Robert's Arm, Newfoundland and Labrador
Encyclopedia
Robert's Arm is a small town
located near Crescent Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador
, Canada
in Division No. 7, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is found on the northern part of Newfoundland, an island off the eastern coast of Canada. Robert's Arm boasts of its Lake Monster, Cressie
, which is claimed to be living in Crescent Lake. Recent years saw the development of a majestic hiking trail which encompasses the end of the lake nearest to the community, Hazelnut
Adventure Trail.
was sold to a factory located in South Brook. John Roberts, who was an influential member of the community, owned a large quantity of land in what is now called the subdivision
. He is believed to be the inspiration behind the name Roberts Arm. When people first came to this area, they would stay only for the winter months to trap, and return to their homes on the outlying Baie Verte, Newfoundland and Labrador
Green Bay islands in the spring.
"It was logging
, however, that was to be the economic backbone of Roberts Arm. Between 1930 and 1935 Peter Parsons from Long Island was contracted to produce pitprop for the overseas market. The wood was driven via a brook to Tommy's Arm (a shipping depot for pitprop and pulpwood
located about three miles outside of the community) and loaded on ships to be taken to its destination. William Faulkner from Point Leamington also produced pitprop, working from Tommy's Arm during the Depression
years. Both operations were small scale and short term. By 1935, 45 residents lived in the community. By 1966 there were 978. Mark Rowsell was the local merchant, but many residents traded at Pilley's Island
or Little Bay Islands. In 1937 Roberts Arm became a major centre for pulpwood. Bowater
came to town under the supervision of A. J. Hewlett who was born and raised there. Hewlett fought in the Second World War and after he returned, went to work for Bowater in Corner Brook. He was later transferred to Roberts Arm. Men from other communities working in Tommy's Arm moved to Roberts Arm with their families. The population was on the rise ... "
Excerpts from Moments in Time, (Green Bay Economic Development Association 1994).
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
located near Crescent Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in Division No. 7, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is found on the northern part of Newfoundland, an island off the eastern coast of Canada. Robert's Arm boasts of its Lake Monster, Cressie
Cressie
Cressie is a mysterious, eel-like creature which is reputed to lurk in the depths of Crescent Lake, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.-History:...
, which is claimed to be living in Crescent Lake. Recent years saw the development of a majestic hiking trail which encompasses the end of the lake nearest to the community, Hazelnut
Hazelnut
A hazelnut is the nut of the hazel and is also known as a cob nut or filbert nut according to species. A cob is roughly spherical to oval, about 15–25 mm long and 10–15 mm in diameter, with an outer fibrous husk surrounding a smooth shell. A filbert is more elongated, being about twice...
Adventure Trail.
History
"Until the early 1900's Roberts Arm was known as Rabbits Arm because of the abundance of snowshoe hare in the area. Local rabbitRabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
was sold to a factory located in South Brook. John Roberts, who was an influential member of the community, owned a large quantity of land in what is now called the subdivision
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
. He is believed to be the inspiration behind the name Roberts Arm. When people first came to this area, they would stay only for the winter months to trap, and return to their homes on the outlying Baie Verte, Newfoundland and Labrador
Baie Verte, Newfoundland and Labrador
Baie Verte is a town located on the northeast coast of the island portion of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador on the Baie Verte Peninsula.-Geography:...
Green Bay islands in the spring.
"It was logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
, however, that was to be the economic backbone of Roberts Arm. Between 1930 and 1935 Peter Parsons from Long Island was contracted to produce pitprop for the overseas market. The wood was driven via a brook to Tommy's Arm (a shipping depot for pitprop and pulpwood
Pulpwood
Pulpwood refers to timber with the principal use of making wood pulp for paper production.-Applications:* Trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 16% of world pulp production, old growth forests 9% and second- and third- and more generation forests account for the balance...
located about three miles outside of the community) and loaded on ships to be taken to its destination. William Faulkner from Point Leamington also produced pitprop, working from Tommy's Arm during the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
years. Both operations were small scale and short term. By 1935, 45 residents lived in the community. By 1966 there were 978. Mark Rowsell was the local merchant, but many residents traded at Pilley's Island
Pilley's Island
Pilley's Island is a town in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located in Division No. 8, Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:Distant from the best fishing grounds further out the Bay, no settlement was recorded at Pilley's Island until the opening of the pyrite mine in 1887. The island is known to...
or Little Bay Islands. In 1937 Roberts Arm became a major centre for pulpwood. Bowater
Bowater
Bowater was an American pulp and paper company based in Greenville, South Carolina. Bowater had 12 pulp and paper mills in the United States, Canada and South Korea and 13 North American sawmills. It had approximately 10,000 employees...
came to town under the supervision of A. J. Hewlett who was born and raised there. Hewlett fought in the Second World War and after he returned, went to work for Bowater in Corner Brook. He was later transferred to Roberts Arm. Men from other communities working in Tommy's Arm moved to Roberts Arm with their families. The population was on the rise ... "
Excerpts from Moments in Time, (Green Bay Economic Development Association 1994).