On or about the year 1690, William H. Beemer settled here on 1,000 acres of land and built the first mill. James Haggerty purchased this land in 1793 and built additional successful mills, lending the area the name "Brantown" because of the many mills located here. Schoolmaster Samuel Bishop named it "Branchville" in 1821. The post office opened in 1824. William H. (Billy) Bell established a railroad line in 1869. In 1882, a devastating fire ravaged most of the Village of Branchville. Charles Crisman erected a dam and powerhouse along the Culver Brook to generate power in 1892.