1950 - 1999

1953 - 1959:

Tucker’s Taxi operates out of Elliston, and for a time is the only taxi to regularly transport passengers to Clarenville. The taxi is principally driven by owner/operator Peter Tucker.

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1955:

CJON-TV goes on the air in August.

 

The United States Military builds a gap filler radar station at Elliston Ridge.

 

Elliston residents plan construction of a new school, and the construction of a modern garage begins.

 

1956:

Population: There are 699 residents at Elliston.

 

The Federal Department of Public Works plan the construction of a new wharf but upon completion, it is considered inadequate by many residents.

 

The gap filler radar station at Elliston Ridge provides a great deal of employment in the Elliston-Bonavista area. A road is built to the top of the ridge where construction of large buildings is going ahead. Many men from Elliston and Bonavista are working with the Terminal Construction Company who are contracting the job. For a period of time work is carried out on a twenty-four hour basis.

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1957:

A school consisting of five classrooms is built and opens in February of 1958. It is now used as the local recreation centre.

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1958:

A New Year’s Eve snowstorm in 1958 strands guests at the United States Radar Station near Elliston. For a personal account Click Here.

 

1960's:

CJON-TV places a television repeater on the Ridge.

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1961:

Population: There are 678 residents at Elliston.

 

On June 28th operations cease at the gap filler radar station. The Americans close the town’s last military installation at Elliston Ridge.

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1963:

In October, electricity comes to the Neck/Maberly area and about twenty homes are serviced.

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1964:

Work starts on construction of a new post office for Elliston. The one story structure measures approximately 25 feet x 25 feet, and the post master is Cecil Porter.

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1965:

The town of Elliston is incorporated on June 15th.

 

The site of the previous post office, the home belonging to the Porter family, is destroyed by fire in March.

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1966:

Population: There are 691 residents at Elliston.

 

Elliston’s first town council is composed of the following: Gerald Tilley, Mayor; Richard Hobbs, Deputy Mayor; Arthur W. Coles, Roy Tilley, Samuel White, William J. Goodland, and Douglas Tilley, Councillors.

 

On March 31st, the community’s first thirty-five streetlights become operational.

 

C. Tilley Ltd. with large two-story general store, garage, and large fish stores goes bankrupt.

Newfoundland declares 1966 to be a Come Home Year. Another will not take place until 2000.

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1967:

Elliston's town hall is built.

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1970 - 1971:

High school students are transported to Bonavista by bus.

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1971:

Population: There are 551 residents at Elliston.

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1972:

Elliston has fifty streetlights in operation.

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1973:

Roads throughout Elliston are paved.

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1976:

Population: There are 540 residents at Elliston.

 

In July, a humpback whale becomes tangled in a net on North Side and draws many scientists to the area.

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1977:

The Ryan’s Building at Elliston closes.

 

The Government establishes a two hundred mile conservation limit off the coast of Newfoundland.

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1981:

Population: There are 527 residents.

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1982 - 1983:

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or trikes are in use at Elliston making many remote wilderness areas much more accessible.

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1984:

The Clarenville to Bonavista branch of the railway ceases operation and the mainline through Newfoundland four years later.

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1985:

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador declares the Tilley House to be a Registered Heritage Structure in December.

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1986:

Elliston’s last school closes, and all students are transported to Bonavista by bus.

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1987:

Restoration work is complete at the Tilley House. Since William Marmaduke Tilley’s [nickname "Duke" pronounced "Juke") death in 1956, the house remains vacant until 1984 when his son Robert commences restoration work on the building.

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1988:

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador declare St. Mary’s Anglican Church to be a Registered Heritage Structure.

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1990's:

Early in the decade, Elliston has its own fire truck housed at the school that closed in 1986, however, its presence in the community is short lived.

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1991:

Population: There are 533 residents at Elliston.

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1992:

The Government declares a cod moratorium effectively ending a way of life that had been ongoing for nearly 500 years.

 

Impromptu version of Billy Ray Cyrus’ Achy Breaky Heart preformed by Vince Hayward in 1992 at Elliston.

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1994:

On September 29th, the town council decides to extinguish all remaining streetlights because of severe financial difficulties.

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1996:

Population: There are 461 residents.

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1997:

In nearby Bonavista, on June 24th, a replica of John Cabot’s ship the Matthew arrives marking the 500th anniversary of this momentous event in Newfoundland history.

 

A volunteer group, Tourism Elliston, forms in November to promote tourism in the area.

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1998:

On February 24th, the town council decides to restore fifteen to twenty streetlights.

 

The Elliston Recreation Committee is established.

 

During July, Elliston holds its first large scale event, the Bird Island Puffin Festival.

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1999:

A Come Home Year is held & Elliston’s first official target shooting event, the Elliston Sport Shoot, takes place on Catalina Road. This location later becomes the site of a shooting club.

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