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77-562: North West River is a small town located in central Labrador . Established in 1743 as a trading post by French Fur Trader Louis Fornel , the community later went on to become a hub for the Hudson's Bay Company and home to a hospital and school serving the needs of coastal Labrador. North West River is the oldest modern settlement in Labrador. Fornel's trading post was known as Fort Esquimaux Baie ( French for " Eskimo Bay Fort"). It

154-513: A humid continental (Dfb) microclimate. Summers are typically cool to mild across Labrador and very rainy, and usually last from late June to the end of August. Autumn is generally short, lasting only a couple of weeks and is typically cool and cloudy. Winters are long, cold, and extremely snowy, due to the Icelandic Low . Springtime most years does not arrive until late April, with the last snow fall usually falling during early June. Labrador

231-564: A land claim for portions of Labradorian land in 1977. In 1988, the Labrador Inuit Association, the government of the province of Newfoundland, and the government of Canada began negotiations based on the land claim. An agreement-in-principle was achieved in 2001, and on May 26, 2004, the agreement was ratified by over 75% of eligible voters subject to the land claim. On January 22, 2005, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut signed

308-576: A 1999 resolution of the Assembly of First Nations claimed Labrador as a homeland for the Innu and demanded recognition in any further constitutional negotiations regarding the region. Labrador's Innu became status Indians under the Indian Act in 2002. Natuashish became a federal Indian reserve in 2003. Sheshatshiu became a federal reserve in 2006. The Labrador Inuit Association had filed

385-426: A change of 2.4% from its 2016 population of 547 . With a land area of 3.55 km (1.37 sq mi), it had a population density of 157.7/km (408.6/sq mi) in 2021. North West River is home to a bed and breakfast, a motel, one convenience store, a gas station and garage, a barber shop, a hair salon as well as a craft shop selling local handmade crafts. Guided tours are offered by local outfitters. Held on

462-472: A commission merchant in that a factor takes possession of goods (or documents of title representing goods, such as a bill of lading ) on consignment , but a commission merchant sells goods not in their possession on the basis of samples. Most modern factor business is in the textile field , but factors are also used to a great extent in the shoe, furniture, hardware, and other industries. The number of trade areas in which factors operate has increased. In

539-457: A factor had their seat at a sort of trading post known as a factory . Before the 20th century, factors were mercantile intermediaries whose main functions were warehousing and selling consigned goods, accounting to principals for the proceeds, guaranteeing buyers' credit, and sometimes making cash advances to principals prior to the sale of the goods. Their services were of particular value in foreign trade, and factors became important figures in

616-863: A hospital in North West River which would eventually serve the entire coast of Labrador. In 1981 the International Grenfell Association dissolved, leaving all properties to the Grenfell Regional Health Services Board, a locally run board, no longer relying on the support of missionaries. The hospital in North West River was closed by the provincial government in 1983. On July 15, 1903, Leonidas Hubbard with his two companions departed North West River for his tragic canoe expedition, described in Dillon Wallace 's book, Lure of

693-455: A person or firm (factoring company), accepts as assignee book debts ( accounts receivable ) as security for short-term loans; this is known as factoring . In Scottish law , a judicial factor is a kind of trustee appointed by the Court of Session to administer an estate, for a ward (called a pupil) until a guardian (called a tutor) can be appointed ( factor loco tutoris ), for a person who

770-787: A project with Memorial University of Newfoundland to better understand their past through the Community-University Research Association (CURA). Following research by CURA, the "Labrador Metis" were understood to be a continuation of the Inuit of southern Labrador. In 2010, the Labrador Metis Association changed its name to reflect their newly discovered heritage, and became the NunatuKavut Community Council . The Southern Inuit of NunatuKavut , who are also seeking self-government, have their land claim before

847-549: Is Nain . Nunatsiavut is an Inuit self-government region in Labrador created on June 23, 2005. The settlement area comprises the majority of Labrador's North Coast, while the land-use area also includes land farther to the interior and in Central Labrador. Nain is the administrative centre. Central Labrador extends from the shores of Lake Melville into the interior. It contains the Churchill River ,

