Forteau - Newfoundland and Labrador

Forteau is a service centre for the Labrador Straits and the second largest community in the region. Its population as of 1991 was 519.

The name Forteau may come from the French adjective forte (strong), describing the strong tides in the area. Excavations at Forteau show strong evidence of the Maritime archaic Indians settling here as early as 5560 BC.

Much later, the Basque used the harbour as a whaling station and by 1757, a garrison called La Forteau had been erected by the French.

In 1763, Labrador was given to the British and it came under the control of the Newfoundland government. The British, some of which were from the Channel Islands, began to use the area. Joseph Bird established a cod, furring and salmon enterprise here in 1808 and William Buckle and his wife Mary became Forteau's first settlers.

The first census was taken in 1874 and showed a population of 86 and by 1921 the population had risen to 216. Forteau was incorporated as a town in 1971.