Port Maria
Parish Capital
Port Maria, 1825, engraving by James Hakewill
Port Maria, 1825, engraving by James Hakewill
Port Maria is located in Jamaica
Port Maria
Port Maria
Coordinates: 18°22′13″N 76°53′25″W / 18.3702474°N 76.8903065°W / 18.3702474; -76.8903065
CountryJamaica
ParishSaint Mary

Port Maria is the capital town of the Jamaican parish of Saint Mary.

Originally named "Puerto Santa Maria", it was the second town established by Spanish settlers in Jamaica.[1] The ruins of Fort Haldane, built 1759, overlook the town.

Port Maria Harbor & Cabarita Is.

It has a population of approximately 7,500 people. [2] include St Mary's Parish Church, built in 1861, and the St Mary courthouse, a Georgian structure built in 1820 which now houses the Port Maria civic centre. Jamaica's first Prime minister Alexander Bustamante was put on trial for manslaughter with Frank Pixley at the courthouse in 1947. They were acquitted.[3]

Port Maria is the birthplace of Sports Illustrated model Georgianna Robertson.[4]

As of March 2012, the Mayor is Levan Ainsworth Freeman.[5]

Claude Stuart Park historic marker sign

The Jamaica Heritage trail has Fort Haldane, The St. Mary Courthouse and Claude Stuart Park with marked signage.

Notable buildings

Port Maria Civic Centre, once the St.Mary Parish Courthouse (Historic Bldg)
St. Mary Parish Church

*St Mary courthouse, a Georgian structure built in 1820. Jamaica's first Prime minister Alexander Bustamante was tried in 1947 for manslaughter with Frank Pixley at the courthouse. They were acquitted.[3] After a fire gutted the building in 1988, it was rebuilt maintaining the original style and reopened as the Port Maria Civic Centre in 2000.[6]

  • St Mary's Parish Church, built in 1861

Economy

Port Maria exports Bananas, it is also a local economic centre for sorrounding localities, serving as a market for them. The sorrounding area produces logwood, cocunuts, cofee, oranegs and pimento.[2]

See also

Armory Bldg at Fort Haldane

*Otram River

References

  1. ↑ Jamaica Travel and Culture http://www.jamaicatravelandculture.com/destinations/st_mary/port-maria.htm
  2. 1 2 "Port Maria | Jamaica, Caribbean, Beach Town | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 Moore, Orantes (24 May 2014). "Port Maria's real history". jamaica-gleaner.com. The Gleaner. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  4. ↑ Georgianna Robertson
  5. ↑ Helps, HG; Edwards, Alesia (29 March 2012). "Levan Freeman to be Port Maria's next mayor". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  6. ↑ "Port Maria Court House". www.jnht.com. Jamaica National Heritage Trust. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
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