Markland - Newfoundland and Labrador

Route 81

Markland is an inland community located just beyond Whitbourne on Route 81, about 91 km from St. John’s and 58 km from the Argentia Ferry.

Markland was founded as an experimental land settlement or agricultural community in 1934. The "Markland experiment" began in the spring of that year when a group of private citizens in St. john's approached the Commission of Government, acting to act as trustees for the families of ex-servicemen who, wished to farm as an alternative to collecting relief. The Commission advanced relief payments to the trustees and offered a block of land for the settlement on the road between Whitbourne and Colinet, along the Rocky River. The name Markland was chosen from "forest land" of the Norse sagas.

In the first few years the community worked well, however by 1940 the government was not participating as actively in the land settlement scheme at Markland and many more novel aspects of the experiment, such as communal farming and interdenominational schooling, had been abandoned. As employment prospects increased in Newfoundland during World War II many families ceased farming. Markland residents were employed at Argentia after 1941 and by the end of the war, Markland was becoming less of a farming community.

Rodrigues’ Markland Cottage Winery resides in Markland today, which uses local hand-picked berries such as blueberry and bakeapple, to produce a high quality wine. This Winery offers tours and wine tasting to visitors all year round.