| Dildo Island, Trinity Bay
Community of Dildo - more >>
Dildo Island
Photo: Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corp.
Dildo Island is located in Dildo Sound at the bottom of Trinity Bay. Dildo Island Adventure Tours takes visitors to the Island from the wharf in the community of Dildo.
Today there is no human population on Dildo Island, but archaeologists have found clear evidence that people have been drawn to the island over thousands of years. What is the attraction? The many seabirds, sea mammals, and fish, as well as many types of plant life that can be found on and near the Island, made it fertile hunting ground for nomadic hunters and gathers.
For visitors to the Northern Avalon, the Island with its whales, birds of prey and seabirds, coupled with
its mysterious and intriguing history of human settlement going back over 2000 years to the Dorset
Eskimo, make it a must see. In addition, the island
was the site of Newfoundland's first cod hatchery, which was constructed in 1889 by a
Norwegian, Adolphus Nielson, to improve the cod stocks of Trinity Bay. At the time, it
was just the second fish hatchery to be constructed in North America, as well as being the largest in the world.
History of Dildo Island
Since 1995, Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation Archaeologists have been exploring Dildo Island to find archaeological evidence of the documented history of the the Island.
French English Conflict
In the early 1700s, during the conflicts between the French and English in Newfoundland, Dildo Island (in a similar manner to Carbonear Island) was fortified to protect settlers from French attacks. In 1711, Dildo Island was one of the places that English inhabitants of Trinity Bay were sent to defend themselves against the French. Documentary evidence suggests that during the winter of 1711/1712, 205 men were defending the island. See www.baccalieudigs.ca for further information >>
Cupers Cove Colonists
Based on the description in his journal, archaeologists believe that Henry Crout, one of John Guy’s colonists, saw Beothuk homes and a Beothuk canoe on Dildo Island in 1612. See www.crossroadsforcultures.ca for further information >>
Because of Henry Crout's account, archaeologists traveled to the Island to see if they could find any evidence of a Beothuk presence. Archaeological excavations have yet to reveal any Beothuk artifacts, but they have unearthed structures and artifacts which demonstrate that the Island was occupied by at least two different peoples at different times in history: the Dorset Eskimo and the Recent Indian People.
Dorset Eskimo - 2000 to 1100 yrs ago
Recent Indians (Ancestors of the Beothuk)
900 yrs ago
Dorset Eskimo - Between about AD 100 and AD 750 Newfoundland was occupied by Dorset Eskimo people who arrived from the Arctic. One of the sites that the Dorset people inhabited was Dildo Island.
Dorset Eskimo Site on Dildo Island
Photo: Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corp.
Archaeologist Silve Leblanc uncovered the remains of two Dorset houses and over 5500 artifacts. The remnants of these houses can be seen on the island today. Radiocarbon samples recovered from these houses indicate that they were occupied from about AD 150 to AD 750. See www.baccalieudigs.ca for further information >>
Dorset Eskimo Site on Dildo Island
Photo: Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corp.
Recent Indians The remnants of a wigwam and hearth were found that were clearly part of an Indian camp. It has been determined that the people who established the camp were an earlier people than the Beothuk. A radiocarbon sample recovered from the fireplace produced a date range of between AD 720 and AD 960, at least 653 years before the Cupids colonists reported seeing Beothuk. In addition, these people made almost all of their tools from purple and blue rhyolites that came from a source in Bonavista Bay roughly 90 miles to the north.
Recent Indian biface found July 4, 2007
Photo: Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corp.
In contrast, The Beothuk people living at Russell's Point made most of their stone tools from a gray chert which seems to have come from somewhere in Trinity Bay. Archaeologist call these people Recent Indians and believe that they must have arrived in Trinity Bay from Bonavista Bay bringing the stone so essential for their survival with them. It is believed that they arrived shortly after the Dorset Eskimo left. See www.baccalieudigs.ca for further information >>
Recent Indian Site on Dildo Island
Photo: Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corp.
Newfoundland's First Cod Hatchery
Historic Photo of Dildo Island Fish Hatchery
Photo: Memorial University
From 1889 to 1897, a cod fish hatchery was established on Dildo Island by Adolphus Nielson. The hatchery, one of two in North America at the time, was one of the most modern and largest of its type in the world. It was designed to hatch between two and three million cod in season. The hatchery was abandoned in 1897 when funding for the project ran out.
Site of Fish Hatchery Today
Photo: Dildo Island Adventure Tours.
Ecology of Dildo Island
Dildo Island hosts seabirds, birds of prey, and song birds. Whales, seals, and other types of maine life live in the water surrounding the Island; while, numerous types of plants and trees grow on the island, for the most part safe from interference.
Community of Dildo - more >>
Dildo Island
Photos: Dildo Island Adventure Tours
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Tourism Association Members
Dildo Island Adventure Tours are conducted on the "Irish Mist" luxurious cabin cruiser that operates right out of the heart of Dildo. Visit the Dildo Island Archaeological Site, have a Newfie boil up, view icebergs and rock formations, observe whales, seabirds, & other marine life. Daily departures, flexible departure times (May-October) Specialty evening cruises are also offered.
Contact: Paula McIntegart PO Box 317, Dildo NL A0B 1P0 Tel: (709) 582-2988, Fax: (709) 582-2988 Web Site: www.dildoislandtours.com
Dildo Area Interpretation Centre Exhibits depicting the prehistory and history of the area for over 4000 years. Open: June - Sept Daily: 10:00am to 6:00pm Admission Adults $2.00, children $1.00, Family Pass -$5.00 Wheelchair Accessible.
Contact: Front Road, Dildo NL A0B 1P0 Tel 582-3339 Off Season 582 2687
Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation was formed in 1993. It exists to identify, preserve and promote, in cooperation with the region's residents, the unique heritage resources on the Baccalieu Trail.
Contact: Debbie Gray - 4 Pike’s Lane, Unit 2, Carbonear, NL A1Y 1A7 Tel: 709-596-1906 Fax: 709- 596-2121 Web Site: www.baccalieudigs.ca
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