Community Profiles
Coachman's Cove
Trail: Dorset Trail HWY 410
Mayor: Theresa Kennedy
Deputy Mayor: Patricia Fitzgerald
Councillors: James Kennedy and Ignatuis Kennedy
Address: P.O. Box 37, Site 1, A0K 1X0
Telephone: (709) 253-5161
Availability: Thursday 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Introduction
Coachman's Cove, incorporated in 1970, is located north of Baie Verte on the east side of a promontory near a tip of the Baie Verte Peninsula. Its name was derived from English settlers who were living there year round in the 1860's. The first permanent settlers to arrive in Coachman's Cove possibly came at the invitation of the French in the early 1800's to act as guardians of French stages and fishing equipment during the winter months. These settlers decided to stay and establish a permanent fishing settlement.
The uncovering of a new Paleo-Eskimo site in 1999-2000 shows that the area surrounding Coachman's Cove was inhabited approximately 3000 years ago.
Like other communities on the Baie Verte Peninsula, Coachman's Cove had a double identity and double population. During the summer the community had mostly French, Roman Catholic residents, who came from France to fish for cod from June to September. During the winter months the population of Coachman's Cove was made up of Anglo-Irish Newfoundlanders. The first names associated with the settlement were Downey, Bailey, Norman, Dobbin, Dow, Demfy, and Drover.
Coachman's Cove today is a quaint quiet community and still shows signs of its French history.
Population:
The town has 93 people.
History
For the complete history of the Baie Verte Peninsula see the document "The History of the Baie Verte Peninsula".
Demographic Geography
It is likely that the large number of inhabitants recorded in the 1869 census included the French summer fishermen because the population of Coachman's Cove did not go above 200 again until 1921.
Coachman's Cove was first recorded in the census of 1869, with 237 inhabitants. In 1872 there were fifty-one people living in the community. The building of the church there in 1872 showed the importance of the community to the French as a fishing station.
By 1935, the population of Coachman's Cove was 294. The early settlers of Coachman's Cove depended mainly on the cod and herring fisheries for their livelihood, but by 1935 the lumbering and sawmilling industries became increasingly the main source of employment for the community. Five years later, in 1940, there were three sawmills and by 1950 lumbering had become the main employer in Coachman's Cove.
In the winter months, the fishermen worked in the woods and in the local sawmills. It was reported that sawmills in the area supplied the timber for all the piers on the northeast coast.
By 1952, Coachman's Cove had a public wharf, a Credit Union and a two-room Roman Catholic school. During the 1960's Coachman's Cove was linked by road to other settlements on the Baie Verte Peninsula.
The high rate of unemployment and the community's isolation made livelihood difficult in the 1960's and 1970's. Approximately 35 men went to work at the Asbestos mines in Baie Verte when it opened in 1963-64. The remainder of the people was employed as fishermen and seasonal laborers.
Postal Service
The community has a rural mail box service.
One of the local residents has the mail service within her store.
Health and Welfare
Coachman's Cove residents have to travel to Baie Verte for all medical services.
This includes hospital appointments, dental appointments and eye exams. There is a public health care worker who travels to the community to visit the elderly.
Fire Protection
Coachman's Cove Fire Department is a branch of the local government.
It is made up of 25 volunteer firemen from the community. They use a pickup unit that includes the fire fighting package plus additional equipment. This is all kept in the community fire hall. There is no fire alarm system in the community, but an initial call to the fire chief or any fireman will alert the men of the fire. Then each fireman will in turn call a designated person. There are no fire hydrants in Coachman's Cove, and there has been no residential or commercial fires reported in 1991.
Transportation
Most of the highway is paved except for 7 kms of gravel road leading into the community.
Coachman's Cove is 85 kms from the Trans Canada Highway. The paved highway is in fair condition, but some repairs are badly needed. There are 7 kms of gravel road leading into the community itself. The council feels that the road is in poor condition and in desperate need of repairs. There are no plans in the community's long term plan for repairs to the roads already there, or for any new road construction in the near future. The Dept. of Transportation in Baie Verte takes care of the upkeep and maintenance of the roads. It is also responsible for snow clearing in the community.
Utilities and Power
Provided by Newfoundland Power.
The power for Coachman's Cove is provided by Newfoundland Power, Seal Cove Road Terminal. Power - 1 phase, voltage - 7200, transformer capacity - 167 MVA
Water Supply and Sanitation
Coachman's Cove does not have a public water system or sewage system in the community.
There have been attempts made to have the main system installed. All of the residents use a septic tank as their type of sewage system. The main water supplies are from artesian wells and local wells. The community has their garbage collection done by a local contractor. It is collected once a week by means of a truck. The disposal area is supervised but according to local council there is a problem with rodents and bears at the site.
Religion
Coachman's Cove is predominantly Roman Catholic.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel church was built around 1882. This church is now part of the Baie Verte parish, (St. Pius X Parish). An average of two services per week is held at the church, plus there are some special occasions where extra church services are needed.
