held.

To raise funds for some particular cause, card parties were held in the Parish Hall [sic] or in private homes. Card-playing was the chief pastime of families then, since there was neither radio nor television. There was no Bingo [sic] at that time.

Charity/Religion

There seemed to exist [sic] a good spirit of neighbourliness and Christian charity, and people were very dependent on others in times of difficulty, especially during illness and death. Should someone be seriously ill, neighbours would volunteer in turn to stay up with the patient during the night. Since there were no funeral parlours at the time the deceased were waked at home. Neighbours volunteered to be present throughout the night during wakes - a custom true to the Irish heritage. Carpenters would volunteer to build, cover and line the coffins while several young men would offer to dig the graves, all free of charge.

Argentia was usually a very peaceful community with very few criminal acts being committed, even those of a minor nature. The Church was the focus of the lives of the people. Their counsellor was the parish priest, to whom they showed great respect and gave their wholehearted co-operation.

Repudiation of “ Life in Argentia Prior to World War — By Rebecca Fagan”

The title did not specify which World War to which she was referring.

There were not two separate communities known as “Argentia” and “Marquise.” Marquise was only one of the 35 place-names that existed in Argentia. There were 19 on the peninsular portion of the community and 16 south of the harbour. Marquise was the largest of those 16 areas.

By writing “At one time the peninsula of Argentia was connected to the mainland by a very narrow neck of land called Marquise Neck,” Fagan gave the impression that the Argentia peninsula is now an island. From the earliest known times, the peninsular portion of Argentia has been connected to the southern section by a narrow stretch of beach. Prior to 1941, Marquise Neck was only about 50 feet wide. After the Americans realigned the area in 1941, the width was increased to more than 500 feet.

The statement “…the train went to Jersey Side to accommodate those from the Placentia area who wished to attend” in reference to the annual garden party is untrue. The garden party was always held on a Sunday and the trains operated between St. John's and Argentia only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The train schedule always followed the same pattern … arrive at Argentia, leave Argentia and proceed to Jerseyside, leave Jerseyside and proceed to St. John's.

Concerts were never “impromptu.” There were four concerts during the year; St. Patrick's Day, Easter, the annual garden party, and Christmas. The schoolchildren also had one on St. Patrick's Day, at Christmas, and near the end of the school year. In all cases, practice and rehearsals were ongoing for a minimum of six weeks prior to the event.

The statement “The only telephones were Father Dee's and a pay phone for general use,” is completely erroneous.

Telephone service to Argentia began during the summer of 1925, and only 10 units were ever installed there. The switchboard was located in the home of Thomas and Mary Cooney at Marquise. Mary Cooney was hired as the operator. The Cooneys also had one of only two pay phones in the community. The other one was located in the home of Joseph and Annie Sampson, also in Marquise. The third phone was located in Long Phil O'Reilly's home at Point Moll. The fourth was in the home of Maurice Murray of Marquise. The fifth, and first on the peninsula, was installed in Holy Rosary Presbytery on Mount Rosary . The sixth was in the Davis Hotel, the seventh was in the railway terminal, the eighth was in Argentia Cottage Hospital, the ninth was in the herring factory, and the tenth was in the home of Albert O'Reilly of Cooper's Cove.

Entry Six

Names And Sites

The following information was gathered from readings in Home Of Wooden Boats and Iron Men [sic] by the Dunville Women's Institute in 1970.

In Placentia Bay there are 365 islands - or rocks with grass growing on them. Each rock, cove, bay, bog, barren, stream was given a name at one time. It is believed that these [sic] names were very important to the sailors in the days before navigation charts. At Argentia some of the place names are as follows.

From the Southeast Point [sic]:

1. Pond Head

2. Coopers [sic] Cove (site of former U.S. Power Plant)

3. Sandy Cove (site of former U.S. Boat House)

4. Across the Marquise Neck [sic] (which used to be so low and dangerous that it had to be low tide to cross)

5. Point Mall [sic]

6. Salmonier

7. Salmonier Cove

8. Smith Cove [sic]

9. Pond Head (was the sight of the lighthouse for years, at Latine Point) [sic]

10. The Marquise [sic] (was also spelled Markies) [sic], was probably named after the location where a French Marquise [sic] had built a home much earlier.

