History
History of Pasadena
Nestled in the Humber Valley, on the West Coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, the history of Pasadena involves three distinct communities.
Established in 1922, the oldest community is South Brook. This community housed a quarry which the International Pulp and Paper Limited, based in Corner Brook, used to build a power plant in nearby Deer Lake.
Leonard Earle founded the community of Pasadena in 1933. A farmer, originally from Fogo, based in St. John’s, he wanted to establish a community on the west coast. He purchased 2600 acres of prime farming land from a woman in St. John’s. Settling in the region, he named the community Pasadena in honour of his wife’s family who owned a ranch in California. View the full story on the origin of Pasadena’s name here.
In 1936, the Commission of Government at the time, prior to joining Canada, was faced with a downturn in the fishing industry. To create new prosperity, the Commission established farming communities and relocated fisherman to live and work in them. A gentleman by the name of Jack Dawson met Leonard Earle on a train who told him about the farmland in the Humber Valley. Mr. Dawson became the overseer of the Community of Midland, so named for being midway between Corner Brook and Deer Lake. Read a daily diary kept by Mr. Dawson during the formative years of Midland here.
The Community of Midland began with 25 families in 1936. Five families returned to their original homes within the first three years of settlement. Their land grants were given to five new families who replaced them.
The communities of Midland and Pasadena came together and incorporated as the Community of Pasadena-Midland in 1955. Later it was renamed the Community of Pasadena.
South Brook incorporated as the Community of South Brook on April 20, 1965.
The Community of Pasadena became a municipality in 1969 incorporating as the Town of Pasadena.
In 1986, all three original communities were integrated as the Town of Pasadena