Montego Bay

Montego Bay , On 9th May 1494, Christopher Columbus arrived in Montego Bay during his second exploratory voyage to the New World and named it “Golfo de Buen Tiempo” (Fair Weather Gulf). Following the Spanish colonization of the island in 1509, towns and roads were constructed, and sugar plantations and cattle farms established on the most fertile lands across the island. It is most likely that this area was renamed “Bahia de Manteca” (Lard Bay) due to the large quantities of hog’s fat (“manteca”) that was exported by the Spanish colonisers during that period to their settlements in neighbouring countries. , By the time the Spanish influence in Jamaica officially came to an end through the English conquest in 1655, Montego Bay was given its current name. With generous promises of land by the English crown, settlers were attracted to the area. Over time, Montego Bay’s population, agriculture and commerce increased significantly. From the mid-17th century into the 20th century, the town served as a major port for the export of sugar. , In December 1831, Jamaica’s last significant slave uprising took place in several districts surrounding Montego Bay before spreading to other parts of the island. Spearheaded by Samuel Sharpe, an enslaved Baptist deacon, this is widely accepted as instrumental in precipitating the abolition of slavery. In 1975, Sharpe was declared a national hero and Montego Bay’s main square was renamed in his honour. , Due to extensive developments in trade, industry and tourism, Montego Bay was granted city status on 9th October 1980. Today, it is the second largest city in Jamaica and widely heralded as the tourism capital of the country. ,