History Of Conception Bay South Conception Bay South is one of Newfoundland's newest towns made up of some of Newfoundland's oldest settlements. The name Conception Bay came from the Portuguese Baia de Conceicao or Comceica, presumably given in honour of the Feast of the Conception, December 8th. Conception Bay South, incorporated in 1973, runs along the
gentle slopes and saltwater lagoons and low beaches of Beginning around Topsail, the first settlers built close to the shore and built inland woods roads or slide paths. Settlement then spread inland along the slide paths as land was cleared for farming. These old woods roads are now the modern network of local roads and scattered housing--over 60 miles of local roads--which were difficult and costly to maintain and service. By the mid-1800's, Conception Bay was booming. One of the only places outside St. John's with roads, churches, schools and a railway. But, the coming of the railway to the south shore of Conception Bay in 1880-1881 sparked what is perhaps one the most f amous legends of any Newfoundland community, The Battle of Foxtrap Local residents of Foxtrap, resistant to the rumour that toll gates to tax residents would be erected at the railway crossings across their fertile land, rioted for five days with pitchforks, broomsticks and shovels to stop the coming of the iron horse. St. John's newspapers ran riot with four-decker headlines:
Despite the resistance of Foxtrap residents, the railway eventually reached Harbour Grace by 1884. The coming of the train meant pleasure trips and travel around southern Conception Bay to Holywood where steamships left for the Conception Bay ports of Brigus, Bay Roberts, Harbour Grace and Carbonear. In 1885, the Villa Nova Orphanage and Industrial School was opened at Power's Court, Manuels, under the supervision of Father William Morris, who died tragically during a typhoid outbreak in 1889 which also claimed a number of the orphan wards who are buried in a cemetery in Manuels.
Summer houses had sprung up and were becoming year-round homes after the First World War. Many people commuted by boat or shifted to Bell Island to work in Wabana's mines on Bell Island which operated from 1893 to their closure in the 1960s. The communities of southeastern Conception Bay continued to grow and spread between the two World Wars, building homes wherever land was available, most without water and sewage. Some small groups believed after Confederation that incorporation was the only answer to building a modern, clean, well-serviced town. Others feared the loss of rights, property taxes and other heavy expenditures for services they could ill afford. It was not until 1970 that a Citizens Committee of 18 to 20 residents from all communities on the Shore met with government to begin the task of incorporation beginning with a vast campaign to poll residents by secret ballot about whether they wanted municipal government. In 1971 six communities--Topsail, Chamberlains, Manuels, Long Pond, Kelligrews and Upper Guillies were incorporated as the Local Improvement District of Conception Bay South. "Together We Stand" is the motto chosen by the town fathers of Conception Bay South at its incorpation in 1971 as the Local Improvement District of Conception Bay South. Incorporation brought together the communities of Topsail, Chamberlains, Manuels, Long Pond, Kelligrews, Upper Gullies and the Conception Bay Highway in Seal Cove. Conception Bay South continued to grow with the addition of Foxtrap, Seal Cove and Lawerence Pond on January 1, 1986. In 1987, it had over 15,000 people along its more than 20 miles of low, sloping coastline and its many river valleys. Along with the town's own motto, coat of arms and logo, CBS also has it's own town song. Conception Bay South Chronology
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