St. John's, now the capital of the Province of Newfoundland, has experienced a long and colourful history. Europeans commenced frequenting this harbour around the beginning of the Sixteenth century. St. John's, because of its harbour and proximity to the fishing grounds, gained prominence as a commercial trading outpost for the Basques, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. The late sixteenth century saw the rise of Britain as a significant world naval power and with it, their dominant presence in the Newfoundland fishery, particularly in the area ranging from Cape Bonavista in the north to Cape Race in the south. St. John's recorded the first permanent settlers in this period with a family named Oxford establishing a plantation in the early 1600's. The port's importance as a major cog in this fishery made it a prime military target for any nation wishing to gain control over this important food supply. The earliest record of these battles dates back to 1555 when the Basques traveled overland to capture St. John's from the French. In June 1665, the great Dutch naval strategist Admiral De Ruyter captured St. John's from the English. From the late 1600's until 1762, the English and French battled frequently in St. John's with the final victor being the English. By 1815, the population of St. John's stood at approximately ten thousand. St. John's grew slowly throughout the nineteenth century. Ravaged by three fires in 1816, 1846 and 1892, the town recovered and rebuilt after each fire. In 1921, St. John's became incorporated as a city with the passage of the City of St. John's Act by the Newfoundland government. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, it remained the center of commercial trade in the Newfoundland fishery. Today, St. John's remains the financial and commercial center for Newfoundland and the capital of the province. Including the metropolitan areas, St. John's has a population of about 175,000. Some Area Links: City of St. John's Government of Newfoundland & Labrador City of Mt. Pearl Town of Paradise Department of Education Department of Tourism Town of Conception Bay South Photo Gallery