History
The town of Stephenville, located on the north shore of St. George's Bay in southwestern Newfoundland, is 48 degrees north latitude and 58 degrees west longitude. This area was once known as the Acadian Village. From 1848 until 1870, Stephenville was called Indian Head. The name Stephenville was first introduced in 1874. The Acadian Village was a settlement which stretched along the coast from Kippens in the far west to Seal Cove in the far east. This covered a total distance of seven miles.
Stephenville, settled by Acadians as early as 1845, was a small village that survived on fishing and farming. During early 1940 the Americans leased land from the British government to build Stephenville Air Base, later named Ernest Harmon Field.
With
the closing of the American base in 1966, Stephenville was left with an airport
runway 10,000 feet long, capable of handling the world's largest aircraft.
Stephenville's
economic position was further established in 1981 with the opening of a
newsprint mill, employing over 700 persons in the mill and woods operations.
Since
its beginning in May of 1844, Stephenville has grown. The first census report in
1844 cited 103 inhabitants in the area, today there are over 8,000, and it is a
service center for a catchment area of 25,000. Stephenville has grown into
an efficient and vibrant community. Today, it is the second largest community on
Newfoundland's west coast. It provides an exceptional quality of life and
has a high level of industrial activity.
Compliments of Town of Stephenville.
How to get here.
Stephenville is only hours away from eastern North American cities by air. Regularly scheduled flights serve Stephenville International Airport from points in Canada and the U.S. as well as other parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. The largest runway in Newfoundland, in excess of 10,000 feet, Stephenville Airport is ideally located and equipped to service both domestic and international flights.By way of route 460 or 490, Stephenville is 166 kilometers from the Marine Atlantic ferry terminal in Channel-Port aux Basques. A regular trans-island bus service, DRL Coach Lines, makes regular daily stops in Stephenville.
Climate
The
weather in Stephenville has always been fairly mild in the summer and cold in
the winter. We get very few hot days during the summer. Instead it stays at a
fairly comfortable heat. Once or twice during the summer we hit over 25oC
for a "heat wave." The average temperature is around 17-18oC.
We usually get a lot of rain and wind because we live on the coast.
In the
winter, our temperatures can reach very low levels with the wind-chill factor. To sum it all up, Stephenville gets a lot
of precipitation, a fair amount of wind, mild Summers and cold winters.
Recreation/Attractions
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Skiing |
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Snowmobiling |
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Mountain biking |
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Hiking (highest geographical point in Newfoundland is the cabox in the Lewis Hills) |
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Kayaking |
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Canoeing |
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Salmon fishing |
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Bird watching |
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Hunting |
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Swimming (indoor/outdoor) |
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Judo |
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Karate |
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Basketball |
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Volleyball |
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Weight lifting |
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Tennis |
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Badminton |
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Squash |
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Pebble beaches and sandy coves |
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Whale Back Nordic Ski Park |
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Stephenville Dome |
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Caribou Curling Club |
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Regional Aquatic Center |
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Harmon Gulf Club |
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West Coast Training Center |
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Stephenville Theatre Festival |
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Bay Theatre |
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Stephenville Music Fest |
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Mammoth Visual Artworks |
Industry/Economy
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Newsprint Mill (major industry/employs over 700) |
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Stephenville Airport |
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Banks, retail and wholesale business |
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Restaurants |
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Government offices |
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Schools |
Education
Stephenville Primary School, grades K-3, with 434 students.
Stephenville Elementary School, grades 4-5, with 345 students.
Stephenville Middle School, grades 6-8, with 457 students.
Stephenville High School, grades 9-12, with 760 students.
The
headquarters of The
College of the North Atlantic is located in Stephenville. The largest
campus of the CONA, situated in Stephenville, offers programs in Industrial
Education, Business, Information Technology and Fine Arts.
Compu
College,
a private college, offering programs in business computer applications, computer
technology and related fields, has a campus in Stephenville
Accommodation
Spruce Pine Acres Country Inn
Religion
TOWN
CONTACT INFORMATION
The
Town of Stephenville
P.O. Box 420
125 Carolina Avenue
Stephenville, NL A2N
2Z