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Pedro St. James Historic Museum
Behind a traditional coral stone wall rises an authentic, three-story early 19th century great house and outbuildings, with traditional "grounds" planted with pineapple, banana and other provisions. The adjacent acres are covered with luxuriant tropical plants, palm-lined walkways and a splendid manicured Great Lawn sprawling to a jaw-dropping view of the Caribbean. At the main entrance is the Visitors Centre featuring a state of the art multimedia theater where visitors experience 200 years of Cayman history in 20 minutes. Today, it is a site whose grandeur is befitting of its importance as the Birthplace of Democracy in the Cayman Islands. Formerly known as Pedro Castle, this is the oldest known existing stone structure in the Cayman Islands. The original building is believed to have been built of quarried native rock around 1780 as a great house by William Eden, a mariner, plantation owner and early settler. Pirates & Folktales Later Hubbell leased it as a bar and restaurant and rustic two-bedroom inn. Pedro Castle became a much bigger attraction as a popular watering hole. It survived hurricanes, a fire, and a variety of owners until a second fire in 1989 finally reduced the building to ruins once and for all. In November, 1991, the Government bought the 7.65 acre property from Hubbell's estate to develop as Cayman's first national landmark and heritage tourism attraction. At that time, the price of CI$852,000 (US$1,039,634) made it the most expensive official land acquisition in the history of the Cayman Islands. Commonwealth Historic Resource Management Ltd., the Canadian consulting firm responsible for Antigua's Nelson's Dockyard, was selected in 1992 to work with Cayman's Historic Sites Committee as project managers. They launched a public education campaign emphasizing the official name was no longer Pedro Castle, but Pedro St. James Historic Site and Restoration.
Early History In 1780, William Eden, a mariner and early English settler, established a cotton and mahogany plantation on Savannah's Pedro bluff with its spectacular view of the Caribbean and convenient anchorage for ships right offshore. His great house, called St. James, was built with slave labor using native quarried stone. It was a remarkable building for that period, when the population of Grand Cayman was only 400--of which 200 were slaves. It was the only house on Grand Cayman that survived the devastating hurricane of 1785. The original ruins beneath the "castle" are the oldest structure in the Cayman Islands. By 1823 the house and grounds were being used as a courthouse, jail and public pound.
Birthplace of democracy "Pedro St. James Historic Site, considered the birthplace of democracy in the Cayman Islands, will serve as our premier national landmark. This is our equivalent to Independence Hall in the United States and will serve as a model for future heritage tourism attractions here," said Minister Jefferson. The $1.5 million Visitors' Centre includes five-buildings in 19th century architectural style surrounding a landscaped courtyard. The main attraction is the 49-seat state of the art multimedia theater featuring a 20-minute video presentation on Pedro St. James and highlights of 200 years of Cayman history. Other facilities include a resource center, gift shop, and café. Interpretative displays and signs throughout the great house and grounds allow self-guided tours but guides are also available. |
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