St John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada
St John's in Newfoundland & Labrador
St. John's, the capital of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, is the perfect combination of big-city luxury and small-town charm. As the oldest and most easterly city in North America, this is where heritage lives. Melded with culture, history, and personality, St. John's has survived two World Wars, five centuries, countless hardships and triumphs. It's become a rare, old city full of character, experience and charisma, with a contemporary, sophisticated edge.
Wander down the narrow, criss-crossing streets carved by horse and carriage over 100 years ago. Pass the colourful jellybean row houses wedged together in every space lining the sides of steep hills and hidden alleyways. Once you've meandered down to the working harbour of the waterfront, look towards the Narrows and imagine a time when the waters were brimming full with fishing schooners.
Visit Quidi Vidi, the charming village-within-a-city, which still embodies the spirit of an old fishing outport. Then, hike up nearby Signal Hill through the famous Battery, where tiny wooden homes still cling valiantly to cliffsides ravaged by ocean waves. The unmistakable, iconic Cabot Tower guards the top of Signal Hill, where military men guarded the shores throughout the 1700s and 1800s. Here, Marconi famously received his first transmission across the Atlantic in 1901. Look out over the cliffs and watch the city's harbour and captivating skyline spread out before you. Perched on the top of the horizon is The Rooms, home to the provincial museum, art gallery and archives, standing next to the striking twin clock towers of the Basilica of St. John the Baptist.
As you explore the history of this place, shop at the many fine boutiques, shops, cafés, restaurants, pubs, and art galleries lining the streets. In the evening, sit back, relax, and enjoy live music or local theatre where actors will whisk you away to another place and time.
For nightlife excitement, head to the famous George Street. Here, clubs, pubs, bars, and restaurants are stacked and crammed. Every evening, George Street blazes with energy, especially during the George Street Festival -- five days and nights of dynamic musical entertainment.
Here in St. John's, courteous and lively people will treat you as friends -- willing to send you in the right direction, help you on your way, or even take you there. Always happy to tell a tale, no matter how tall, just to make you smile. Certainly, this city is like no other.
Getting Here:
St. John's, the capital city of Newfoundland and Labrador, is the most easterly point in North America, located at the beginning of the Trans-Canada Highway Route 1, just 3 hours from Toronto, 4 from New York and 4.5 from London England.
Signal Hill National Historic Site, St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada
Signal Hill has long been used for observation and communication. Here, signalmen surveyed the ocean for ships headed into St. John's harbour, years before the advent of ship-to-shore radio. From signal masts high atop the Hill, flags conveyed information on approaching vessels to military and mercantile interests in St. John's. Merchants then had plenty of time to prepare their docks for incoming vessels.
With its obvious strategic location, Signal Hill became the site of harbour defences from the 18th century through the Second World War. The last battle of the Seven Years' War in North America was fought here in 1762. Ruins of later 19th -century military buildings can still be seen. The first known defences of St. John's harbour were shore batteries constructed on either side of the Narrows to protect St. John's against naval attack. St. John's fell to the French marching overland from Placentia in 1696, 1705 and again in 1709. In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht recognized British sovereignty over Newfoundland, temporarily ending conflict between Britain and France.
In June 1762, the French again captured St. John's, this time to strengthen France's bargaining position after the loss of Louisbourg and Quebec. In September, the British reclaimed the Town when Lieutenant-Colonel William Amherst advanced on St. John's from Torbay. By taking Signal Hill first, Amherst had a strategic advantage over the French at Fort William. They surrendered after a night of mortar bombardment from the Hill. Fort Townsend was built in the 1770s, out of range of Signal Hill's guns.
The fortification of Signal Hill began during the Napoleonic Wars. Queen's, Wallace's, Waldegrave, Duke of York's, Quidi Vidi Pass and Carronade Batteries date from this period. The Hill was the place of ultimate retreat for the garrison at Forts William and Townsend. An impressive show of strength here in 1796 deterred a French fleet, under Admiral de Richery.
New barracks were built at the Queen's Battery and the summit in the 1830s, and the hill was fortified again during the American Civil War. In the First World War a contingent of Newfoundland Legion of Frontiersmen manned Fort Waldegrave in the Narrows. During the Second World War, the United States maintained anti-aircraft artillery, coastal defence guns and a mobile battery on the Hill.
Three different hospitals were operated on the Hill between 1870 and 1920; all were destroyed by fire. It was in one of these facilities, the Diphtheria and Fever Hospital, that Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal on December 12, 1901.
Between 1898 to 1900, Cabot Tower, St. John's most visible landmark, was constructed in honour of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, and the 400th anniversary of John Cabot's ''Voyage of Discovery.'' The Tower was used for signalling until 1960. Today the tower contains exhibits describing Marconi's wireless reception at Signal Hill and a gift shop.
