Princeton (Seal Cove) - Community History

From 2000 to the present day Princeton continues to progress as a community with a combination of old and new ways. Many people still make a living from traditional industries such as the fishery and forestry while more are turning to new industries like tourism. There are some people who commute on a daily basis to work in other towns on the Bonavista Peninsula.

The fishery is still the major employer and snow crab is the main source of income for the Princeton fishermen. Fishing enterprises pursue other fisheries like lobster, squid, herring, mackerel, blackback, lump and capelin. The majority of Princeton fishermen now use thirty-five foot long liners for fishing crab but still use smaller boats to fish for species found near shore like lobster. Some fisher people hunt seal but its done mainly in the bay and the seal harvest is only a fraction of what it was in the past when the men left for the front on large vessels.

New ways of earning a living in the fishery have been explored. In 2000 the fishermen were allowed a small quota of cod and fisherman, Gerald Prince started a cod grow out operation in the bay adjacent to Princeton. This operation showed great potential because Princeton is located on the shore of a long narrow inlet which had been identified as one of the best aquaculture locations on the provinces east coast for cod farming. This type of operation was ideal for the community but the quota of cod was taken away from the inshore fishermen and without a supply, cod grow out could not be further developed. Other fisheries were explored such as rock crab, toad crab and rock cod but they were not abundant enough to justify a commercial fishery. The fisher people of Princeton continue to search for other possible species that might be commercially viable because they are committed to remaining in the fishing industry and changing with the times.

The fish plant in Princeton still remains in production and provides employment for a small number of people. Much of the product is trucked in from other areas and processed at the plant. In recent years the company has installed fish dryers and dried fish products like capelin and squid make up a large portion of its export sales. The plant still produces fresh product like cod fillet on a small scale and most of this is sold within the province.

Many of the people employed in the fishery are determined to ensure that Princeton survives as a fishing community. In 2002 the community formed the Harbour Authority of Princeton which is a committee made up of volunteers to manage and operate the wharf, slipway and storage facility at the harbour. Since its formation the committee cleaned up the area and made a number of improvements to the site. To this day they are working toward a positive future for the harbour. In the past the harbour area was the site of fishing schooners, freight boats and passenger vessels. Today it’s a place for long liners and other fishing boats to unload or tie up as well as a place for recreational boats, whale watching tours, the occasional yacht, and the daily visitors who come to picnic or relax in the area.

Princeton still has a few family owned commercial logging and sawmill operations but the forest no longer provides employment for the large number of people that it employed in the past. Many residents still have annual domestic cutting permits and cut their own supply of firewood for the winter.

The people of the community can still shop for groceries and gas in Princeton. The grocery store and gas bar is also the location of the community postal outlet. Many small communities lost their post office during the 1990's and were left with only central mail boxes and in some cases the residents have to trave outside their communities for postal services. Because of the grocery store the Princeton residents still have convenient access to postal services within the community.

For a small community Princeton has always had many people who create their own employment. Today there are two family owned construction businesses and a number of self employed people in the painting and plastering business. There are a few who make crafts which they sell to local craft shops.

Besides the old traditional way of making a living Princeton is becoming a tourist location. A family from outside the province opened a golf course in 2004. The golf course also has accommodations and a restaurant. It is located on a hill overlooking the bay and the spectacular scenery attracts many tourist. This has provided employment for the community both during construction and since its opening date. A Princeton resident who left the community in search of employment during the 1980's recently opened a RV Park near the pond in the community. The RV Park also attracts tourist and besides creating jobs it is helping the community become a tourist town. The future of the tourist industry looks very bright for Princeton.

There is no town council in Princeton but the community, along with two others, is part of a Local Service District which provide services like garbage pick up and volunteer fire fighting services. A modern fire hall is located in the community and the Volunteer Fire Department continues to provide a valuable service to Princeton. The Firettes do a great deal of fund raising and they hold regular bingo at the fire hall as well as other community events.

There are many recreational things to do in Princeton both during summer and winter. Besides attending functions and events at the fire hall there are a number of outdoor activities. The pond is a good swimming spot in summer as well as a place for water skiing, boating, kayaking and landing the sea planes which occasionally use the pond as a landing site. During winter the pond is used for skating, ice hockey and snowmobiling. The rail bed which runs through the community is used as a trail for ATV’s and snowmobiles as well as cross country skiing. Hunting and fishing is still very much a part of everyday life for the community residents. Many people still fish for freshwater species of fish in the pond and in the river which runs through the community. Princeton is located in a valley and the surrounding hills are ideal in winter for sledding and in summer they make good hiking trails. Some Princeton residents have cabins or travel trailers on the Ocean Pond Road and in the Princeton Big Pond area which is located of route 230 a few kilometers away from the community. On weekends they go back to both those areas where their ancestors cut timber and trapped animals many decades ago. Since the closure of the cod fishery many residents and visitors can no longer go ice fishing for cod. Years ago people would come from all over to go out on the frozen bay where they would cut a hole in the ice and jig a cod for supper. This is a major loss for the community as well as the individual residents who participated in the recreational activity.

The only church remaining in the community today is its oldest church. St Peters Anglican Church still stands on the hill overlooking the community as it has for about one hundred and thirty years. The United Church and the Jehova Witness Kingdom Hall have closed and both buildings have been sold. The people of both denominations along with the Catholic denomination attend service in other areas. The students of Princeton now travel by bus to other communities where they attend school. The first old schoolhouse has been long gone and the latest school has been sold to a private individual.

Many of the people who reside in Princeton are the descendants of the first settlers and the names Prince, Quinton, Moss and White make up a large portion of the present population. Today, in addition to the names of the early settlers, there are many new surnames which include Abbott, Butt, Curl, Fry, Holloway, Hoskins, Ivany, Lawton, Mugford and Roberts.

Princeton is still a diverse little community with many self employed people in many different industries. It is still somewhat of a service center for the area with people coming to shop at the grocery story, to get gas, to purchase seafood at the plant, to buy firewood or lumber products at the local sawmills. Fishermen from other communities visit the plant in the community to ship their catch of lobster or for other fishery related business. Tourist come to the community to play golf or for a meal at the restaurant located on the site of the new golf course. Other tourist arrive to stay at the RV Park and some visit to picnic at the pond or at the harbour area. Certain times of the year Princeton is a very busy place. The community is changing with the times but still hanging on to some of the traditional ways and values that have helped them survive over the past one hundred and sixty years. The future looks very promising for Princeton.