Harbour Grace

Harbour Grace

Harbour Grace, town, southeastern Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It lies on the northeast coast of Avalon Peninsula, 32 miles (51 km) west-northwest of St. John’s, across Conception Bay. Settled about 1550, it was probably named for Le Havre-de-Grâce (Le Havre, France). Peter Easton, the pirate, had his headquarters there about 1600. Since 1856 the town has been the seat of a Roman Catholic bishop. Until the 1920s it was one of the largest towns in Newfoundland. Harbour Grace was a starting point for Atlantic flights during the early days of aviation. A disastrous fire in August 1944 entirely devastated the business district, which was subsequently rebuilt. Industries include fish filleting, cod-liver-oil processing, and footwear manufacturing. Inc. 1945. Pop. (2006) 3,074; (2011) 3,131.