Stanhope was named “Etang des Berges” by the Acadian settlers. This “Barge (or boat) Pond”, now Long Pond in the National Park, was used by them to build their small fishing boats, which would be launched on rollers over the low sand dunes into the sea, or down the stream draining the spring-fed pond (which is tiny today, but would probably accommodate a fishing boat then). The Scottish settlers from the Falmouth did their shipbuilding along the shores of Stanhope Cove, launching their boats into the waters of the Bay.

Only a very small part of Island shipbuilding took place here, and mainly during the first half of the century; but it was an important part of the local economy. The ships built were small (13-179 tons) and the builders were listed as farmers, or farmers and fishermen, some- times adding shipbuilder; the only professional was Neil Leitch, who came from Western Scotland, having sailed the seas as a ship’s carpenter. The first two boats built, in 1786, were tiny: a 13 ton shallop named the Jennet, built here for Duncan MacEwen, and then moved to St. Peter’s; and the 18 ton schooner Linnet built by James Marshall. The last two boats built in Covehead Bay were the Fanny in 1888 and the Jane E. in 1890, both built by James Carr, on the inlet near where Vriends’ chicken farm is now. In between these four were 38 ships, mostly schooners, but some brigantines, of various tonnages, built by local men for various owners. (see the list below, from the P.E.I. Shipping Register). After 1890 fishing boats were built around Covehead Bay for some years longer; for example, in Stanhope John Misener had a boat shed beside his house “up against Lawson’s lane”,

where he built sailing fishing boats for George Longworth of Black Point.

The following is an account of a local launching from the Palladium of March 31, 1845: ——

On the 20th. inst. from the shipyard of John and James MacMillan, Covehead, a substantially built brigantine of 120 tons was launched, called the Jane. Also on the same day from Messrs. John and James MacMillan’s shipyard, Covehead, a fine brigantine called the Hope. Both vessels are represented to be built in a superior manner for the Newfoundland Market. They were drawn to the channel, a distance of about 1/2 a mile, by upwards of seventy horses without the slightest accident, affording much gratification to a great number of persons assembled from Charlottetown and other parts of the Island to witness the spectacle which was in no small degree heightened by the fineness of the day.

Note — in the P.E.I. Shipping Register the Jane is listed as the Sarah Jane of only 88 tons, and the Hope is described as a schooner of only 80 tons, and built by John Millar of Covehead.

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