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924-521: Is a very cloudy place, with sunshine levels staying relatively low during spring and summer due to the amount of rain and clouds, before sharply dropping off during September as winter draws nearer. Labrador is home to a number of flora and fauna species. Most of the Upper Canadian and Lower Hudsonian mammalian species are found in Labrador. Notably the Polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) reaches

1001-762: Is also home to the Iron Ore Company of Canada , which operates a large iron ore mine in Labrador City . Together with the small community of Wabush , the two towns are known as "Labrador West". From Hamilton Inlet to Cape St. Charles / St. Lewis , NunatuKavut is the territory of the NunatuKavummiut or Central-Southern Labrador Inuit (formerly known as the Labrador Métis ). It includes portions of Central and Western Labrador, but more NunatuKavummiut reside in its South Coast portion: it

1078-582: Is also the location of four 16th-century Spanish galleons. The lighthouse at Point Amour is the second-largest lighthouse in Canada. MV Kamutik , a passenger ferry between the mainland and St. Barbe on the island of Newfoundland , is based in Blanc Sablon, Quebec , near the Labrador border. L'Anse-au-Loup is the largest town on the Labrador Straits. L'Anse-au-Clair is a small town on

1155-632: Is classified as subarctic . Labrador can be divided into four geographical regions: the North Coast, Central Labrador, Western Labrador, and the South Coast. Each of those regions is described below. From Cape Chidley to Hamilton Inlet , the long, thin, northern tip of Labrador holds the Torngat Mountains , named after an Inuit spirit believed to inhabit them. The mountains stretch along the coast from Port Manvers to Cape Chidley ,

1232-627: Is of an inferior alignment, and from there to 570 kilometres (350 mi), the provincial border, is an accident-prone section notorious for its poor surface and sharp curves. Quebec in April 2009 announced major upgrades to Route 389 to be carried out. Route 389 and the Trans-Labrador Highway were added to Canada's National Highway System in September 2005. Labrador constitutes a federal electoral district electing one member to

1309-586: Is peppered with tiny Inuit fishing communities, of which Cartwright is the largest. From Cape Charles to the Quebec/Labrador coastal border, the Straits is known for its Labrador sea grass (as is NunatuKavut) and the multitude of icebergs that pass by the coast via the Labrador Current . Red Bay is known as one of the best examples of a preserved 16th-century Basque whaling station. It

1386-547: Is the drainage divide of the Labrador Peninsula. Lands that drain into the Atlantic Ocean are part of Labrador, while lands that drain into Hudson Bay are part of Quebec. Labrador's extreme northern tip, at 60°22′N, shares a short border with Nunavut on Killiniq Island. Labrador also has a maritime border with Greenland. Northern Labrador's climate is classified as polar , while Southern Labrador's climate

1463-669: The Skrælings . In 1499 and 1500, the Portuguese explorers João Fernandes Lavrador and Pero de Barcelos reached what was probably now Labrador, which is believed to be the origin of its name. Maggiolo's World Map , 1511, shows a solid Eurasian continent running from Scandinavia around the North Pole, including Asia's arctic coast, to Newfoundland-Labrador and Greenland. On the extreme northeast promontory of North America, Maggiolo place-names include Terra de los Ingres (Land of

1540-729: The British Empire , the matter was referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London). Their decision set the Labrador boundary mostly along the coastal watershed, with part being defined by the 52nd parallel north . One of Newfoundland's conditions for joining Confederation in 1949 was that this boundary be entrenched in the Canadian constitution. While this border has not been formally accepted by

1617-571: The Cold War . In October 1943, a German U-boat crew installed an automated weather station on the northern tip of Labrador near Cape Chidley, code-named Weather Station Kurt ; the installation of the equipment was the only-known armed German military operation on the North American mainland during the war. The station broadcast weather observations to the German navy for only a few days, but

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1694-673: The French and Indian War . By the Treaty of Paris (1763) , which ended the war, New France (including Labrador, though excluding the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon southwest of Newfoundland) was transferred to the British, who administered the northern portion of it as the Province of Quebec until splitting it in two in 1791, with Labrador located in Lower Canada . However, in 1809,

