Iona, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Iona was a small community in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador made up of small islands that used to be inhabited. The islands were once called The Ram's or Ram's Islands.^[1]

Iona Rams Islands
Abandoned Town
Iona (Harbour Island), 2012
Iona Location of Iona in Newfoundland
Coordinates: 47°25′35.4″N 53°58′22.2″W
Country	Canada
Province	Newfoundland and Labrador
Census division	Division 1
Census subdivision	Subdivision B
Population  (1951)
• Total	36[1]
Time zone	UTC-3:30 (Newfoundland Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-2:30 (Newfoundland Daylight)
Area code	709
Bay	Placentia Bay

History

The population was reported to be 197 in the 1836 Census (the most populous island in Placentia Bay at the time), 100 in 1921 and 67 in 1940.^[1] Iona was originally settled by Irish Roman Catholics,^[1] which included but not limited to, the surnames of Griffin, Bruce, Fitzpatrick, Murphy, Sweeney, McFarrell (later McFarlane), Duke, Pope, Newman, Northover, Bird, Whiffen, and King.^[2] The depression of the 1930s severely impacted the Island's people, causing many people to leave and find work. Also, in 1935 a lightning storm struck and destroyed the Island's school, in the next year the small church located on the island was destroyed by fire, and in 1937 a North Atlantic storm splintered the Island's fleet, and washed away many homes and sheds.^[3] Most of the families who migrated from the island moved to the close communities of Ship Harbour, Fox Harbour and Long Harbour.^[4]

Aerial photo of Iona (Harbour Island), 1940s