The beach at Murray’s Bay was the initial landing place on the Island. During the Dutch colonial period, settlement on the Island was adjacent to this beach in the central portion and northwards. An early recorded human settlement on the Island was a shed built by 4 to 5 men sent to the Island in March 1654 to look after the sheep and maintain a vegetable garden. Residential development during the British colonial period and after was almost exclusively to the southeast. This is where the village stands today. By 1672, the Island had buildings to accommodate slaves and soldiers, gardens, a lime-burner and a flag flying from the signal hill which is now called Minto’s Hill.