1771-565: The Grenfell Mission (see Wilfred Grenfell ). Throughout the 20th century, coastal freighters and ferries operated initially by the Newfoundland Railway and later Canadian National Railway / CN Marine / Marine Atlantic became a critical lifeline for communities on the coast, which for the majority of that century did not have any road connection with the rest of North America. Labrador was part of New France until

1848-592: The House of Commons of Canada . Due to its size, distinct nature, and large Aboriginal population, Labrador has one seat despite having the smallest population of any electoral district in Canada. Formerly, Labrador was part of a riding that included part of the Island of Newfoundland. Labrador is divided into four provincial electoral districts in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly . In 1809, Labrador

1925-683: The Labrador Peninsula . It is bordered to the west and south by the province of Quebec . Labrador also shares a small land border with the territory of Nunavut on Killiniq Island . The indigenous peoples of Labrador include the Northern Inuit of Nunatsiavut , the Southern Métis of NunatuKavut , and the Innu of Nitassinan . Labrador is named after João Fernandes Lavrador , a Portuguese explorer who sailed along

2002-649: The Nunatsiavut Assembly . The Innu population of North West River is overseen by the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation which controls the Sheshatshiu reserve adjacent to North West River. The combined population of the reserve and North West River was 1,867 in 2011. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , North West River had a population of 560 living in 247 of its 284 total private dwellings,

2079-601: The Pinetree Line , Mid-Canada Line and DEW Line systems. Today, the remaining stations are automated as part of the North Warning System ; however, the military settlements during the early part of the Cold War surrounding these stations have largely continued as local Innu and Inuit populations have clustered near their port and airfield facilities. During the first half of the 20th century, some of

2156-759: The Torngat Mountains National Park in the northern area of the land claim. The agreement was ratified by the Labrador Inuit, the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador , and the Parliament of Canada , where it received Royal Assent on June 23, 2005, whereafter elections would be held for the Nunatsiavut Assembly and self-government would begin. In the late 1970s, the Labrador Metis Association

2233-633: The Trans-Labrador Highway was built in stages to connect various inland communities with the North American highway network at Mont Wright, Quebec (which in turn is connected by a highway running north from Baie-Comeau , Quebec). A southern extension of this highway has opened in stages during the early 2000s and is resulting in significant changes to the coastal ferry system in the Strait of Belle Isle and southeastern Labrador. These "highways" are so called only because of their importance to

2310-523: The 1949 terms of union would be amended to remove ferry service from Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques across the Cabot Strait . Although a highway link has, as of December 2009, been completed across Labrador, this route is somewhat longer than a proposed Quebec North Shore highway that presently does not exist. Part of the "highway", Route 389 , starting approximately 212 kilometres (132 mi) from Baie-Comeau to 482 kilometres (300 mi),

2387-612: The British Imperial government detached Labrador from Lower Canada for transfer to the separate, self-governing Newfoundland Colony . As part of Newfoundland since 1809, Labrador was still being disputed by Quebec until the British Privy Council resolved their border in 1927 . In 1949, Newfoundland entered into confederation , becoming part of Canada (see above articles for full information). Labrador played strategic roles during both World War II and

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2464-565: The English), and Terra de Lavorador de rey de portugall (Land of Lavrador of the King of Portugal). Further south are the phrases Terra de corte real e de rey de portugall (Land of the Royal Court and of the King of Portugal) and Terra de pescaria (Land for Fishing). In the 1532 Wolfenbüttel map, believed to be the work of Diogo Ribeiro , along the coast of Greenland, the following legend

2541-526: The Government of Canada. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador refuses to recognise or negotiate with the Inuit of NunatuKavut until their claim has been accepted by the Government of Canada. The Labrador region, with its 26,655 population, is lower than any of the Northern Canada territories, Yukon , Northwest Territories and Nunavut . Newfoundland Island contains the majority of

