Cheryl's Travels: First stop

Rigolet is a small community of approximately 300 people. It's located right at the entrance of Hamilton Inlet and is the most southerly Inuit community in the world. Louis Fornel landed near present day Rigolet and claimed the land for France in 1743. Shortly after, Fornel established Rigolet's first trading post. The English took control of the Labrador coast in 1763 and this brought a flood of European and Newfoundland fishermen and whalers to settle in this area. These explorers established more trading posts to capitalize on the bountiful supply of furs, fish and whales in the region. Inuit families from throughout Labrador coast soon migrated to the Rigolet area for the education and employment opportunities that the town began to offer. As a result, many of the families in Rigolet today are descendants of European settlers and Inuit.
Over 100 archaeological digs, in and around Rigolet, have revealed the rich history of Maritime Archaic Indian, Paleo-Eskimo, Groswater Dorset, Thule and Labrador Inuit dating back as far as 6000 years.

Rigolet is alive with traditions. Music abounds while Minke whales (known locally as 'grumpus') swim along the shore of the community. Expert craftspeople and artisans produce handcrafted salt-water grass pieces and authentic seal-skin garments.

The longest boardwalk in North America can be found stretching 8 kms out from Rigolet along the coast into a spruce and fir tree forest, full of historical sites important to the history of Rigolet along the way.

Coming in to Rigolet

Along the shoreline you can see the boardwalk, which stretches for 8 kms

The Netloft Museum - the building was built in 1876 by the Hudson Bay Company in connection with the salmon fishery, and restored in 2001. The building was used by HBC as storage for fishing nets and a work area. Since the Hudson bay Company departed in 1989 the building has been restored into a museum.

The craft shop in Rigolet tells it's own story of the talented craftspeople and artisans - highlighting the various crafts such as grasswork, moose hide slippers, seal skin slippers and mitts, and fine beaded jewelry

Lord Strathcona Interpretation Centre. This building is a replica of Donald Smith's house that was built in the 1800s. He was the store manager for the Hudson Bay Company. His house was one of the most beautiful houses in Labrador - and the building is now used as a museum