Raleigh, Newfoundland and Labrador


Raleigh is a town located northwest of St. Anthony. It had a population of 295 in 1956, declining to 177 by the 2016 census.

Name

Raleigh was originally named Ha Ha Bay, after the bay where it is located. However, in 1922, the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Raleigh, the flagship of the North Atlantic & West Indies squadron, ran aground across the straits in Labrador and the town of Raleigh was renamed after the ship. Raleigh is located about from St. Anthony.

General information

Raleigh has a harbour with Burnt Cape on one side to protect against the elements in the very harsh winters - which can see snowbanks after a winter storm. The Burnt Cape Ecological Reserve lies within the town's boundaries. Winter sports, particularly snowmobiling are a popular activity. With abundant fish in nearby rivers, the Raleigh area is popular for ice fishing.

Demographics

Raleigh had a population of 295 in 1956. In the mid-1980s the population grew to as much as 414 with more than 100 school age children. Locals were proud of their community and Raleigh dominated the local hockey league.
Recently with the collapse of the fisheries the town has been in a downhill economic spiral and most younger people have moved away searching for jobs. In 2006 there were less than five school age children - all of whom go to school in St. Anthony as the local school has long closed. The population is aging and often after somebody dies another house is boarded up and abandoned.