Article

Musgrave Harbour

Published Online September 16, 2012

Last Edited March 4, 2015

Musgrave Harbour, NL, incorporated as a town in 1954, population 1053 (2011c), 1085 (2006c). First incorporated as the Rural District Council of Musgrave Harbour and Doting Cove, the Town of Musgrave Harbour is located on the northeastern coast of Newfoundland at the mouth of Hamilton Sound, 100 km east of Gander.

Musgrave Harbour, NL, incorporated as a town in 1954, population 1053 (2011c), 1085 (2006c). First incorporated as the Rural District Council of Musgrave Harbour and Doting Cove, the Town of Musgrave Harbour is located on the northeastern coast of Newfoundland at the mouth of Hamilton Sound, 100 km east of Gander. First known as Muddy Hole, the name of the shallow cove on which the community is situated, its name was changed in 1866 in honour of Sir Anthony Musgrave, the reigning governor of Newfoundland. Musgrave Harbour was primarily a fishing community with the in-shore fishery being the mainstay due to the lack of a good harbour for use by bigger boats.

Attempts to improve the harbour in 1906 were dashed when the newly constructed breakwater was destroyed in 1907. Logging and agriculture were also important economic activities for its inhabitants. The road reached Musgrave Harbour in 1958. Attractions include several historic buildings in the town; the many offshore islands, from which one may view icebergs, whales and sea birds; and sport fishing for salmon and trout in the nearby rivers.