Dover, Newfoundland Labrador, is a quaint fishing and lumbering village nestled in a small cove at the head of Freshwater Bay, Bonavista Bay. This charming village, originally known as Shoal Bay due to its numerous shallow coves and inlets, was settled in the early 1890s. From the 1950s to the 1970s, it was referred to as Wellington (Dover Post Office), but the local residents have always known it as Dover.
The first census of Dover, Newfoundland Labrador, was taken in 1891, recording a modest population of seventeen people, comprised of both lumbermen and fishermen. By 1901, the population had grown to sixty-six, and by 1921, it had expanded to 203. The 2016 Census reported a population of 662 people, with Tony Keats serving as the mayor of Dover.
Near Dover, Newfoundland Labrador, lies the Dover Fault, a significant break in the Earth's crust. This geological feature marks the dividing line for Gondwana and Laurentia, formed by the Iapetus Ocean. The Dover Fault is so renowned that it even features in a song from the Broadway musical "Come From Away," set at the lookout over the fault.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Dover, Newfoundland Labrador, had a population of 579 living in 242 of its 264 total private dwellings. This represented a change of -12.5% from its 2016 population of 662. With a land area of 11.12 km2 (4.29 sq mi), Dover had a population density of 52.1/km2 (134.9/sq mi) in 2021. Despite its small size, Dover, Newfoundland Labrador, continues to be a vibrant community with a rich history and a promising future.