The Devil's Bit was the nickname given to the Ferndale area of Northeast Arm. This [sic] point of the arm was almost impassable and a hanging footbridge overpassed [sic] it for several years. Herring Bay is now the site of a trailer court in Dunville, this and the head of Argentia Bay [sic] were especially rich in Herring.

Jorns Cove was often called Germs. Blackey Mour [sic] Island in North East Arm is the legendary site of a burial of a Negro [sic] who had died on board a ship of a disease and “some say” the wood growing there will not burn. It is also legendary that a large ship sank near there and on some nights one hears six sets of oars, rowing up the arm.

A tickle is a passage between islands. Marshes have names like Horses [sic] Head, Naked Man, Tub Hill, and Butter Point, Bettys [sic] Hale [sic] and Big Fall's [sic].

Names of Northeast Arm

1. North East Salmon River [sic]

2. Flatts

3. Gooseberry Island

4. Cross Land

5. Blackey Mour Island [sic] (or Black-a-moor)

6. Little Gut

7. Sandy Point - in Herring Bay

8. Cross Rocks - with narrow water between

9. Aunt Annie's Rock - a buoy once marked this [sic] dangerous spot which is submerged in high tide and a lady known as Aunt Annie almost drowned there when her punt sank.

10. Ball Park location

11. Seven Island (in the Arm) [sic] cross over the other side

12. Big Head

13. Dead Man's Cove - where a drowned man was recovered

14. Back Cove

15. Poore's [sic] Cove (Power's Cove)

16. The Cove

17. Dunville

18. Jordan's (Jorn's) Cove

19. Herring Bay

20. The Head

21. The U.S. Rest Camp named Northeast Arms [sic]

Dunville Names

The Whales Rock, Barney Nap, Goat Islands, Sandcrows Path, the Scrape, The Spa.

Historic Sites

There is a marker at the former enlisted men's barracks at Argentia commemorating the North Atlantic Treaty [sic]. There is a small marker near the former boathouse at Argentia marking the first flag raising. Castle Hill is a tourist attraction in Placentia at Jerseyside.

Another historic site is a marker at “Fort Lewis” on Jerseyside and “Fort Fredrick” at Placentia. The Town Hall [sic] of Dunville has an inscribed cornerstone because this [sic] building was built by Canadian and Provincial co-operation in 1957 to commemorate Confederation.

Many interesting sites are not marked. At the narrow neck of land on the far side of Placentia is “Block House”, [sic] this [sic] was the site of a Naval [sic] block-house once. It is rumoured Placentia was once an island and all ships and boats were scuttled here and eventually a land area was built up [sic]. A Fox Harbour man who helped build the road said there were many ships there under the road.

The water wheel is partially visible from the road to Fox Harbour.

Many military bunkers used during World War II are visible along the cliffs.

Fox holes are also visible in Dunville.

Repudiation of “ Names And Sites”

Regarding Argentia, “Pond Head” is listed twice. In the second listing, is also stated that the Point Latine lighthouse was located there.

The lighthouse was at Point Latine, which is a separate entity from Pond Head. The two areas are a quarter of a mile apart. See details pertaining to Point Latine in section Misconceptions and Fabrications Propagated By Jim Wellman.

As for the claim “…a French Marquise had built a home much earlier,” the correct term is Marquis. A “Marquise” is a valuable French jewel.

There was no such place as “Smith Cove” in Argentia. The area being referenced was Smith's Point.

As for the place-name “Across the Marquise Neck,” the strand connecting the northern portion of Argentia to the south side, the correct name was just Marquise Neck.

As for the reference to “Point Mall,” the correct name is Point Moll.

As for the reference to “Coopers Cove,” the correct spelling was Cooper's Cove.

Use of the word "Negro" did not demonstrate much knowledge of African-Americans and the fact they do not appreciate being referred to by that term. In some cases, its use is almost as condescending and insulting as “Nigger.”

The Anglo-Norman surname Paor — not “Poore” or "Poor," — existed in County Waterford and was changed to Power in Little Placentia. The first appearance of the surname Power anywhere in the New World was at Little Placentia in the 1720s. Thus, the Dunville place-name was Paor's Cove, not “Poore's Cove.”

The name of the river in the northeast section of Dunville is simply Northeast River, not “North East Salmon River.” Its opposite is the Southeast River.

The statement “The U.S. Rest Camp named Northeast Arms” is incorrect. The official name of the recreational facility operated by the U.S. Navy at Dunville was “Northeast Arm Recreation Camp (NARC).”