Pollard's Point: In the late 1890s or early 1900s, a gold miner who went by the name of Pollard (first name unknown) moved from Tilt Cove to a point of land on White's Bay to work in the local mine; unfortunately the mine closed in 1904 so Pollard and another minor moved across the bay and settled near Seal Bay, fast-forward, new families moved to the "point" and the local folk started to call the community "Droverville" after the local MHA [Member of the House of Assembly] Sam Drover.

Eventually the residents requested Postal Service for a name change, but they were told that it would be against policy to name the town after a "living individual".

Not wanting Sam to die, but also not knowing how long he would live (he died in June 2005), they chose to call the community after the original miner, Pollard.

The population has steadily grown and in 2016 the population was recorded to be 306, and incredible 21.4% over 2011. As one heads east of Partridge Point, around the tip of Baie Verte Peninsula one comes to two smaller bays, Baie Verte and Confusion Bay.

Devils Dressing Table (Avalon); Devils Stairway (Avalon). The 'devil' or 'le diable' occurs in numerous place names in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Devils Dancing Table is a hill on the western shore of North Bay, BAY D'ESPOIR; Devils Dining Table is a precipitous basaltic cliff on Henley Island, in CHATEAU BAY; and Devils Dressing Table is a marsh on the AVALON PENINSULA.

The first two have a physical resemblance to a gigantic table; the third is waiting to lure the unwary into its boggy depths.

The Devils Stairway is a rock formation at CAPE BROYLE, where Satan reputedly left his footprints in the face of the cliff. In 1909 the Reverend Patrick w. Browne (1864-1937) climbed the Devils Dining table and reported:

'As the afternoon waned, the atmosphere became hazy whether his Satanic Majesty was concerned in the transformation we do not say; but as the sun went down in a blaze of glory, the mountains and rocks seemed to dwarf, an indescribable tint o'erspread the landscape, and a brownish mist came in from the sea and settled over the hills giving them a sinister appearance'.

MAIN RIVER WATERWAY PROVINCIAL PARK:

The Main River is at the eastern base of the Great Northern Peninsula, between the peninsula and the Baie Verte Peninsula.

From its headwaters, 675 m (2,145.7 ft) above sea level, one can see the barrens and tundra of the Long Range Mountains behind Gros Morne National Park.

The river heads away from these through old- growth forests, flowing 57 km (35.4 mi) in a southeastern direction to the salt waters of White Bay, emerging near the community of Sop's Arm, north of Pollard's Point.

The Main River Waterway Provincial Park consists of 152-km2 (58.7 mi2) and is surrounding by Special Management Area of 49 km2 (18.9 mi) within the river's 1,048-km2 (404.6 mi2) watershed area.

The Main River is renowned as a wilderness adventure waterway for experienced canoeists.

Highly suitable for white-water canoeing, kayaking, and rafting - not to mention angling and bird- and wildlife watching - it has its headwaters in the Long Range Mountains, passes through the tranquility of the "Big Steady", an area known for its boreal forest and lush island meadows, and runs its last 23 km in a white-water dash to the sea.

Three archaeological sites have been identified along the river. Evidence of early Inuit habitation dates to about 2,100 years ago.

Along the north side of the river, just west of Sop's Arm, remains of nomadic Beothuk culture have been found. In more recent centuries, the French and the English had fishing enterprises in the area.

Given its history it was nominated as a Canadian Heritage River in 1991.

Being a "main" river in the Province running a distance of 57 km (35.4 mi) it is not surprised that at some point the moniker "main" was given to the river but who named it such, is unknown or when.

Used with permission from "Uncovering the Origin of 1001 Unique Place Names in Newfoundland and Labrador" 2021 Jennifer Leigh Hill

Address of this page: http://nl.ruralroutes.com/PollardsPoint