2618-744: The Labrador Inuit Lands Claims Agreement with the federal and provincial governments covering 72,520 km (28,000 sq mi) of land, including the entire northern salient of Labrador north of Nain as well as a portion of the Atlantic coast south of there. The agreement also includes 44,030 km (17,000 sq mi) of sea rights. Although the Inuit will not own the whole area, they were granted special rights related to traditional land use, and they will own 15,800 km (6,100 sq mi) designated Labrador Inuit Lands. The agreement also establishes

2695-672: The Labrador Wild . On June 27, 1905, Mina Benson Hubbard departed North West River to complete her husband's failed mission of 1903, and provided the first detailed map of northern Labrador's interior region. In August, 1905, North West River was the camp site for a solar eclipse expedition sent by the government of the Dominion of Canada and including members of the British Astronomical Association , whose report states that "the resident population of

2772-633: The Labrador coast providing medical services to fishermen and the Aboriginals living in Labrador, establishing the Grenfell Mission . In 1914 the International Grenfell Association was formed. The mission took doctors and nurses from the United Kingdom , and a handful of Commonwealth countries, to serve the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. One of these doctors was Dr. Harry L. Paddon, who in 1915 established

2849-455: The Labrador side of the border. Most of Labrador (from Cartwright north and west) uses Atlantic Time (UTC−4 in winter, UTC−3 in summer). The south eastern tip nearest Newfoundland uses Newfoundland Time (UTC−3:30 in winter, UTC−2:30 in summer) to stay co-ordinated with the more populous part of the province. Most of Labrador has a subarctic climate ( Dfc ), but northern Labrador has a tundra climate (ET) and Happy Valley - Goose Bay has

2926-753: The North West River Beach the last weekend of July, the North West River Beach Festival is in its 36th year. The two-day event is Labrador's largest music festival. Locals, travellers and ex-pats gather at the festival to socialize and watch local performers play traditional Labrador music. There are also crafts, foods and games. In 2007, the Beach Festival was moved to the North West River Waterfront instead of its traditional location on

3003-594: The Province of Newfoundland. Muskrat Falls is 45 km (30 miles) west of Happy Valley-Goose Bay on the Grand River (Newfoundland name: Churchill River). A transmission line began construction in October 2014 and was completed in 2016 that delivers power down to the southern tip of Labrador and underwater across the Strait of Belle Isle to the Province of Newfoundland in 2018. From the 1970s to early 2000s,

3080-883: The Quebec government, the Henri Dorion Commission ( Commission d'étude sur l'intégrité du territoire du Québec ) concluded in the early 1970s that Quebec no longer has a legal claim to Labrador. In 2001, Parti Québécois cabinet ministers Jacques Brassard and Joseph Facal reasserted that Quebec has never recognized the 1927 border: Les ministres rappellent qu'aucun gouvernement québécois n'a reconnu formellement le tracé de la frontière entre le Québec et Terre-Neuve dans la péninsule du Labrador selon l'avis rendu par le comité judiciaire du Conseil privé de Londres en 1927. Pour le Québec, cette frontière n'a donc jamais été définitivement arrêtée. [The ministers reiterate that no Quebec government has ever formally recognised

3157-438: The Second World War and the Cold War, the base was also home to American, British, and later German, Dutch, and Italian detachments. Today, Serco, the company contracted to operate CFB Goose Bay is one of the largest employers for the community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay . Additionally, both the Royal Canadian Air Force and United States Air Force built and operated a number of radar stations along coastal Labrador as part of

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3234-421: The Smallwood Reservoir after Joey Smallwood , the first premier of Newfoundland. The flooding of the reservoir destroyed large areas of habitat for the threatened Woodland Caribou. A hydroelectric generating station was built in Labrador as well as a transmission line to the neighbouring province of Quebec. Construction of a large hydroelectric dam project at Muskrat Falls began in 2012 by Nalcor Energy and

3311-433: The United Kingdom, most factors fall within the definition of a mercantile agent under the Factors Act 1889 ( 52 & 53 Vict. c. 45), and therefore have the powers of such. A factor has a possessory lien over the consigned goods that covers any claims against the principal arising out of the factor's activity. The term derives from the Latin for "doer, maker", from facit , "he/she/it does/makes". Historically,

