The first navigators dropped anchor in the deep waters of the Bay of Ribeiras around 1460, taking advantage of the numerous ravines that descended from the mountains of the north.

These early settlers were primarily fisherman, constructing boats and working during the day, and populating some areas near access to potable water.

One of the first settlements, Santa Cruz was an homage of faith to those fishers that returned successfully every year, after living off the sea, on long voyages, hunting whale, fishing for tuna and other species.

Other settlers cultivated the patchwork of parcels, growing corn, constructing mills in many of the ravines, and raising cattle to support, initially, a subsistence lifestyle.

These lands are primarily peat-bogs and populated by scrub vegetation, as well as lake-filled depressions or cones, such as Lagoa do Paul (in the northeastern corner of the parish).