|
Morrisville is one of the communities in Bay d'Espoir. It is located about 2 kilometers north of Conne River.
The original name of Morrisville was Lynch Cove. According to local legend, the area was named after a Jersey fisherman who drowned there. The community was renamed in 1910 after Newfoundland's twelfth Prime Minister, Edward Morris (from March 3, 1909 to December 31, 1917).
Years before European fishermen came to the area in search of building materials, the area was inhabited by Micmac. John Kendell, the first white settler, bought the land from the Micmac in the early 1900s in order to build a sawmill. By 1921, 60 people inhabited Morrisville. The family names of these settlers included: Bobbett, Cooper, Matchem, Mullins, Willcott, and Wells. In time, Kendell built a shipbuilding yard and a store. During the early years, the settlers supplemented their income by gardening, hunting, and trapping. At this time, Morrisville's principle link to the outside world was by coastal boat.
The start of pulpwood cutting operations by Bowater's provided additional employment. Like other communities in the area, after Bowater's left the region, the beginning of the hydro-electric project and the construction of highways help generate economic growth. By 1971, the population had increased to 223.
Today approximately 175 people live in Morrisville and the main industry continues to be Forestry, aquaculture, hydroelectricity generating station.
|
B