3388-432: The area's population comprises people from all groups and regions of Labrador. Central Labrador is also home to Happy Valley-Goose Bay . Once a refuelling point for plane convoys to Europe during World War II , CFB Goose Bay is now operated as a NATO tactical flight training site. It was an alternate landing zone for the United States' Space Shuttle . Other major communities in the area are North West River and

3465-547: The bay, which they called Butus and is now named Red Bay after the red terracotta roof tiles they brought with them. A whaling ship, the San Juan , sank there in 1565 and was raised in 1978. The Moravian Brethren of Herrnhut , Saxony , first came to the Labrador Coast in 1760 to minister to the migratory Inuit tribes there. They founded Nain, Okak, Hebron, Hopedale and Makkovik. Quite poor, both European and First Nations settlements along coastal Labrador came to benefit from cargo and relief vessels that were operated as part of

3542-421: The beach. The Labrador Heritage Foundation operates a museum in the restored Hudson's Bay trading post. Various artifacts relating to the fur trade and Labrador history are cataloged and on display. The museum keeps regular hours in the Summer and can offer tours if booked ahead of time in the Winter. The Labrador Interpretation Centre, located on Sunday Hill Road, is designed to provide a comprehensive view into

3619-448: The coasts of the Labrador Peninsula in 1498–99. Labrador's name in the Inuttitut / Inuktitut language (spoken in Nunatsiavut ) is Nunatsuak ( ᓄᓇᑦᓱᐊᒃ ), meaning "the big land" (a common English nickname for Labrador ). Labrador has a roughly triangular shape that encompasses the easternmost section of the Canadian Shield , a sweeping geographical region of thin soil and abundant mineral resources. Its western border with Quebec

3696-448: The drawing of the border between Quebec and Newfoundland in the Labrador peninsula according to the opinion rendered by the London Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1927. For Quebec, this border has thus never been definitively defined.] A Royal Commission in 2002 determined that there is some public pressure from Labradorians to break from Newfoundland and become a separate province or territory. After decades of negotiation with

3773-440: The focus of a reality TV show, Discovery Channel Canada 's Last Stop Garage featuring 'CRB', the only garage in town, and last garage on the highway before it ends. The interests of the Inuit in North West River are represented in Nunatsiavut by the Sivunivut Inuit Community Corporation. The board members of Sivunivut are elected by residents of North West River and the chairperson (currently Trudy Mesher-Barkman) serves in

3850-418: The functions of a governor, theoretically under authority of a higher echelon, including command of a small garrison. For example, Banten , on the Indonesian island of Java , was from 1603 to 1682 a trading post established by the East India Company and run by a series of chief factors. The term and its compounds are also used to render equivalent positions in other languages, such as: A debt factor, whether

3927-423: The governments limited European traders to small, defined areas: the Dutch Factory was allowed to operate on Dejima , an island off Nagasaki, before the opening of trade with Japan; and in China the British were limited to Thirteen Factories and Shamian Island areas of Canton . In territories without any other regular authorities, especially if in need of defence, the company could mandate its factor to perform

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4004-431: The great period of colonial exploration and development. A relatively large mercantile company could have a hierarchy including several grades of factor. The British East India Company hierarchy ranked "factors" between "writers" (junior clerks) and "junior merchants". In North America the Hudson's Bay Company , as restructured after merging with the North West Company in 1821, had commissioned officers who included

4081-445: The history and culture of Labrador. The centre features an art gallery, temporary exhibit space and a small theatre. North West River experiences generally mild summers with cold winters. Winter usually begins in mid November and lasts until mid April and summer begins in June and ends in early September. The temperature generally ranges from about −30 °C (−22 °F) at its coldest in the winters to about 30 °C (86 °F) in

4158-404: The land of the labourer. European settlement was largely concentrated in coastal communities, particularly those south of St. Lewis and Cape Charles, and are among Canada's oldest European settlements. In 1542, Basque mariners came ashore at a natural harbour on the northeast coast of the Strait of Belle Isle. They gave this "new land" its Latin name Terranova . A whaling station was set up around

