Boyd's Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador

Boyd’s Cove is an archaeological and historic site on the north-central coast of Newfoundland in Notre Dame Bay, noted for the remains of a Beothuk settlement and an on-site interpretive centre.

The site includes an interpretive centre with reconstructions of winter dwellings and interpretive panels explaining Beothuk lifeways and material culture. A short walking area around the site allows close viewing of house-pit depressions and labeled finds.

Archaeological deposits at Boyd’s Cove date to the 17th and 18th centuries and represent a seasonal indigenous settlement. Excavations in the 20th century recovered artifacts and structural evidence that form the core of local interpretation.

The site sits on the shore of Notre Dame Bay near the present-day community of Boyd’s Cove in central Newfoundland, accessible by road from nearby coastal towns.

• Cultural significance: The site preserves tangible evidence of the Beothuk people, including house-pit features and material culture recovered during 20th-century excavations.

What to See #

• Interpretive Centre and reconstructions: Located on the shore within the protected archaeological area, the interpretive centre presents reconstructions of Beothuk winter dwellings and displays recovered artifacts from excavations.
• Archaeological site: The archaeological site contains exposed house pits and artifact concentrations that represent a seasonal Beothuk settlement dating to the 17th and 18th centuries.