The Grates Cove Cabot Rock Heritage
Corporation was formed in late January of 1995. The corporation began as a
result of seeing the benefits to our community from a historical attachment to
adventurer John Cabot. Cabot is believed to have been shipwrecked in
Grates Cove on his last voyage and may actually be buried somewhere in the
community. This shipwreck is documented in Bristol, England.
Local residents recall seeing a flat
rock bearing the inscription believed to have been made by Cabot and his crew
carved in the cliffs, but this was removed in the late 1950’s and has been
impossible to track down. There have also been many shipwrecks in this area,
with The Molly being one of importance.
The heritage committee saw a point of
interest creating a “draw” for tourists here at the most extreme northern
tip of North America. The Baccalieu Trail was created to increased tourist
traffic, and thus bring economic benefits for all the people and communities on
the Bay-de-Verde Peninsula. We have built on the existing population of
tourists, our picturesque historic fishing village, the Cabot Rock Site with its
The vision that the Grates Cove Cabot
Rock Heritage Corporation has is for the development of a Walking Trail project
that encompasses the community of Grates Cove is absolutely beautiful. The
walking trail already exists to some extent with enhancements of boardwalks that
blend into the scenic walk. Tourists sometimes use the trails for the
Grates Cove is an exceptionally
picturesque, unique, traditional fishing community. It is situated in a large
natural half bowl of rock hills curving around and down to the wide cove waters
and facing east into the majestic North Atlantic. Approaching on the main
highway, visitors cross an open rugged, rocky barren. This is new for many
visitors. The first view of Grates Cove is the wide cove of waters protecting
rock promontories and village houses. The houses lie below them scattered and
nestled among the rocks and the sloping hills. The houses blend into and seem to
grow out of the natural landscape creating a feeling of comfort and coziness of
a natural organic whole. The National Historic Rock Walls surround the community
as if it is the armor for the community.
Many visitors feel that they have
stepped into a life - sized model railroad or under the Christmas -Tree scene.
Our community and its environment evoke deep feelings of nostalgia of history,
of a solid belonging to the planet, of roots - past, present and future.
A comment from one British Columbia visitor is
“You can’t explain Grates Cove to anyone. It has to be experienced.” Many
have said that Grates Cove is different. With that in mind we feel that ANYONE
THAT MISSES GRATES COVE HAS REALLY MISSED! We have had visitors that have
experienced Grates Cove in the summer and returned in the winter. Our appeal to
many has widened to a variety of people who come from faraway places like
Australia, Germany, Egypt, and as close as St. John’s. There is a daily inflow
of tourists.
It is impossible to estimate the total
number due to the fact that many do not have a chance to stop and talk to
locals. Tourists are already visiting Grates Cove, so it is essential that
facilities and services be put in place to meet the needs of these tourists.
Tourists must feel welcome, must find services and facilities available for
them, so they
Much
To Build On
A vast amount of development has
already taken place in Grates Cove. It has huge historical value that has
generated a tremendous amount of outside interest. The Heritage Corporation has
been involved in numerous events and initiatives that highlight Grates Cove as a
tourist attraction. Some of those are:
Year Committee in
1994. The celebrations attracted several hundreds of
people and
generated net revenue of $9,000.
Cove as part of
the Cabot 500 Celebrations.
There is a wealth of walking trails
throughout the community to help you get a closer look at the rock walls and the
fishing heritage that the people are so proud of. There are picnic sites and
rest stops so that you can stop and enjoy the breathtaking scenery as you enjoy
a snack or a meal. There is already a rest stop and picnic area for visitors who
take the Gulch Rocks Trail and for those wishing to enjoy the fantastic whale
watching from the Head.
A reconstructed stage and cook house
area lets visitors see how the salt fish industry was carried out in the past.
Plans are underway to make this into a living history museum, where visitors can
see guides in period costumer conducting the daily chores as the people of the
past once did.
Other plans for the future include creating a boardwalk around the Rock Walls and a rest stop at Shaw’s Marsh and to build a boardwalk to the Lighthouse. The newly created boardwalk to the top of the Big Hill is accessible by young and old, as well as those with physical disabilities.
Our goal is to enhance the tourism of the community on an ongoing
basis and to provide long-term goals for developing strategic locations in
Grates Cove and to hold heritage celebrations. We intend to provide pits for
outdoor cooking, as well as sitting areas where tourists can drink in the sights
of the ocean, the community and the rock walls.
Why
is Grates Cove becoming a great tourist attraction?
The Rock Walls is a National Historic
Site, but this is only the tip of the Iceberg. They have a family of Bald Eagles
living in the cliffs surrounding the Heart Cove, which has an accessible trail.
Our trails provide visitors and locals the opportunity to walk in the great
outdoors amid the scenery and where they can have solitude from the stresses of
daily life. There are no trees to block the exquisite vistas and the slow, quiet
pace of life in this natural environment is such that many of the older homes
are being bought up as summer and retirement homes.
No matter what season of the year you
come to Grates Cove, there is something to see and do. Pick berries in the fall,
enjoy snowmobiling in the winter, gaze in awe at the icebergs that spring provides you
with and enjoy the marine show that the whales put on during the summer. The
sight of the brightly colored fishing boats moored in the cove during the
fishing season is a photograher’s dream come true.
The concept is for a visitor to start
at any one site, make a complete circle of the community while on the already
existing hiking trails and finishing where they start.
Benefits
Our community will greatly benefit
through the employment that will be generated from construction of the walking
trails and various sites. Students will also be able to enter the workforce. Our
Heritage Days will resume to what they once were. We will attract more tourists
to stay in the Baccalieu area, which will give more economical benefits.
At the moment there is no dining or
other fast-food providing facility in Grates Cove.
These projects reflect the ongoing
commitment to tourism through the Heritage aspect. At present there are few
facilities in Grates Cove to service the visiting tourists. The bandstand does
provide a place to entertain with a weekend of tradition. We are fortunate
enough to have Period Clothing; this will bring a visitor to imaginable times in
Conclusion
The development of the walking trails
in Grates Cove will have far reaching benefits for the community and the region
as a whole. The Grates Cove Cabot Rock Heritage Corporation is committed to
further enhancing and developing the rich and unique history of the community.
We hope that projects like this will help to keep the community alive for those
who live here and for those who visit and that our youth will see Grates Cove as
a place of history and a place to call home. The enticement for many new
businesses is becoming more apparent with every project Heritage gets to enhance
our THEME PARK “NATURE”.
In maintaining the sites we have
developed a Memorial Board that will bear the name of the loved ones for whom a
donation is received.
For more information about the Cabot
Rock Heritage Association contact Rhonda
Duggan at