4235-422: The large Innu reserve known as Sheshatshiu . The highlands above the Churchill Falls were once an ancient hunting ground for the Innu First Nations and settled trappers of Labrador. After the construction of the hydroelectric dam at Churchill Falls in 1970, the Smallwood Reservoir has flooded much of the old hunting land—submerging several grave sites and trapping cabins in the process. Western Labrador

4312-399: The largest iron ore deposits in the world were discovered in the western part of Labrador and adjacent areas of Quebec. Deposits at Mont Wright , Schefferville , Labrador City, and Wabush drove industrial development and human settlement in the area during the second half of the 20th century. The present community of Labrador West is entirely a result of the iron ore mining activities in

4389-400: The largest river in Labrador and one of the largest in Canada. The hydroelectric dam at Churchill Falls is the second-largest underground power station in the world. Most of the supply is bought by Hydro-Québec under a long-term contract. The Lower Churchill Project will develop the remaining potential of the river and supply it to provincial consumers. Known as "the heart of the Big Land",

4466-468: The nomadic Naskapi Innu . European fur traders relied on the knowledge of the land possessed by the trappers and the Innu to provide them with furs. Trappers living in and around North West River would come to the trading post to exchange furs, such as beaver , mink , marten , seal , fox , and bear , for flour, raisins, canvas tents, axes, guns and other goods. Trappers maintained traplines inherited from relatives throughout central Labrador. With

4543-409: The northernmost point of Labrador. The Torngat Mountain range is also home to Mount Caubvick , the highest point in the province. This area is predominantly Inuit, with the exception of a small Innu community, Natuashish . The North Coast is the most isolated region of Labrador, with snowmobiles , boats, and planes being the only modern modes of transportation. The largest community in this region

4620-413: The pair travelled about 800 miles by canoe and 1500 miles by dog sledge. Until 1961, access to North West River was restricted to small boats. The North West River Cable Car was completed in 1960 and first used in 1961 as a way to connect the people of North West River to neighboring Sheshatshiu and to the road leading to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The Cable Car remained in operation until a permanent bridge

4697-510: The place consisted only of the Hudson Bay factor [...] and the two factors in charge of a French fur trading station on the opposite bank of the river, some two or three half-breed trappers, and a small company of Montagnais Indians, temporarily encamped at the station". In July, 1928, Gino Watkins used North West River as the base for an expedition in which he and Jamie Scott explored the area on foot, by canoe and with dog sledge. They were initially accompanied by Lionel Leslie. In nine months

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4774-504: The population of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador . The municipalities of Labrador are mainly under 1,000 in population. Census Division 10 (excludes Nunatsiavut-Nain) Census Division 11 (Nunatsiavut-Nain) Factor (agent) A factor is a type of trader who receives and sells goods on commission , called factorage. A factor is a mercantile fiduciary transacting business that operates in their own name and does not disclose their principal . A factor differs from

4851-448: The provincial and federal governments, the Nunatsiavut region of northern and northeastern Labrador was created in 2005 as an autonomous region with its own elected Assembly and executive drawn from members of the region's Assembly. Some of the Innu nation would have the entirety of Labrador become a homeland for them, much as Nunavut and Nunatsiavut is for the Inuit , as a good portion of Nitassinan falls within Labrador's borders;

4928-475: The ranks of chief trader and chief factor. They all shared the profits of the company during its monopoly years. In the deed poll under which the HBC was governed, there were 25 chief factors and 28 chief traders. Chief factors usually held high administrative positions. The Dutch East India Company and the British East India Company based factors at trading posts in numerous sites all over Asia. In 18th- and early 19th-century China and Japan, however,

5005-420: The region. The Iron Ore Company of Canada operates the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway to transport ore concentrate 578 km (359 mi) south to the port of Sept-Îles, Quebec , for shipment to steel mills in North America and elsewhere. During the 1960s, the Churchill River (Labrador name: Grand River) was diverted at Churchill Falls , resulting in the flooding of an enormous area – today named

5082-456: The region; they would be better described as roads, and were not completely paved until July 2022. A study on a fixed link to Newfoundland, in 2004, recommended that a tunnel under the Strait of Belle Isle , being a single railway that would carry cars, buses and trucks, was technologically the best option for such a link. However, the study also concluded that a fixed link was not economically viable. Conceivably, if built with federal aid,

