UNCOVER THE HISTORY
Since the 1500’s, St. Lawrence has been welcoming visitors to its stunning harbour, opening its doors and sharing its stories with people from around the world.
Since then, we’ve become soccer champions, survived a tsunami, rescued American sailors during the Second World War, served as home to a major mining operation, and weathered the storms of countless fishing seasons.
St. Lawrence is resurging as a must-visit destination with the people, our stories, and culture being the highlight of every trip.
Memorial Room, Miners Museum | Photo by: John Doe
| 1583 | St. Lawrence was named by a group of shipwrecked sailors who came to the New Found Land in 1583 with Sir Humphrey Gilbert. |
| Mid-1700s | People began to settle permanently in St. Lawrence. |
| 1784 | Newmans opened its store in Little St. Lawrence and business was soon rivalling that of St. John's. |
| 1843 | Fluorspar deposits had been noted in the area. |
| Nov. 18, 1929 | The Grand Banks earthquake occurred, killing 27 or 28 people and leaving 1,000 or more homeless. |
| 1933 | Fluorspar mining began in St. Lawrence. |
| Feb. 18, 1942 | The USS Truxton and USS Pollux ran aground near Chamber Cove, killing more than 200 American soldiers, although the citizens of St. Lawrence frantically helped save many of the 186 survivors. |
| 1954 | The U.S. Navy built a hospital at St. Lawrence in gratitude for their work in saving so many during the Truxton and Pollux groundings. |
| 1978 | The Fluorspar mine in St. Lawrence was closed. |
| 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s | The Laurentians were named the Soccer Team of the Decade. |
| 1992 | The Echoes of Valour Memorial was erected in dedication of the mining industry in St. Lawrence, the sailors who died in the USS Truxtun and USS Pollux disaster, and those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. |
| 2001 | Canada Fluorspar Inc. announced preparations to reopen the fluorspar mine. |
| 2005 | St. Lawrence Centennial Soccer Field was listed as one of the Historic Places in Canada. |
| 2006 | Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro announces a wind farm will be erected in St. Lawrence. |
HISTORICAL THINGS TO SEE
ST. LAWRENCE MINERS’ MUSEUM
Discover the heroic story of the St Lawrence miners who saved 186 American sailors from shipwrecked WWII boats: the USS Truxtun, the USS Pollux, and the USS Wilkes. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the shipwreck site or take a guided tour where you’ll learn how miners lived and worked. Embark on a journey to Chamber Cove, the site of the Truxtun shipwreck, and envision the heroism displayed during the rescue. Walk the scenic Bergeron trail and enjoy a picnic lunch along the cragged coastline.
ST. LAWRENCE MINERS’ MUSEUM
Discover the heroic story of the St Lawrence miners who saved 186 American sailors from shipwrecked WWII boats: the USS Truxtun, the USS Pollux, and the USS Wilkes. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the shipwreck site or take a guided tour where you’ll learn how miners lived and worked. Embark on a journey to Chamber Cove, the site of the Truxtun shipwreck, and envision the heroism displayed during the rescue. Walk the scenic Bergeron trail and enjoy a picnic lunch along the cragged coastline.
ST. LAWRENCE MINERS’ MUSEUM
Discover the heroic story of the St Lawrence miners who saved 186 American sailors from shipwrecked WWII boats: the USS Truxtun, the USS Pollux, and the USS Wilkes. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the shipwreck site or take a guided tour where you’ll learn how miners lived and worked. Embark on a journey to Chamber Cove, the site of the Truxtun shipwreck, and envision the heroism displayed during the rescue. Walk the scenic Bergeron trail and enjoy a picnic lunch along the cragged coastline.
VISIT US
St. Lawrence is a tight-knit community, offering a quiet, supportive way of life. Explore St. Lawrence is working to make our town and the Burin Peninsula more prosperous for us all.
