Welcome to Gander

In the pioneering days of air travel after the Second World War, it wasn’t possible to make the journey from North America to Europe without a refueling stop at the Gander airport. This strategic location meant investment and maintenance well after longer-range jets could make the flight without stopping by.

Once a hotspot for people-watching (Sinatra apparently had a drink at the bar, and Castro was known to stop by on his way to Moscow), the airport is a time capsule of a particular 1950s design aesthetic, and considered a valuable piece of Canada’s architectural heritage.

Nearby, the North Atlantic Aviation Museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting stories and artifacts highlighting Gander’s participation in the development of transatlantic aviation. Learn more about Gander’s role as strategic base during WWII, how the town earned the nickname “Crossroads of the World”, and hear the story of Gander’s unexpected visitors following the tragic events of 9/11.

As one of the few airports capable of handling the traffic when US air space closed on September 11, 2001, Gander was perfectly positioned to welcome almost 7,000 newly stranded passengers and their 38 international planes.

Gander isn’t a large town – the visitors almost outnumbered the locals – and making room for all those unexpected guests, along with eleven dogs, nine cats, and two Bonobo apes, was quite a challenge. Even so, its citizens and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians up and down the Kittiwake Coast opened their homes and hearts to these strangers from all over the world. These travellers found warm beds and home-cooked meals during a truly terrifying time.

And now the kindness and hospitality shown to visitors has become the basis for the Tony-award winning Broadway musical Come From Away. When you’re in the area, you can Meet the Flynns, to learn more about the events and the people who inspired the play.