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Preserving the Built Cultural

Heritage of Falmouth, Jamaica

– a case study in heritage tourism

developmentJames Parrent, Ph.D.

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Falmouth

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Map of Historic District

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Project Description• The purpose of the project is to preserve

small and large historic buildings within the Historic District of Falmouth, Jamaica, which was declared a National Monument in 1996.

• The project’s objectives include saving these important structures, providing improved housing for occupants, increasing community pride and awareness of the importance of these buildings, training local youth in preservation techniques and enhancing the future economic development of the town as a destination for tourist.

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Project Benefits

• Improved Housing for the Needy in a Practical Way

• Training of Youth in Marketable Skills• Attracts Matching Funds• Mobilizes Community• Preservation of National Patrimony • Improvements in Physical Environment• Supports Infrastructure Development in

Relationship to the Waterfront Revitalization Project to be Conducted by UDC

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Project Management• Falmouth Heritage Renewal, Inc.

– A not for profit group founded in the U.S. to support the restoration of Historic Falmouth.

• Falmouth Restoration Company– A not for profit organization founded in

1990 to lead efforts to preserve and develop Falmouth’s Historic District.

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Historic Falmouth• Falmouth was originally laid out in the

1770’s by Edward Barrett – the Great Grandfather of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

• Falmouth became the Capital of Trelawny Parish in 1790.

• Falmouth has the largest collection of intact Georgian period buildings in the Caribbean.

• Falmouth had running water to homes before New York City.

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Historic Falmouth from a 1844 photograph by

Adolphe Duperly

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Cornwall Street from a 1844 photograph by

Adolphe Duperly

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Persian Waterwheel, ca. 1798, – Provided Fresh Water to

Falmouth Through a Pipe to Water Square

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Water Square from a 1844 photograph by

Adolphe Duperly

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Water Square Today

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Market Street from a 1844 photograph by

Adolphe Duperly

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Market Street Today

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Court House (built in 1816)

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Police Station Administration Building (1814)

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Trelawny Parish Church of St. Peter the Apostle (built in

1796)

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Preservation Work Accomplished

• The next series of slides show before and after photos of houses restored in Falmouth through an EFJ Grant.

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7 Lower Harbour Street

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7 Queen Street

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36A Cornwall Street

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15 Cornwall Street

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16 Cornwall Street

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25 Newton Street

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Houses Restored by Owners

• Several houses have been restored by owners. Some as homes and others as businesses. A few are shown in the following slides.

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Port Sea House (built c. 1800’s)

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Duke Street

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4 Lower Harbour St. (Before Restoration)

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4 Lower Harbour St. (After Restoration)

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King Street (Before Restoration)

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King Street (After Restoration)

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Cornwall Street (Before Restoration)

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Cornwall Street (After Restoration)

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Vocational Training Centre Students and Instructors

Assisting Project

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VTC Trainees 2002

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Trainee Learning Rough Mortar Casting

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Trainee Learning to Make Mortise & Tenon

Joints

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Lime Putty Training Course

• In 1999, Jimmy Price, a renowned historic preservation expert, conducted a week long workshop in Falmouth teaching techniques of making and using lime putty to repoint historic stone walls. Students were taught how to make and use lime putty.

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Price & Students in Class

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Price Teaching Re-pointing Techniques

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Making Lime Putty• Students were taught how to fire the

kiln at Good Hope, burn the lime stones and slack the stones to produce lime putty.

• Mr. A. Brown of Trelawny taught all how to make and fire a traditional lime kiln.

• The following slides show both processes.

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Kiln at Good Hope Estate

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Packing Stones in Kiln (view from top)

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Stoking Kiln Fire

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Removing Stones After Burn

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Building a Traditional Kiln

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Placing Lime Stone on Kiln

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Traditional Kiln Burn

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Traditional Kiln – Burn Finished

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Restoration Of Baptist Manse

• Originally Built as Masonic Temple 1798 and later sold to the Baptist Church

• William Knibb Trust Established by Tony Hart for Restoration of the Building

• Restoration near completion• Upper Floor Will House an Art Gallery• First Floor Will be Used for Community

Service Activities

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Baptist Manse (Before Restoration)

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Baptist Manse (After Restoration)

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D. Carpentier & B. McMillen

Teaching Molding Construction

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D. Carpentier & D. Vickers Teaching

Jointing Techniques

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Rebuilding Manse Staircase

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Working on Staircase

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Manse Staircase Before

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Manse Staircase After Restoration

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In March 2003 Prof. Nelson, University of Virginia & Ed

Chappell, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and students

documented a two storey building at 20 Duke Street.

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Post Office Before Restoration (work funded by Friends of Georgian Society-London)

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Falmouth Post Office (windows and north façade repaired)

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Planting Royal Palm Tree – two hundred planted to

date

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Royal Palm After 8 Months Growth

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Picket Fence on Rodney Street – Maintained

by Ms Duncan

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Accomplishments to Date

• 34 Young Persons Trained• Baptist Manse Restored• Commence Restoration of Post

Office• Stabilized Walls of Barrett House• Commenced Plants 400 Royal

Palms in Historic Falmouth District• 14 Homes Restored

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Current Status• Declared a National Monument in

1996• Listed as one of 100 Most Endangered

Sites by World Monument Fund in 2002.

• UDC has Promised to Commence Working on a Waterfront Re-vitalization Plan

• Restoration of Buildings Continuing

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Thank You!

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Awards & Grants• American Express

• 1996 Award Winner, $10,000

• Environmental Foundation of Jamaica• 1998 $55,000 Grant to Restore 14 Houses

• Other Grants for Restoration ProjectsOhrstrom Foundation & American Friends of

Jamaica• 1999 $20,000 Support Grant• 1999 Funded Traditional Lime-putty Work Shop• 2001 $89,000 Matching Support Grant• 2001 Funded Survey Of Buildings In Falmouth• 2002 $85,000 Support Grant • 2002 Funded Baptist Manse Staircase Restoration

Workshop• 2003 $85,000 Support Grant

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Awards & Grants Continued

• Friends of the Georgian Society of Jamaica - London

• 2002 ₤5,000 grant for Falmouth Post Office Restoration Project

• 2003 ₤3,040 grant for Falmouth Post Office Restoration Project

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American Express Preservation Award

Caribbean 1996

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Organization Of American States

• Pre-feasibility Study $125,000• Craft Training Course $55,000

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Participating Government Agencies

• Environmental Foundation of Jamaica• VTC Heart Trust Falmouth• Social Development Commission• Jamaica National Heritage Trust• Urban Development Corporation• TPDCO• Town Planning Department

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Participating Groups & Companies

• Falmouth Restoration Company• Falmouth Heritage Renewal Inc.• Jamaica Heritage Trail Ltd.• American Friends of Jamaica• Ohrstrom Foundation• Caribbean Cement Company• Sherwin Williams Paint Company• Georgian Society• William Knibb Trust• Friends of the Georgian Society - London

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Institutional Support• Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia• Savanna College of Art & Design,

Georgia• Eastfield Village, New York