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Twillingate is a town of about 3,000 inhabitants situated on two neighbouring islands in northern Newfoundland, accessible from Route 340. Its name comes from the French word "Toulinquet" which was given to the islands by French fishermen, who named them after a group of islands off the French coast, near Brest, also called Toulinquet.

Twillingate is at the mouth of the Exploits River where it flows into Notre Dame Bay. The islands provided an excellent sheltered harbour and easy access to the rich fishing grounds nearby. In recent years a causeway has been built connecting it to the mainland via New World Island.

Twillingate was probably used as a seasonal fishing port during the 15th and 16th centuries, but there were no recorded European settlers until the 17th century. The native Beothuk managed to survive until the early 19th century in small numbers near Twillingate and the mouth of the Exploits River. By the winter of 1739, there were 152 people - the "livyers" or permanent settlers - living in Twillingate. They were mostly fishermen and their families from the West Country in England.

As the population grew, Twillingate became an important fishing community - the "Capital of the North." It was a busy trade and service centre for Labrador and the northern shore fisheries for more than two centuries.

One of the most prominent historical events of Twillingate history was its local newspaper - The Twillingate Sun which served the Twillingate district from the 1880's to 1950's. Today The Pilot, a newspaper published in Lewisporte serves the area with it's "Island's Collection" segment.

The Sun was a robust and professional newspaper that covered not just local & provincial but international news as well.

Since the moratorium on fishing northern cod was announced on July 2, 1992, Twillingate has been forced to look to the tourist industry for income and is becoming a popular spot for visitors in the summer. It is now being promoted as the "Iceberg Capital of the World".

Twillingate is home to a popular summer festival, called the "Fish Fun and Folk Festival". Many tourists from around the world come to take part in the events and concerts held annually.

The "Fish Fun and Folk Festival" is usually held in the last part of July and has many fun things to do including booths and games at the stadium, entertainment on Thursday & Friday nights, gospel concerts, the ever-popular Split Peas concert, and many more things that are great for the entire family. The festival invites many tourists to the beautiful town and ends with a massive fireworks display.

Contents 1 Getting to and around Twillingate 2 Communities in Twillingate Island 3 References 4 See also 5 External links

Twillingate can be easily accessed via Route 340 from Lewisporte if you are coming from western Newfoundland or Route 330 from Gander if you are coming from eastern Newfoundland. The town of Twillingate is approximately 1.5 hours from Gander and about an hour from Lewisporte. When driving to Twillingate you will pass through many other small fishing communities such as Boyd's Cove, Summerford, Virgin Arm and Newville.

When on Twillingate island, there are several very small fishing communities that you will pass through before reaching the main town. The first is Black Duck Cove and after that you will pass by Purcell's Harbour and Little Harbour. The town of Twillingate is about 5km from the Twillingate-New World Island causeway. When in the town, making a left turn will bring you to the North island of Twillingate and will lead to Crow Head and the Long Point Lighthouse. A right turn on the Main Street-Toulinguet Street intersection leads to Durrell.

Twillingate island is made up of several different communities. Other than the main town of Twillingate, there are:

• Crow Head - Just north of Twillingate, Crow Head is the home of the Long Point Lighthouse.
• Durrell - By turning right at the town's main intersection, you will end up in Durrell.
• Little Harbour - A small fishing community just 3km outside Twillingate.
• Purcell's Harbour - A small fishing community a few minutes before Little Harbour.
• Back Harbour - A small fishing community located on the north island of Twillingate.
• Bayview - A collaboration of small communities such as Bluff Head Cove, Gillard's Cove, Ragged Point and Manuel's Cove on the south island of Twillingate.
• Wild Cove - A small community on the north island.
• Black Duck Cove - A small community on the south island.
• Kettle Cove - A small community just south of Bayview.

• Marshall, Ingeborg. 1996. A History and Ethnography of the Beothuk. McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 077351774X
• Saunders, Gary L. 1994. Doctor Olds of Twillingate: Portrait of an American Surgeon in Newfoundland. Third Printing, 1997. Breakwater, St. John's, Newfoundland. ISBN 1-55081-092-8.

• Twillingate Museum
• Durrell Museum, a museum in nearby Durrell.
• List of communities in Newfoundland and Labrador

• Town of Twillingate website
• Twillingate Ocean View Newfoundland
• Insiders guide to Outport life in Twillingate
• For details on the town and a good historical essay
• Newfoundland Heritage Site
• Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador
• A Readers Guide to the History of Newfoundland and Labrador to 1869
• Newfoundland Biography (1497-2004)
• Dictionary of Newfoundland English

Coordinates: 49°39′N, 54°45′W

	North: Crow Head
West: Bayview	Twillingate	East: Durrell
	South: Summerford

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