Flower's Cove is a fishing, business and administrative centre, which serves the area between Plum Point and Eddies Cove East. The town is located on the North western side of the Great Northern Peninsula, and was once called French Island Harbour. Some people still call it "The Harbour". Local lore claims that Flowers is a generic term used in Italian for any rock just appearing on the surface of the water. During his mapping expeditions in 1764, Captain James Cook labeled Flower's Cove "Flour Cove". The period of greatest growth in population in the area occurred during its first period of settlement. In 1951 the population stood at 281 and by 1966 it had reached 338. The early economy of the area was based on seals, herring, cod and some furring.