Battle Harbour

Battle Harbour, formerly a permanent settlement, is a summer fishing settlement on the coast of southeastern Labrador. According to legend the Montagnais aided by the French fought their last battle here against the Inuit, circa 1960. It is not known when Battle Harbour was first established as a European settlement but by 1785 a sealing station operated there and the community grew with emphasis on the seal and cod fishery. In 1850, Labrador mission headquarters was set up in Battle Harbour and a school constructed shortly after. In 1857, the church, St. James, was built and in 1893 a hospital, one of the first in Labrador, was built there. In 1918, the first co-operative, established by Dr. Wilfred Grenfell, challenged the merchants' previous monopoly and aided the settlement's heavily indebted fishermen. In the fall of 1930, Battle Harbour was destroyed by fire and a new school, hospital and outbuildings were rebuilt at Mary's Harbour, 11km away from Battle Harbour, on the mainland. The relocation of these services as well as the decline in salmon and cod fisheries led to the resettlement of Battle Harbour in other areas under the Fisheries Household Resettlement Program, circa 1966. In 1980 Battle Harbour was the site of a year round government weather station. In the 1990's Battle Harbour was declared an historic site and underwent a restoration program to preserve the history of the area.