Saint Ann's Bay is a

settlement Settlement may refer to: *Human settlement, a community where people live *Settlement (structural), the distortion or disruption of parts of a building * Closing (real estate), the final step in executing a real estate transaction *Settlement (fin ...

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

, the capital of

Saint Ann Parish Saint Ann is the largest parish in Jamaica. It is situated on the north coast of the island, in the county of Middlesex, roughly halfway between the eastern and western ends of the island. It is often called "the Garden Parish of Jamaica" on ac ...

. It had a population of 10,961 at the 1991 census. Musicians Floyd Lloyd and

Burning Spear Winston Rodney OD (born 1 March 1945), better known by the stage name Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer-songwriter, vocalist and musician. Burning Spear is a Rastafarian and one of the most influential and long-standing roots ...

, and

Marcus Garvey Marcus Mosiah Garvey Sr. (17 August 188710 June 1940) was a Jamaican political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator. He was the founder and first President-General of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African ...

were born in the town.

History

When

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

first came to Jamaica in 1494, he landed on the shores of St. Ann's Parish. He returned to Jamaica on his fourth voyage and was eventually marooned for one year at St. Ann's Bay (June 1503 – June 1504), which he called Santa Gloria. A statue of Christopher Columbus is located near the town’s main traffic intersection to commemorate the discovery of the bay. The first

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

settlement in Jamaica was also at

Sevilla la Nueva Sevilla la Nueva is a town located in the south west of the Community of Madrid, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( ...

, now called Seville, just to the west of Saint Ann's Bay. Established by Juan de Esquivel, the first Spanish Governor of Jamaica, St Ann's Bay became the third capital established by Spain in the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

. The first sugar mills were established by the Spaniards in Sevilla la Nueva before 1526. After 1655, when the English captured Jamaica, St Ann's Bay gradually developed as a

fishing port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...

with many

warehouses A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the outskirts of cities, town ...

and

wharves A wharf, quay (, also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths (mooring location ...

. The parish of St. Ann was later named after Lady Anne Hyde the first wife of

King James II of England James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

. St. Ann’s Bay was named as the capital of the Parish of St. Ann, largely because of its large harbour and port for shipping goods ranging from bananas to

bauxite Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO ...

. In later years,

Ocho Rios Ocho Rios (Spanish for "Eight Rivers") is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica, and is more widely referred to as ''Ochi'' by locals. Beginning as a sleepy fishing village, Ocho Rios has seen explosive growth in the ...

has eclipsed St. Ann’s Bay due to its rapid growth in tourism and commerce, but St. Ann’s Bay remains a popular destination for those seeking a more traditional Jamaican experience. The town features a number of well-maintained buildings in the early 20th-century Jamaican vernacular tradition. Two of the oldest buildings in town are the St. Ann Parish Church and the St. Ann’s Bay Courthouse. The St. Ann Parish Church is located at the corner of Main St. and Church St. and was constructed in 1871. The St. Ann’s Bay Courthouse is located nearby and was constructed in 1860. St. Ann’s Bay is also home to Jamaica’s first prison, and is a reflection of the town’s early importance and position of authority. The Old Jail in St Ann's Bay was originally built as a fort in 1750 and was converted to a jail in 1795.Jamaica National Heritage Trust, St Ann's Bay Fort.
One of Jamaica’s most famous citizens, Marcus Garvey, was born in St. Ann’s Bay in 1887, and a statue was erected in his honour in front of the St. Ann’s Bay Library.

Historic sites

* Christopher Columbus statue * Marcus Garvey statue

Cardiff Hall

Cardiff Hall, situated to the West of Saint Ann's Bay, was a

plantation house A plantation house is the main house of a plantation, often a substantial farmhouse, which often serves as a symbol for the plantation as a whole. Plantation houses in the Southern United States and in other areas are known as quite grand and e ...

owned by John Blagrove. The plantation was worked by 1,500 enslaved Africans. James Hakewell considered Blagrove a kind master, as he gave each slave a dollar in his will., See Wikisource

References

External links

Political GeographyJamaica Heritage Trust
{{Authority control Tourist attractions in Saint Ann Parish Tourism in Jamaica Populated places in Saint Ann Parish