Town of Fortune

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A Brief History of Fortune
Page 4

Although the church was the center of most social activities in the early days, with Sunday School picnics and garden parties, that trend has changed. There are church-related groups, such as: Canadian Girls In Training (C.G.I.T.), Explorers, Girl Guides, Brownies and Sparks for girls; Boy Scouts and Cubs for boys. In 1983 Harold Thornhill, C.D., started a branch of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets, No. 290 Sir Humphrey Gilbert, which is still going strong.

With the opening of the Arena in 1979, hockey became more prominent with an annual tournament being held during each Easter Week. A figure-skating club was also formed. . Soccer, softball and other sports are also popular.

Communication with the outside world was limited at first, depending on ships for mail, supplies and also travel. A road existed between Fortune and Grand Bank in 1840. All roads were initially of gravel construction, until the highway was paved in 1958. The Post Office, Customs and Canadian National Telegraph were housed in the same building in 1952. The C.N.T. was phased out gradually. The present Canada Post office building was build in 1977. A new Customs and Immigration facility was constructed in 1990 to accommodate the growing tourist trade to the French Islands.

Henry James Haddon first came to Fortune as a teacher, but resigned in 1863 to become the town's first Justice of the Peace. He was also a Land Surveyor. Married to Jane Forsey of Fortune, their large home was built directly over the brook and was the site of many important meetings in the town such as the first meeting of the Fishermen's Protective Union and the Masonic. Henry and Jane Haddon were also the parents of the first recorded multiple birth in the province, triplet girls born on 11 July 1878. Sadly, little Ida, Lucy and Laura died the next year, victims of "la grippe."

The Haddons' grandson, Henry B. (Bert) Mayo, was Fortune's only Rhodes Scholar (1935) and sent books from England to form the town's first library. While Mayo has written a number of educational texts, Fortune's only author of fiction was Erle Spencer (1897-1937).

Natural disasters are not common in Fortune but there have been several incidents over the years. In the summer of 1896 the town was surrounded by fire that raged out of control for days and burnt out the entire countryside. With no way to fight the inferno, it is said that people went to church and prayed for rain.

Fortune Harbour, which is usually ice free, was blocked solid from December 1922 to February 1923, effectively isolating the town. No ships could get in or out with mail or supplies. Stories are handed down that people actually played soccer on the ice.

One of the most recent incidents was the severe flooding experienced in the spring of 1986. This was a direct result of record snowfalls during the winter and heavy rains in the spring. The existing culverts and drains could not handle the overflow but have since been upgraded to prevent future problems of this nature.

Fortune Head, meanwhile, which is located about 1.6 km west of the town, has become world famous for its fossils. From 1954 to 1990 the area was occupied by lighthouse keepers and their families. In 1994 the site was officially designated as Fortune Head Ecological Reserve, where a lonely, automated foghorn and light stand guard.

Fossils were first discovered in the Burin Peninsula region in 1977. It took many years of study and field trips by scientists but, eventually, the scientific world chose Fortune Head as the "Global Stratotype."

As such, it is an international geological reference point for the boundary between the Precambrian and Cambrian time periods. These "bench mark" sites are what scientists use to determine the earth's age. Reports claim the area contains more trace fossils than anywhere else in the world. Trace fossils are the hardened remains of animal tracks, such as worm burrows, and indicate the presence of such prehistoric life forms. It is the first such boundary to be located in North America.

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Home / Administration / Location / Facilities & Services / Attractions/ Organizations / Contact
Photo Gallery / Historical / Fortune Teller / Links / Fortune Head Ecological Reserve
Miss Teen Southern Nfld. Pageant / Fortune Volunteer Fire Department / Harbour Authority of Fortune