The Grenfell Properties house an amazing story of a young medical doctor, a missionary and philanthropist. Dr. Wilfred Thomason Grenfell came to Northern Newfoundland and Labrador in 1892 to investigate the conditions of the fishermen on the coast. He was so touched by the appalling levels of poverty endured by the fishermen and the local population, that he returned the following year and began, what turned out to be, a lifetime of service to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
You will be intrigued and captivated by the presence of the late Dr. Grenfell as you stroll quietly through his house, the Grenfell House Museum. The medical missionary from England commissioned the house in 1909 and it stands today filled with an assortment of displays and artifacts which chronicle Grenfell’s life, and the work of the many people who helped establish the Grenfell Mission.
Dr. Grenfell, a firm believer in helping people do things for themselves, became a driving force in the economic development in the area. He was instrumental in forming a fisherman’s co-operative, a co-operative lumber mill, opening the first orphanage, Newfoundland’s first inter-denominational school, and he introduced a barter system whereby patients could trade craft items they had produced, in return for medical services.
The Grenfell Interpretation Centre houses the well known Grenfell Handicrafts, an impressive gallery of displays, and panels that chronicle the work of the Grenfell Mission and Dr. Grenfell. Explore the Grenfell Properties and uncover the story of the reindeer, the Grenfell Dock, Tea House Hill, the Strathcona and the many other accomplishments of this revered man. |
