Cartwright

Settlement and Development

Cartwright is named for George Cartwright, who established a fishing and fur-trading post in the area in 1775. In 1815, the business was sold and eventually acquired by the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1873. Settlement grew in association with the company and other trading and lumbering firms, which were established at or near Cartwright. Independent fishermen settled in Cartwright because of the availability amenities, such as medical services provided by a Grenfell Association hospital (see Sir Wilfred Thomason Grenfell).

Economy and Transportation

Today with medical facilities, an airstrip, and various businesses, Cartwright is a local service centre. The crab industry is a major employer, and the town is home to a snow crab processing plant. Cartwright is connected to other parts of Labrador via the Trans Labrador Highway.