Large Bahama

Grand Bahama is one of the islands more in north of the the Bahamas to approximately 90 km of the coast of Florida.

Grand Bahama is the fourth island of the the Bahamas by its size. The island is approximately 160 km long for a maximum width of 28 km.

History

Time pre-Colombian

The first proven inhabitants of the island were the Indians Siboney with the Stone Age, of which there are few traces except for some artefacts like cut shells or jewels. These primitive people undoubtedly disappeared, replaced by the Indians Taino - Arawaks who colonized the Antilles since the South America with their dugouts.

It is thought that the communities Arawaks de Grand Bahama, which named Lucaya S, had developed a social system and well organized policy.

At the time of the arrival of the first Spaniards in 1492, the number of inhabitants of Large bahama is estimated at approximately 4000 individuals. This arrival and the annexation of the island by the Spaniards shortly after undoubtedly caused the disappearance of Lucayas de Grand Bahama, consequence of the diseases, the combat or the deportation as slaves (those were sent in the gold mines of Cuba and Hispaniola, or were employed in perliculture with Trinité). This fast disappearance explains why one has if little knowledge on their subject. However, in certain sites, like the National Lucayan Park and Dead Man' S Reef , one discovered many manufactured objects, like bones of cut animals, carved potteries, shells and funerary evidence of elaborate rites.

Colonial time

The Spaniards called the island Gran Bajamar (large not very deep sea) and it is undoubtedly of this name that the islands the Bahamas hold their name.

To become of Large Bahama during almost two centuries was mainly influenced by this not very deep sea which returned the coral reefs surrounding the dangeureux island for navigation, and pushed back the Spaniards (which left the island to the variation of the routes of supply of their boats) while attracting the Pirate S, which deluded the boats to fail them on the coral reefs, then to plunder them.

The Spaniards thus forsook the island after the control of the Lucayas Indians, and the island was annexed by the Great Britain in 1670. Piracy continued to prevail for during the half-century which followed then the British came to end. Grand Bahama was to remain relatively quiet until half of the 19th century, with only from 200 to 400 inhabitants permanent in the town of West End.

In 1834, the towns of Pinder' S not, Russell Town and Williams Town were rested by former slaves of the Bahamas following the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. The island knew an economic advancement only at the time of the American Civil War thanks to smuggling with the States confederated of America (especially weapons, sugar and cotton). The second rise will take place with smuggling, during prohibition with the the United States.

Time comptemporaine

Towards half of the 20th century, the population of Large Bahama is approximately 500 people and the island remains one of the least developed archipelago of the the Bahamas.

However the island gained finally a stable source of revenue when, in 1955, an American businessman of the name of Wallace Groves concluded an agreement with the government bahaméen to build the town of Freeport under the terms of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement and to manage of it the port with the Grand Bahama Port Authority .

A little later Edouard Saint George and Jack Hayward developed tourism in Freeport, which accelerated the urban development. They equipped the town of an airport then built tourist complex of Lucaya in 1962.

Cities

The principal agglomerations of the island are Freeport, High Rock, Eight Mile Rock'n'roll, Hawksbill Creek, Pinder' S Point, Lewis Yard, Hunter' S, Pelican Not, McClean Town and Sweetings Cay.

District

The island of Large Bahama is divided into 3 districts:

External bonds

Tourist office of the Bahamas - Large Bahama
Government bahaméen - Large Bahama

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