The famed Canadian nature writer and
naturalist Farley Mowat lived in Burgeo for five years during his time in Newfoundland. He wrote several books during his time there, including the controversial
A Whale for the Killing, which was later adapted into a
movie loosely based on the book but with the same name. Mowat's wife,
Claire Mowat, wrote her book
The Outport People about life in Burgeo; however, the town in the book is given the fictional name "Baleena".
Route 480, also referred to as the Burgeo road, was a frequent subject for famed Canadian painter
Christopher Pratt, who depicted it on several occasions and began his book
Thoughts on Driving to Venus there in 1999. On 11 April 2009, Pratt wrote:'Burgeo Road, 10:30 am. 3 °C, breezy, mixture of sun and cloud. Enroute Sandbanks on a chilly but very inviting day. I always remember these "Car Books" began on this road—intended to be a short-hand, stream of consciousness, trigger-happy sort of thing, a sequence of responses, not considered efforts at insights or forced philosophies.'
Henry Ward Cunningham (1862–1943), an Anglican clergyman born in Burgeo, presided over burial services at sea for victims of the
Titanic disaster while aboard the recovery ship
CS Minia. ==See also==