St. John's Facts

Fact 1:  St. John's was nearly decimated five times during the 19th century. Fires in 1816, 1817, 1819 and 1846 were devastating, but the fire of 1892 is known as the Great St. John's Fire.

Fact 2:  In 1901, Guglielmo Marconi attached an antenna to a kite and flew it high above St. John's Signal Hill. He received the first transatlantic wireless transmission – the letter S in Morse code – sent from Cornwall, England.

Fact 3:  In 1826 Quidi Vidi (pronounced "kitty vitty") Lake was the site of the first St. John's Regatta. Held annually the first Wednesday in August, this regatta is the oldest continually held sporting event in North America, with some claiming that it actually pre-dates the 1826 record, originating as far back as the 1700's.

Fact 4:  Looking for a good time? Head to George Street downtown. It's rumored that St. John's has more bars per capita than any other North American city and that this party street has more bars per square foot than any other street in North America.

Fact 5:  Cape Spear is the easternmost point in North America, making it closer to Europe than any other North American city. The cape boasts beautiful scenery and the oldest lighthouse in the province.

Fact 6:  St. John's has a maritime climate, with relatively cool summers ranging from 20-23°C (50-86°F), and chilly winters ranging from 1-8°C (17-30°F). You can expect to find quite a bit of cloud coverage, rain and snow depending on the time of year, although St. John's has the third mildest winter when compared to other Canadian cities. Tropical storms and cyclone activity are common due to the city's ocean exposure.