In the thousands of years that people have inhabited and visited Newfoundland and Labrador, Indigenous peoples, Basque whale hunters, French explorers, and Devon merchants have all left their mark on the map.
Now there’s a book, Place Names of Newfoundland and Labrador, by Dale Jarvis that explores the hidden stories, strange origins, and fascinating histories of Newfoundland and Labrador’s place names, from Dildo to Dover and Nain to Nipper’s Harbour.
Readers will learn how one outport got its name from a stranger who showed up wearing three jackets and that a community is named after the patron saint of comedians
The author also reveals where to find the best spot to have a baby while paddling a canoe.
Publisher Flaker Press in Paradise, Newfoundland describes the book that will soon be available in stores and online, as “an entertaining and at times cheeky look at the towns we love and why we call them what we do.”
Mr. Jarvis, who has written several books, is the executive director of Heritage NL and an adjunct professor in the Department of Folklore at Memorial University.
The virtual launch of Place Names of Newfoundland and Labrador will take place Wednesday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m. in Newfoundland time via Facebook Live on the author’s page, facebook.com/DaleJarvisStoryteller, and the Flanker Press page, facebook.com/flankerpress.
A preview of the chapter titles is available on Indigo.
