Tilt Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
| Tilt Cove | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Coordinates: 49°53′10″N 55°37′37″W / 49.88611°N 55.62694°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
|
| Province |
 Newfoundland and Labrador
|
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 4 |
| Time zone | Newfoundland Time (UTC-3:30) |
| • Summer (DST) | Newfoundland Daylight (UTC-2:30) |
| Area code(s) | 709 |
Tilt Cove (/tɪlt koʊv/) is a town located southeast of Baie Verte on Notre Dame Bay and was founded in 1813. The mine at Tilt Cove, the first in Newfoundland, was opened in 1864 and "was soon employing several hundred men at good wages". The Post or Way Office was established in 1869. The population was 1,370 in 1901 and 57 by 1956. It has a population of 5 as of 2011 according to Statistics Canada, but another source gives the population as 7. Tilt Cove is referred to as "Canada's smallest town." Ores found at Tilt Cove are gold, copper, and zinc.
Settled around 1813 or earlier by George and Mary Winsor from the West Country England, Tilt Cove was a tiny fishing settlement with a population of about 25. In 1857, Smith McKay discovered rich deposits of copper ore and in 1864, in conjunction with C.F. Bennett, began mining operations. In the 1880s, the Tilt Cove mine changed ownership to the Cape Copper Company. In 1916, the population peaked to 1500.
In 1892, the Newfoundland Colonist, a newspaper, described Tilt Cove as "the leading town in Notre Dame Bay, with the sides, top and bottom of the mines being one solid mass of copper, looking as if it would be everlasting". On the afternoon at approximately tea-time on 11 March 1912, there was an avalanche at Tilt Cove in which there were 5 injuries and 5 fatalities. The funerals for the victims took place on 14 March 1912.
The town was once very prosperous but there was a time, like now, when it was not. In 1920 the mines closed and the population dropped to around 100 and remained that way until the mines reopened in 1957. The Tilt Cove mine was reopened by Canadian mining promoter Matthew James Boylen as a result of Newfoundland and Labrador government policy to encourage mineral exploration and revitalize mining communities and Tilt Cove experienced a rebirth. In 1967 the mines closed down not to re-open until modern mining activity began.
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