Community Profile

Hant's Harbour LighthouseThe Town of Hant’s Harbour is situated in Trinity Bay on the East Coast of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The population according to the 2016 census was identified as 346 residents. The main industry is associated with the fishing industry whether it be crab, cod, lobsters, or capelin. The community houses the first crab plant that started here in 1967, unfortunately this facility is not in operation today. There are a number of businesses within the community as follows: DC Tax, The Point B & B, Vince Green Ltd, R & B Construction, and Downhome Movers Ltd.

We have a fully operational recreational building that houses the town office of which there are 2 full-time employees and 3 part-time employees, a newly constructed fire hall with a 20 member strong group of volunteer individuals, and a recreation committee that oversees the recreational activities for all ages.

There are 2 churches within our town – The United Church and the Calvary Pentecostal Church.

The town also has a historical museum known as the Willow Tree Heritage. This facility holds many historical artifacts of the town and a history that depicts the early years of living in Hants Harbour. There is the Willow Tree Heritage stage built in 1905 overlooks the harbour and has been maintained to its original state, a treat for tourists. Located on Church Hill, is an old cemetery where the bodies of an 1835 shipwreck were buried. The shipwrecked was a boat known as the “Fanny”. On a stormy night in 1835, this boat ran into the rocks in Caplin Cove where all crew lost their lives.

Aunt Lydia’s Prayer is part of our history. In approximately 1860 the people were very poor and the only way to make money or to have food was if there was a exceptional fishing season in the fall. The fall of 1860 was a very difficult time, the fish were few, according to stories of the elderly, a lady named Aunt Lydia called a prayer meeting where the community prayed for fish, the next morning a fisherman, who did not believe that the prayer would work went to the fishing grounds only to find that the fish were plentiful, the prayers had been answered. In 1995, the community hosted its first Come Home Year and a replica of this event was held.