St. Lewis is the most easterly permanent community on the North American
mainland and is one of the best locations on Labrador Coastal Drive to see
icebergs!
Once called Fox Harbour, St. Lewis was depicted on maps as early as 1502-1503 as
Ilha de Frey Luis.
St. Lewis, because of its sheltered location and proximity to good fishing
grounds and seal migration routes was a prime fishing centre on the southeastern
coast of Labrador for over 200 years. Not only was it a favourite place for
fishing but also it was a good place to construct small boats and early
establishments left crews to winter there for just this purpose.
The Loder family from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland had established a fish trading
business and constructed premises in the community that was to operate for many
years. The Loder Premises, have now been restored and houses exhibits relating
the history of St. Lewis.
St Lewis has been a radar site since 1954 when the Americans constructed a radar
site as part of the Pinetree Radar System (DEW Line). By the mid- 1960's the
site had closed but this was long enough to expose the residents to many new
trends of the outside world. A Loran C station is still operated by the Canadian
Coastguard at St. Lewis.
The site of the old USAF radar station has a spectacular 360 degree view of St.
Lewis Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean. It is now the beginning of a wonderful
walking trail that leads to Deepwater Creek, a community that had been abandoned
when residents moved to St. Lewis.
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