Did you know?
- Holyrood harbour was once an inland fjord.
- The first historical account of Holyrood (or Hollyrode) was found on John Thorton’s map of Newfoundland in 1675.
- Recorded settlement in Holyrood began in the late 1700’s.
- Holyrood’s primary industry in the 1800 was in providing bait (capelin and squid) for the Grand Banks fishery. Agriculture was also an important facet of the local economy during this period.
- The census of 1836 reports the town as having a school.
- Development of the Newfoundland railway had a tremendous impact on Holyrood’s economy in the 1880’s.
- Valero (formerly, Golden Eagle) established an oil refinery in the town in the 1950’s and employed about 75 full-time workers.
- Newfoundland Hydro Electric Generating station was built in Holyrood in the 1960’s.
- Today, Holyrood’s residents include: doctors, dentists, pharmacists, architects, engineers, money managers, nurses, social workers, teachers, artists, police officers and numerous other occupations.
- In 2011, Memorial University of Newfoundland’s, Fisheries and Marine Institute established a facility (HMB) at Holyrood for their Cold-Water Research & Development facility. Plans are already underway for a new breakwater and wharf and well as a 40,000 sq/ft building expansion over the next few years.
- A large area of real estate has been frozen and earmarked for development of a business park.
- A new town hall has recently been opened with office space and resources to house (incubator space) start-up or satellite offices to companies looking to establish a presence in the Town.
