Nestled in the heart of Gros Morne National Park on the western coast of Newfoundland, Woody Point is a charming town that offers a rich blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. This Registered Heritage District is home to a waterfront adorned with heritage buildings and four Registered Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Structures. The town, served by Route 431, comprises three areas: Curzon Village, Woody Point, and Winterhouse Brook, and is home to 244 residents.
The west coast of Newfoundland saw slow European settlement. The British were concentrated on the east coast, while the French were on the Grand Banks. The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht granted the French some areas on the west coast, which was extended in 1783 to the entire coast. However, British settlement was also spreading. In 1800, the first British settlement in the Bonne Bay area occurred in Woody Point with the establishment of the firm of Joseph Bird from Sturminster Newton. By 1904, the French had left the area, and Woody Point was bustling with activity, serving as the capital of the area with banking and customs offices, merchants, and a harbour full of domestic and foreign vessels.
John Roberts and his wife, Emma, along with their four children, are considered the first settlers of Woody Point, arriving in 1849. By 1872, 129 families were residing in the Bonne Bay area. The Bonne Bay Post Office was established in 1873 in the home of J.R. Roberts, John Roberts' nephew. This house, one of the first built in the area, is still standing today. The second settler to Woody Point was Solomon Wilton, who donated the land on which the present-day Church of the Epiphany was built.
In 1922, a devastating fire ripped through downtown Woody Point, destroying 58 buildings and significantly impacting the town's commerce. Most of the buildings currently on the waterfront date from after 1922, with a few exceptions, including the lighthouse built in 1919 and a large grey and green house built in the 1890s.
Woody Point is underlain by a bedrock of mélange, with metagabbro and related rock on higher areas. The community has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) with extremely high winter snowfall and a strong winter seasonal lag. Summers are moderated by its seaside position, whereas precipitation remains high year-round. Woody Point is the snowiest year-round inhabited place in Canada.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Woody Point, Bonne Bay had a population of 244 living in 129 of its 207 total private dwellings, a change of -13.5% from its 2016 population of 282. With a land area of 3.78 km2 (1.46 sq mi), it had a population density of 64.6/km2 (167.2/sq mi) in 2021.
Woody Point is a cultural hub, home to the Writers at Woody Point festival and Gros Morne Summer Music. These events attract artists and visitors from around the world, adding to the vibrant cultural tapestry of this charming town.
