City Timeline

St. John's is the capital of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the country of Canada. It has experienced a long and colourful history.

Settlement history

Europeans began visiting our sheltered harbour at the beginning of the sixteenth century - during the latter part of the Italian renaissance. With its proximity to fishing grounds, St. John's gained prominence as a commercial trading outpost. The Basques, French, Spanish, Portuguese and English all fished along the western side of the North Atlantic.

In the late sixteenth century Britain rose as a significant world naval power. They had a dominant presence in the Newfoundland fishery. St. John's recorded the first permanent settlers in the early 1600s. The Oxford family established a plantation, probably in the area west of Beck's Cove.

Wharves, fish stores, and warehouses were constructed on the north side of the harbour to accommodate the fish trade. A path connecting these premises was the beginning of what today is Water Street, making it the oldest commercial street in North America.

In the 1600s and 1700s, St. John's was the primary commercial and service centre for the Newfoundland fishery. The population increased slowly during this time as the fishery was a seasonal commercial operation. This was not a permanent residence.

During this time St. John's was a prime military target for any nation wishing to gain control over the important food supply.

By the latter part of the eighteenth century the population of St. John's stood at a few thousand based on its trade in the fishery. The Napoleonic Wars in Europe in 1791-2 saw a growth in the demand for salt fish. As prices for this commodity increased it attracted a large influx of people. Mostly Irish immigrants came to take advantage of the high fish prices and good wages. This led to a substantial increase in the population of St. John's - approximately 10,000 by the end of these wars in 1815. The economic boom in the Newfoundland fishery ended with the conclusion of the war. Fish prices fell and generally remained depressed until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.

Early Population Growth

St. John's grew slowly throughout the nineteenth century. Ravaged by fire in 1816, 1846 and 1892, the town recovered and rebuilt after each.

Find out more about municipal government history