Grates Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grates Cove
Local service district / designated place
Country	Canada
Province	Newfoundland and Labrador
Census division	Division 1
Census subdivision	Subdivision G
Population  (2021)
• Total	180
Time zone	UTC-3:30 (Newfoundland Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-2:30 (Newfoundland Daylight)
Area code(s)	709
Highways	Grates Cove Road to Route 70

Grates Cove is a small community in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is located at the very northern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. People sometimes call it "the Grates." We don't know exactly where this name came from, but John Guy used it as early as 1612.

History of Grates Cove

Grates Cove was first settled in 1790. Four families came from Lower Island Cove. One family also came from Old Perlican. Before this, fishermen likely visited the area seasonally.

Some people even think John Cabot might have visited Grates Cove in 1497. This idea comes from a large rock on a cliff. Some people, including a museum curator, believed they could see names like "IO CABOTO" carved into it.

Important Dates in Grates Cove

• 1790 – The first families settle in Grates Cove.
• 1792 – John Hoskins Jr. arrives as a teacher and Methodist pastor.
• 1801 – The first official school starts with John Hoskins Jr. as the teacher.
• 1809 – Methodists build the first church on land given by Thomas Cooper.
• 1836 – A census shows 439 people living in Grates Cove.
• 1846 – Grates Cove has two schools: one Roman Catholic and one Methodist.
• 1857 – The population grows to 577 residents. Records show 47 fishing areas and many boats.
• 1861 – The Church of England builds its church.
• 1869-1874 – The Roman Catholic Church is built.
• 1872 – A road is built connecting Grates Cove to Bay de Verde and Old Perlican.
• 1891 (January 24) – A local branch of the Society of United Fishermen begins.
• 1901 – Grates Cove has three schools, teaching all grades from one to eleven.
• 1901-1935 – Many factories for cod-oil are built. In 1921, there were 12 factories.
• 1911 – A new Roman Catholic Church is built. A branch of the Fishermen's Protective Union also starts.
• 1913 – The railway reaches Grates Cove, connecting it to other towns.
• 1921 – The community reaches its largest population with 772 people.
• 1931 – A new United Church is built and opens.
• 1937 – A new Anglican church is officially opened.
• 1945 – 480 people live in Grates Cove.
• 1950s – The United Church and Anglican schools combine.
• 1960s (early) – The government builds a breakwater at Cooper's Point.
• 1961 (September) – The combined school system ends because the churches disagree.
• 1964 – The United Church opens a two-room school, and the Anglican Church builds a new one.
• 1964 – The first road in the area is rebuilt.
• 1966 – The population drops to 372 residents.
• 1967 – The school system in Grates Cove changes a lot. Older students go to a new high school in Bay de Verde. Younger students stay in the two-room United Church school.
• 1973 – Tricon Elementary opens in nearby Bay de Verde. The two-room United Church school in Grates Cove closes.
• 1976 – The population is recorded as 249.

The Shipwreck of The Mollie

The Mollie was a schooner, a type of sailing ship, from Carmanville. It was lost near Grates Cove on December 20, 1944. Sadly, everyone on board was lost.

The captain of The Mollie was Ross Chaulk, who was 26 years old. Other crew members included James Ellsworth, John Goodyear, and his two sons, Reginald and Charles Goodyear. Otto Hicks was also on board. Charles Goodyear had survived another shipwreck just two years earlier. After the shipwreck, 13 groups of men from Grates Cove worked to find the bodies of the crew members.

Geography of Grates Cove

Grates Cove is located on the island of Newfoundland. It is part of Subdivision G in Division No. 1.

Population of Grates Cove

According to the 2016 Census, Grates Cove had 127 people living there. This was a decrease from 152 people in 2011. The community covers an area of about 3.94 square kilometers (1.52 square miles).

Things to See in Grates Cove

• Cabot Rock Monument (This monument was stolen)
• Grates Cove Rock Walls
• Parks Canada Trail
• Grate’s Cove Lookout
• Grate's Cove Studios

Grates Cove: A National Historic Site

The "Walled Landscape of Grates Cove" became a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995. This special area covers about 60.7 hectares (150 acres). It has grassy fields with small gardens surrounded by stone walls. This landscape is a rare example of how communities in Newfoundland used to organize their land.