DISCOVER CHARLESTOWN

Charlestown, the capital of Nevis, is a very special place famed for its charm and the easy-going genuineness of its people. Take a walk up and down the delightful streets of Charlestown and you’ll see one of the best remaining examples of the colonial era in the Caribbean.

SIGHTS

Museum of Nevis History  This two-story Georgian-style building was the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton in 1757. Hamilton lived on the island until the age of nine.  Later in his life he helped draft the U.S. Constitution and was the first secretary of the Treasury. He was an outspoken advocate of the emancipation of slavery.The building today, known as Hamilton House, houses one of the island’s two museums on the first floor. The second floor is the meeting room for the Nevis House of Assembly. The lovely stone building was built around 1680, but was destroyed in an earthquake in 1840, and was restored in 1983. Its historic value coupled with its beautiful setting on Charlestown harbour make it an island treasure and a delightful place to spend an afternoon.

SOUNDS

Cricket  Come watch both men and woman play cricket Thursday nights in the season in Grove Park in Charlestown. In true British tradition, cricket is the leading sport both played and watched on Nevis. Matches are played between January and mid-July, both locally and regionally.

Or you may choose less of a rumpus…

Visit any place outdoors in Charlestown and listen to the birds sing and, in many places,…lay way back to enjoy the sounds of ‘peace and quiet.’

SURREAL EXPERIENCES

The Heritage Trail  Start in Charlestown on the first stop of this trail that offer the more enterprising and enthusiastic trailblazer very unique experiences.  Bloggers have posted many photos on their sites and shared so many of their vast experiences while walking, driving, and horseback riding along parts of the Trail.  Here’s an excerpt from Heritage Trail, by Suzanne Gordon–one ‘blazing’ account of what one may expect:

Visiting the historic sites of Nevis is no longer a mystery. Just hit the trail—The Nevis Heritage Trail, that is.  As you travel around the main road, and up and down side roadways, notice the color green and blue trail marker signs, punctuated by the well-known green vervet monkey…

By following the trail, it is possible to understand the history of Nevis and its many aspects from the English settlers to the enslaved West Africans who were brought to Nevis. The trip around the island will tell the story of the slave trade, the religious development, and the  military activity that was related to the protection of the sugar that was being exported from the island…

In Charlestown, beginning at the port, there is a map of the town displayed near the ferry ticket booths…Many religious sites are on the trail, including three in Charlestown: the Charlestown Methodist Church , St. Paul’s Anglican Church and School, and the Jewish Cemetery most of which can be seen on foot…

Green, vervet monkeys, a slave market where up to 7,000 enslaved people were traded for 15 years on the island, and a viewing of the very last functioning sugar mill, not to mention a most notable Baobab Tree, the largest on the island, showcase the richness of what will be found along the trail, with no shortage of “surprises.”.

SIMPLY SATISFYING

Gallows Bay  Located in Charlestown, Gallows Bay is wide, sandy and scenic. Come here to sun-worship. You may also be offered fresh catches from fishermen as its very popular with the local baiters.

The Written History of Nevis…

The written history of Nevis begins with the account recorded by Columbus when he sailed by Nevis in 1493. The name Nevis is derived from “Nuestra Senora de Las Nieves” (“Our Lady of the Snows)” because of the cloud capped mountains.

Prior to the Columbus saga, Nevis was named Dulcina (“Sweet Island”) by the Arawaks and later Oualie “land of beautiful waters” by the Caribs. In the 18th century, Nevis became known as “Queen of the Caribbees.”

Over the years Nevis has made a number of significant contributions to the Caribbean and the World. Two men who played part in international history were Alexander Hamilton and Lord Horatio Nelson. Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of America and its first Secretary of the Treasury was born in Nevis on January 11, 1757.  Nelson, Britain’s most famous admiral, used Nevis as a base of operations in the mid-1780’s and married a Nevisian, Frances Nisbet in 1787.

Nevis continued to be part of the British colonial holdings until 1967 when it achieved Associated Statehood with St. Kitts. On September 19, 1983, Nevis became part of an independent nation and formed part of the sovereign democratic state of St. Christopher and Nevis. It has the unique constitutional arrangement of being part of the Federal Parliament while having a separate parliament and its own Nevis Island Administration headed by a Premier.

Visit Nevis!…Scroll below to help inform you on…

GETTING TO NEVIS