The community was first settled
in 1892 by Mr. And Mrs. Thomas Wheeler. In the beginning it was called
Farmer’s Arm. It was changed to Summerford in 1912. It is believed that
a United Church minister was instrumental in having it changed. Most
of the early settlers came from places such as Moreton’s Harbour, Tizzards
Harbour, Twillingate and surrounding areas. After the summer season they
would move to what they called the Bay, build log cabins (then called tilts)
and settle for the winter. When spring came they would move back again
to their respective villages to fish during the summer months. They
cut most of their timber for their building projects right here on New
World Island and sawed it with the old pitsaw. Schooner building was the
main industry in the early days. These schooner’s, when built, were fitted
for cod fishing and sailed to the Labrador and French shore by the men
who built them. When the early settlers got settled, they found
the need for a schoolhouse. So they built a one room school. That building
was used as a schoolhouse, Church, Sunday school, Courthouse, Theatre,
Showroom, Orange Lodge and for social events such as wedding receptions,
Christmas concerts, plays, political rallies, etc.