For an outpost fishing community, Battle Harbour has a surprisingly auspicious and colourful history. For many years it was the acknowledged capital of the Labrador coast. It was also the home of Dr. William Grenfell - a man who revolutionized health care, and improved the quality of life in Newfoundland and Labrador. American explorer Robert Peary, used it as the point of departure on his quests to reach the North Pole. Peary held his historic press conference in the salt store building, after he and Mathew Henson became the first people to reach the North Pole. Battle Harbour was established by the Slade Company in 1770 and was occupied until the 1970s when government incentives encouraged families to resettle in more central areas. Many of the buildings have been painstakingly restored, and the town is operating as a national historic site.