5159-465: The signing of the Treaty of Paris (1763) Labrador was passed from the French to the British. With the arrival of the British came the Hudson's Bay Company in 1836 who would enjoy a trade monopoly over central Labrador's furs for more than 100 years. The newest of the Hudson's Bay trading posts was constructed in 1923 and still remains as museum run and maintained by the Labrador Heritage Society. In 1892 British doctor Wilfred Grenfell began travelling

5236-438: The southeast of Labrador on its seasonal movements. Early settlement in Labrador was tied to the sea as demonstrated by the Innu (formerly called Montagnais) and Inuit, although these peoples also made significant forays throughout the interior. It is believed that the Norsemen were the first Europeans to sight Labrador around 1000 AD. The area was known as Markland in Greenlandic Norse and its inhabitants were known as

5313-405: The summers. The town is located on a hill dividing Little Lake from the larger Lake Melville. A small band of water (North West River) connects the two. The area of North West River is located on a sandy plain surrounded by mountains. The sand and gravel forming this plain was deposited by glaciers during the Last Glacial Period . Labrador Labrador occupies most of the eastern part of

5390-414: The waterfront, through the forest or to the top of "Sunday Hill" where hikers can see a panoramic view of Lake Melville , the Mealy Mountains , Grand Lake and Little Lake . A modern bridge connects North West River to the rest of the continent which was constructed in 1980. Before that a cable car spanned the river for 19 years. Before that the river was only passable by boat. In 2017, the town became

5467-409: Was added: As he who first sighted it was a farmer from the Azores Islands, this name remains attached to that country. This is believed to be João Fernandes. For the first seven decades or so of the sixteenth century, the name Labrador was sometimes also applied to what is now known as Greenland. Labrador ("lavrador" in Portuguese) means husbandman or farmer of a tract of land (from "labor" in Latin) –

5544-479: Was constructed in 1981. The cable car may still be seen on permanent display near the river. The fur trade collapsed after the Second World War. Many trappers abandoned their traplines to work at the new air force base at nearby Goose Bay . Although North West River has remained small in size over the last 250 years, it remains a lively place full of history. The town offers scenic walking trails along

5621-418: Was created by the inhabitants of Labrador's southern coast to gain recognition as a distinct ethnocultural group, as at the time despite a pre-existing treaty protected under the constitution, the "Inuit-Metis" were considered to be merely the descendants of Inuit who had joined Western society. Little was known about the history of the "Inuit-Metis" of the time. In 2006, the Labrador Metis Association initiated

5698-592: Was not discovered until 1977 when a historian, working with the Canadian Coast Guard , identified its location and mounted an expedition to recover it. The station is now exhibited in the Canadian War Museum . The Canadian government built a major air force base at Goose Bay , at the head of Lake Melville during the Second World War, a site selected because of its topography, access to the sea, defensible location, and minimal fog. During

5775-486: Was succeeded in 1757 by Fort Montagnais Point . The Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Smith , whose surrounding settlement became known as Lake Melville Post and then North West River Post . Central Labrador has been inhabited by Indigenous societies, such as Innu and the Maritime Archaic people, for over 7,000 years due to its bountiful wildlife. In 1743 French fur trader Louis Fornel

5852-469: Was the first European to establish a year-long settlement at the present site of North West River. The site was primarily used to trade furs with the local indigenous peoples for European goods. French settlers from Quebec moved to the area surrounding North West River to work as voyageurs and coureurs des bois (i.e., trappers ). Many took on Inuit wives creating a population of Métis trappers and traders. Traders would also do business trading goods with

5929-489: Was transferred from Lower Canada to the Newfoundland Colony, but the inland boundary of Labrador had never been precisely stated. Newfoundland argued it extended to the height of land, while Canada, stressing the historical use of the term "Coasts of Labrador", argued the boundary was 1 statute mile (1.6 km) inland from the high-tide mark. As Canada and Newfoundland were separate Dominions , but both within

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