Lewisporte is a town and seaport on Notre Dame Bay in Central Newfoundland. The town was founded in 1876, and has about 3400 (2016) residents. It is a deep-water port and shipping centre on Notre Dame Bay which has served as a fishing, farming and boat-building settlement, a shipping port and sawmill, and later as a distribution point for supplies destined to Cartwright and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador by coastal ferry.

Understand

Lewisporte is host to a community college and the Marine Institute (82 Premier Dr, ☏ +1 709 535-0514), an ocean research facility backed by Memorial University, St. John's.

History

Europeans settlers first arrived in Lewisporte in 1887 and engaged in the prosperous fishing, logging, and ship building industries. The first European settlers were attracted to the area by the huge stands of birch, spruce and pine, which graced the shores. Lewisporte is named for Lewis Miller, an enterprising Scotsman who operated a logging company in central Newfoundland.

During the war years, Lewisporte was an important base of operations for the Canadian Forces. Gander's strategic location as a ‘jumping off’ point for flights going to Europe brought a larger population to Lewisporte. Approximately three army sites were constructed in Lewisporte to protect the oil supply lines to Gander. Rapid commercial and residential growth after the war has converted and swallowed nearly all evidence of military presence. Lewisporte's population and size have increased as the town's transportation and distribution function became more important.

After the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, numerous trans-Atlantic flights were diverted to Gander International Airport when U.S. airspace was closed. Due to its proximity to Gander's once-bustling international airport, Lewisporte accommodated more than 700 of the 6500 trans-Atlantic airline passengers diverted to Gander during the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US. Lewisporte sheltered and fed hundreds of stranded airline passengers for several days. In press reports, the passengers praised the citizens of Lewisporte for their concern and hospitality.

Get in

By car

Lewisporte is on Route 341, 14 km (9 mi) north of the Trans-Canada Highway.

By bus

• DRL-LR, ☏ +1 709-263-2171, drl@eastlink.ca. Operates a route daily between Port aux Basques and St. John's with numerous stops including in Stephenville, Corner Brook, Deer Lake, Grand Falls-Windsor, Lewisporte, Gander, and Clarenville. (updated May 2022)

Get around

• Lewisporte Marina and Yacht Club, 152 A Main Street, Lewisporte, ☏ +1 709 535-3625. 
• Lewisporte Taxi, 7 Mill St., ☏ +1 709 535-8100. 

See

Lewisporte Town Hall

• 1 Lewisporte Heritage Centre, 235 Main Road, ☏ +1 709 535-1911. Jun 15-Aug 30. By the Bay Museum. Logging and carpentry tools, photographs, paintings, books, household and children's items. Photography equipment. World War I and II artefacts, medical equipment collection and a 28-foot hooked rug depicting history of the town. 

Lewisporte Train Park

• 2 Lewisporte Train Park, 152 Main St., ☏ +1 709 535-2737. end June-end Aug. Railway museum on the east side of Lewisporte; a narrow-gauge (3.5') Newfie Bullet once ran from Port aux Basques to St. Johns but all rails were removed from the island in the 1980s. Hiking & walking trail, authentic Newfoundland trains, picnic area, cultural & historic information. Donations welcome. 

Do

• 1 Notre Dame Provincial Park, 1km E of Notre Dame Junction on Trans-Canada Highway. Former Abitibi-Price logging site, donated as a park in 1960. Picnic area, two playgrounds, 100-site camp ground, toilets, RV dump station, unsupervised sandy beach for swimming, cross-country ski trails, convenience store, boat rental. 

Events

• Mussel Bed Soirée. Aug. Live music and entertainment, one weekend. 
• Central Newfoundland Outdoor Expo. April. 
• Trade and Craft Show. mid-Sep. $6/weekend. 

Buy

• 1 Rossy, Lewisporte Mall, 465 Main St (Near Tim Horton's.), ☏ +1 709 535-8221. 9:30AM-5:30PM daily, Su noon-5PM, Th & F 9:30AM-9PM. Discount store in former Bargain Giant. 

Eat

• 1 Country Garden Restaurant, 465 Main St, ☏ +1 709 535-3600. 
• 2 Greco Pizza & Donair, 510 Main St, ☏ +1 709 535-3600. Italian food. 

Drink

• 1 Blue Finn Lounge, 140 Main St, ☏ +1 709 535-3427. 

Sleep

• 1 Brittany Inn, 373 Main St, ☏ +1 709 535-2533. Hotel with dining room, lounge, meeting room. 
• 2 Ocean View, 210 Main St, ☏ +1 709 535-8181, fax: +1 709 535-8180. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Four-bedroom B&B overlooking Lewisporte harbour and marina. $100-125. 
• 3 Islands Villa, 203 Main St, ☏ +1 709 569-3001. Eight-room high-end motel with four-and-a-half star rating. Centrally located with a view of the marina. (updated Sep 2018)

Connect

• 1 Lewisporte Memorial Public Library, 152 Main Street (in the Town Hall), ☏ +1 709 535-2519. Local library with free Internet and wi-fi. 

Go next

• Gander
• Twillingate
• Fogo Island and Change Islands

Routes through Lewisporte

Twillingate ← Jct N ←

N  S

→ ENDS at W E