On July 17, 1731, Jean Pierre Roma and his colleagues of the Company of the East were granted the Three Rivers area from the King of France. The Three Rivers included the lands drained by the three rivers now known as the Brudenell, Montague and the Cardigan.

In 1732 the settlement was established when Roma along with two hundred settlers from France came to settle on what is now known as Brudenell Point. These settlers were quickly introduced to the harsh and often cruel wilderness of P.E.I.. Roma and his settlers are known to have built at least nine large structures including outbuildings, barns and two wharves.

He saw Three Rivers as a trade center for New France, in fishing, shipbuilding and trade. By 1737, Roma's colleagues in the Company of the East were not satisfied with the Three Rivers development. The settlement had run into a series of bad luck with mice invasions, crop failures and forest fires. After the fall of Louisbourg in 1745, Roma's establishment was destroyed by an enemy vessel from the New England states. Roma would leave his settlement after this devastating invasion.

The British took over P.E.I. and ordered Samuel Holland to survey the Island and divide it into lots. Holland divided the Island into 61 lots and designated a capital for each county. Georgetown would become the capital of Kings County, an obvious choice for Holland since he praised the town for its good harbor and great access to communication and transportation with Charlottetown.

Roma's grant for the Three Rivers was still in effect after he left, delaying any other potential ownershipof the land by the French or the British for numerous years. In April of 1823, Hugh and Angus MacDonald leased 200 acres on Lot 53 at Brudenell Point.

At least eight ships are known to have been built by Hugh, Angus and Andrew MacDonald during this time. The MacDonald brothers built a store on site and upgraded the wharf to accommodate their participation in the growing shipbuilding industry. Remnants of some of these buildings were found during archaeological excavations in 1968 and 1969.

In 1877 the land became crown land and was developed minimally for agricultural purposes. It was the home of the Roma Boy Scout Camp during the 1930's and a popular site for leisure and recreational activities for both tourists and locals for many decades.

In 1936, the land was declared a national historic site and a monument was erected to honor Roma and the settlers of Trois Rivières. The 10' x 10' area that holds the monument is owned by the federal government and the surrounding land is owned by the government of P.E.I.

This land on Brudenell Point has never been fully developed either for its historical significance or its recreational potential. The Three Rivers Heritage Association is trying to change this by raising the awareness of not only the Roma settlement but the entire Three Rivers area. They are searching for the means to develop this area so all can enjoy it in days to come.

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