Queen Maria I authorized the construction works on the seaport in February 1791. French engineer Reinald Oudinot was responsible for the construction under orders of the shire's "corregedor" Francisco de Almada e Mendonça. In 1792, a dock, known as "Caldeira da barra", was built at the estuary of a rivulet. The construction of the northern breakwater started in 1795. The construction works were incomplete as a south breakwater was needed, near the sandbank, in order to reduce the ocean currents strength. The northern breakwater that was built during this period became known as "Paredão de D. Maria I" (The Great Wall of Queen Maria I), in later periods as "Paredão de D. Luis I", after small construction works during the reign of Louis I of Portugal in the 19th century. In the beginning of the 19th century, renovation works on the breakwater were needed as it was in ruins. Works started, but slowly due to financial constraints. On March 11, 1825, the necessity of works in the port was addressed by the town hall. And with "Corregedor" José Joaquim Rodrigues de Bastos orders, works resumed in August. The breakwater reconstruction ended in 1826. In 1857, the town hall asked the king for a sheltered harbour, stating: "It would be in Portugal a port so good, better than Vigo's. Nevertheless, the liberal regime paid no attention to the Povoan pleas. Due to the aggregation of Póvoa's harbour, in the beginning of the 20th century and the construction of an artificial port, the Port of Leixões, a significant part of the fisher population moved to the area surrounding it. Emigration to several areas, especially Brazil, Angola and other areas in Portugal, was considerable during this period. Caetano Vasques Calafate (1890 - 1963) managed the propaganda and funding needed for the construction of the "Casa dos Pescadores da Póvoa de Varzim" (The Fishermen House), siding Lapa Light, in 1926. This was the first fishermen house in Portugal. On March 11, 1937, the Corporatist Estado Novo regime established the laws for the creation of fishermen houses in all fisher areas throughout the country. After 200 years of pleas by Povoans, it was under Salazar's Estado Novo regime that the seaport works resumed.