Heart's Content is located on the Bay de Verde Peninsula along the shores of Avalon's Trinity Bay. It is a community with an occupational history that sets it apart from most other Newfoundland fishing villages. While the fishery is the primary reason that people first arrived and settled in the region--a recorded history that goes as far back as the early 1600s--it wasn't until the landing of the transatlantic telegraph cable in 1866 that the community gained notoriety. This successful cable landing connected North America to the Europe which resulted in Heart's Content becoming an important hub in international communications. It was a role that brought with it a substantial increase in population, attracting workers from both Canada and England. With this new demographic, Heart's Content was introduced to cultural activities, lifestyles, and social classes that were previously unfamiliar in such outport communities.

In 2001 the cable landing was designated a National Historic Event by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. Remnants of this cable are still on the beach for visitors to see. The nearby Cable Station, built in 1876, remains virtually untouched today as a testament to Heart's Content's telegraphic history. This building is protected as a National Historic Site and is open to the public as a museum. Heart's Content also has an officially designated heritage district which holds at least 18 buildings of historic significance, many of which were built by the cable company. This designation was made possible through a cooperation between the Heart's Content Town Council and the Mizzen Heritage Society. The photographs in this collection belong to the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador as part of an inventory of Heart's Content's heritage features for their heritage districts initiative.

 

Browse/Search Entire DAI Port Royal Collection