From left, a plaque on the original front section of King's House, Spanish Town, the Governor's official residence until 1872. The rest of the building was destroyed by fire in 1925. It was on the steps of this building that Governor of Jamaica Sir Lionel Smith read the proclamation abolishing slavery in Jamaica and other British territories. At right,
A view of the old cast iron bridge in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, which was erected in 1801. -Andrew Smith photos
Robert Lalah, Staff Reporter
GANG WARFARE, suspected political malfeasance and general crime and violence have all tainted the name of Spanish Town, once Ja-maica's capital city. In recent times, images of decadence and disorder have become synonymous with the very mention of the town, so much so, that the Old Capital has been plunged into virtual anarchy.
The fact is, however, that despite all the chaos amid all the crime and violence there lies in Spanish Town some of the country's and indeed the region's most precious historical treasures.
Emancipation Square is considered one of the finest remaining Georgian squares in the world. As the centre of the administrative capital of Jamaica from 1534 to 1872, the square had extraordinary and varied historical significance for almost 500 years.
King's House, the Governor's official residence until 1872, was built in 1762 and today the front of the original building still remains. A fire destroyed the rest in 1925. King's House has a special place in Jamaica's history because it was from the steps of this building that the Proclamation of Emancipation was read on August 1, 1938, shortly after Queen Victoria had ascended to the throne of Great Britain. The building now houses the Archaeological Museum with artifacts excavated at the site as well as exhibits tracing the history of the area between 1534 and 1872.
The old cast iron bridge, which spans the Rio Cobre at the eastern end of Spanish Town, was erected in 1801, at a cost of £4,000. It is the oldest bridge of its kind in the western hemisphere.
ONE OF THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL PLACES
'Bunny D', the security guard at the local Parish Council office, says Emancipation Square is one of the most beautiful places he has ever seen. He said that working in the area for over 30 years has allowed him to interact with hundreds of tourists who travel from all over the world to visit the site.
Sharon Munroe, a past student and now teacher at the St. Jago High School, recalled her days as a student and the pleasure she and her friends had visiting the square.
"In those days we would all go to the park in the centre of the square to unwind. It was really beautiful. The fantastic buildings, the water fountain and the lovely trees all created a wonderful atmosphere," she said.
Mrs. Munroe added that it is essential that Jamaicans do not let the violence that erupted in parts of the community recently undermine the natural beauty and historical significance of the town. "There is so much of our heritage embedded in that town that nothing should be allowed to over- shadow it." she said.
POTENTIAL TO EARN MILLIONS
Maurice Green, president of the Jamaica Junior Chamber of Commerce, said more emphasis should be placed on the positive elements of Spanish Town. "If we continue to focus solely on the negative things taking place in Spanish Town then we will only be making the problem worse. You will soon find investors shying away from the town thinking that only gunmen and other criminals live there," he said. Mr. Green added that the square has the potential to earn millions of dollars annually. "If we close the area and charge a fee to visitors, the benefits to the town could be great. We just need to manage the area properly," he said.
And Gordon Williamson, who operates a business in the area, said the town should essentially be just as a significant commercial enterprise as the north coast, because of the fact that the area has the potential to attract hundreds of visitors each year.
"In the same way that businesses are able to make money in say, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios because of the number of people those towns attract, we should be able to use what we have in Spanish Town and do the same or even better," he said.
"It's a beautiful place with so much to offer, we just need to realise it, and stop focusing on the negative."
