Community Profiles
Nipper's Harbour
Trail: Dorset Trail HWY 410
Mayor: Marie Batstone
Deputy Mayor: Fraser Tilley
Councillors: Stuart Bowers, Ted Noble, Hedley Randell
Address: P.O. Box 10, A0K 3T0
Telephone: (709) 255-3151
Fax: (709) 255-3151
Availability: The last Wednesday and Thursday of every month, or Beth Prole at (709) 255-3286 at anytime.
Introduction:
The town of Nippers Harbour is located on the east coast of Newfoundland in Notre Dame Bay. Nipper's Harbour is the most southerly community in the area and is probably named for the large biting mosquito or "jarnipper." This incorporated community is situated on the shores of a rocky inlet which indents the steep shoreline of Smith's Harbour. The two churches in Nipper's Harbour are of interest. The United Church is only 50 years old, the original one having burned down some years ago. The Anglican Church is well over 100 years old and is worth seeing.
Population:
Today the community has 151 people.
History:
In 1804, John Noble from England settled on the present Nipper's Harbour site and made a living fishing salmon. Fifteen years later Thomas Starkes, also of England, settled there. Today, Starkes and Noble are still the most prominent family names in Nipper's Harbour. One of the larger and more prosperous towns in the area, even in 1904, it boasted a population of 250 and was one of the few places with a hotel.
Due to the importance of the inshore fishery and the abundant supply of codfish, turbot, and salmon found within the waters of the area, the settlement of Nipper's Harbour was developed. For many years in the past, fish were collected from fishermen living in other places up and down the coast and exported through Nipper's Harbour. The cod was salted and dried and exported overseas in casks on foreign vessels from countries like Russia and Norway. A factory which canned salmon and seal for export began in the late 1920's.
In keeping with the mineral wealth of the Peninsula, it was once thought that ore might be located in the town. A shaft was sunk for silver and lead in the early 1900's, but the ore either wasn't rich enough or there wasn't enough of it, and it was never worked.
There is a group of seven small islands (Nipper's Islands) located approximately one mile offshore at the harbour entrance. The larger island, Seal Island, was once the site of a large lighthouse until 40 years ago.
Local Administration and Law Enforcement
Community Council.
Garbage Collection.
RCMP.
Tourism Facilities & Attractions
Visit the Tourism Facilities & Attraction link.
Fishery Industry
There are a total of 110 licensed fishermen/women in the community of which 56 are full-time and 54 are part-time.
Commercial Trade
Stores
Service Station
Beauty Salon
Education
Bay View Elementary, the only school in Nipper's Harbour, was built in the 1970's and it contains 2 classrooms from Kindergarten to Grade 6.
Health & Welfare
There are no health facilities in the community.
Fire Protection
Nipper's Harbour has a volunteer fire department with twenty volunteer firefighters serving the community.
Transportation
Nipper's Harbour has pavement within the community and approximately 1.5 miles on the highway leading into the community with the rest of the road gravel, and in very bad condition. At present, there are no new roads under construction. Road maintenance and snow removal is maintained by the Department of Works, Services, and Transportation. The branch road from the Trans Canada Highway to the community consists of pavement and gravel.
Water Supply & Sanitation
Water dam.
Garbage collection.
Nipper's Harbour water supply system is linked to a dam that connects 84 households. The system is treated with Diabac and is ample for both private and commercial use. The water supply is regularly inspected by authorities and samples are analyzed approximately every three months. Problems with freeze-ups in the winter do occur but summer dry-ups haven't posed as a problem yet. The water supply system was constructed by Barker's Construction Ltd. and financed by the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs.
Garbage collection is available in the community by private contractor on a weekly basis.
Social & Cultural Data
Nipper's Harbour has three churches: St. Mark's of the Anglican denomination, Nipper's Harbour United Church, and Harbour View Pentecostal. St. Mark's and Nipper's Harbour United were both built in the 1800's but Harbour View fairly new church constructed in 1985.
Activities such as Sunday school, men's, women's, and youth clubs, bible groups, etc. are carried out in two of the churches, namely Nipper's Harbour United and Harbour View Pentecostal.
