Construction of Naval Air Station (NAS) Argentia began on January 25, 1941 and was completed that July. In order to build this base in anticipation of the US's involvement in World War II, over 400 families were displaced from the land by the Government of Newfoundland. While they had been paid for their property, they were uprooted from land on which generations before them had lived, and moved into other communities that were already struggling with the population they had.
The location on which the radar station was constructed was originally a World War II coastal battery. Construction of the site began in 1952, and was completed the following year when it officially began operations. It was built, financed and operated by the United States Air Force during its complete life-span of 9 years.
This point of land appears to have served in the defence of St. John's Harbour since 1632. It was apparently so named after Col. Amherst who, in 1762, took St. John's from the French.
The Terra Nova Sulphite Company sought funding for the construction of a new pulp and paper mill near present-day Glovertown, Newfoundland. The location was considered ideal because it was close to sea lanes, railways and a river for transporting logs and generating electricity.
Aviation has been a part of Botwood for a very long time. As early as the 1930's, Charles and Anne Lindbergh arrived here and recommended it as a stop-over for sea-planes flying across the Atlantic Ocean. The recommendation was accepted, and air lines like Pan American began scheduled flights.