One of the Site's most appealing attractions is an extensive walking trail, called the Lookout Trail, on the summit of Signal Hill. On the St. John's side, a low wall suggests the wooden stockade wall and half-moon batteries which protected the summit from attack. Towards the ''Narrows'' a stone walled viewing deck represents the area where the Duke of York's Battery once stood. Other viewing bays on the seaward side of the summit provide marvellous views of the Atlantic ocean and the rugged coastline. Along the trail, a number of interpretive panels provide insight into the history, geography and climate that have played such a critical role in defining our culture. The Lookout Trail is a joint project, funded by the Johnson Family Foundation and Parks Canada. The Johnson Family Foundation is a registered charitable foundation which ''initiates and supports measures that recognize, emphasize, clarify, preserve and sustain the history, traditions, nature and scenery of the Province of Newfoundland.''
Signal Hill and Cabot Tower have come to symbolize St. John's historic past. Signal Hill National Historic Site will introduce you to many of the most important and interesting aspects of that history.
Maritime of My Life (Pt. 70) - The Duckworth Inn, Room 402 - St. John's, Newfoundland
July 10, 2017 - The Duckworth Inn is located on Duckworth Street in downtown St. John's, NFLD, yet I can't fathom were they got the name of the hotel. Ducktales? (Woo-oo?)
As with all boutique hotels, each room has its own individual look and personality. This particular hotel seems to be two adjacent buildings that were then combined into one larger structure with about six rooms per floor.
Anyway, my room was...hot. And it had three fans. Others in the hotel appeared to have air conditioning (what!) but the three fans did their job by the evening, when the sun was on the western side of the building (where the fourth floor washroom was located). I don't think I ever once turned off these fans, and always had a few glasses of chilled water in the fridge.
My view was decent, though: a partially-obstructed view of St. John's Harbour and the Atlantic Ocean, but a clear view all the way up to Signal Hill, one of the most iconic landmarks in the area. As my room was eastern facing, and actual curtains didn't exist, I was welcomed with a beautiful sunrise every morning.
The row of buildings between the Duckworth Inn and the Harbour down there, that's Water Street, the oldest street in North America and the main downtown district of St. John's.
I would definitely recommend this hotel for anyone looking to save a few bucks but not willing to share a hostel room with strangers, that also wants to be within walking distance of the sights of downtown St. John's.
Yeah, I left the rental car back in Halifax, so all my adventure time in St. John's is going to be 100% on foot!
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:01:38 1 History
00:01:47 1.1 Early history (1500–1799)
00:07:49 1.1.1 The oldest European settlement in North America controversy
00:08:59 1.2 Modern history (1800–present)
00:12:33 2 Geography
00:14:24 2.1 Climate
00:18:38 3 Cityscape
00:21:04 4 Demographics
00:22:59 4.1 Religion
00:23:58 5 Economy
00:26:59 6 Culture
00:29:16 6.1 Museums
00:30:46 6.2 National Historic Sites
00:32:37 6.3 Urban parks
00:34:44 7 Sports
00:34:53 7.1 Hockey
00:36:32 7.2 Other sports
00:40:00 8 Law and government
00:42:41 8.1 Crime
00:44:56 9 Infrastructure
00:45:06 9.1 Transportation
00:49:10 9.2 Medical centres and hospitals
00:49:40 10 Education
00:51:38 11 Local media
00:53:59 12 Notable people
00:54:09 13 Sister cities
00:54:24 14 See also
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SUMMARY
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St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the large Canadian island, Newfoundland. The city spans 446.04 square kilometres (172.22 sq mi) and is North America's easternmost city.Its name has been attributed to the Nativity of John the Baptist, when John Cabot was believed to have sailed into the harbour in 1497 and to a Basque fishing town with the same name. Existing on maps as early as 1519, it is the oldest city in North America. It was officially incorporated as a city in 1888. With a metropolitan population of approximately 219,207 (as of July 1, 2017), the St. John's Metropolitan Area is Canada's 20th largest metropolitan area and the second largest Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in Atlantic Canada, after Halifax.The city has a rich history, having played a role in the French and Indian War, the American Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal in St. John's. Its history and culture have made it into an important tourist destination.
Park Plaza condos St.John's NFLD
Conveniently located within a thriving St. John’s district. Just minutes from your doorstep to Quidi Vidi Lake,
The East Coast Trail, the new St. John's long-term care facility, supermarkets, shops and restaurants located Downtown, on Stavanger Drive, and even in commercial spaces located on the ground floor of Park Plaza.
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