Aerial view of the shoreline, Flats and Place

• Main Author: Branch Cultural Historical Association
• Format: Still Image
• Language: English
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Knowledge of the land/water and environment; Migration/settlement; Houses; Towns; Communities; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/ich_avalon/id/4392

The Place refers to the main cluster of houses west of the River. Since the 1970s, there has been considerable residential development in the Easter Cove (not shown). People living in the Easter Cove will say they are going over to the Place when crossing the causeway. Houses extend inland west of the River as far as the Mile Post. The first settlers had squatters rights with homesteads containing at least a house, stable, dairy and woods yard. As more people arrived and new generations were born, more land was cleared and the Place spread up and in from the Gut where the Nashs lived. Most, if not all, of those who first settled Branch in the 1800s were either from Ireland or born to Irish immigrants living in Newfoundland. Many of them lived nearby in St. Marys Bay and Placentia Bay before they moved to Branch.