Historic Places and Sites to visit on San Salvador

Pirateer Watling's Castle and his History

Watling’s Castle, as it is popularly known, was never the home of the pirate John Watling. Stay with us here! Located in the south-west of the island on the site of the Sandy Point Plantation, the current ruins include parts of the old manor house and kitchen. Watling’s Castle was constructed in the late 1700s and early 1800s by the Loyalists who left America during the 1770s after America gained independence from the Crown. The Loyalists built Sandy Point Plantation (Watling’s Castle) and others like it throughout The Bahamas, giving reference to the period known as the Plantation Era. John (George) Watling, an English buccaneer, roamed the Caribbean and South America during the 1600s and is said to have made San Salvador his headquarters. Historical maps point to the veracity of these claims as the island is identified as Watling Island on maps created between the 1600-1800s. John Watling died in 1681 long before Watling’s Castle was built.

To read more about John Watling, go to our blog HERE.

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Plantation Church Ruins

One of the first plantations in the Bahamas was located on San Salvador, at Fortune Hill, located on the east side of the island. On the ridge top you can see several ruins spread out along the ridge. Building up high gave some protection from bugs, as there would be some breeze, no matter which direction the breeze came from.

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Holy Saviour Catholic Church

Located in Cockburn Town, the church was dedicated by the Roman Catholic Church in 1992 on the 500th anniversary of the landfall of Christopher Columbus. The first Catholic service held on the island was officiated by Father Chrysostom Schreiner on January 25, 1891, after he was rescued by the island’s inhabitants from a shipwreck. Father Schreiner was the first Catholic priest permanently assigned to The Bahamas after he dedicated his life to the people of San Salvador. He lived and died in San Salvador on January 3, 1928. His remains are buried in the tomb of Mr. Burton Williams of Fortune Hill Plantation.

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The Dixon Hill Lighthouse

Dixon Hill Lighthouse was constructed between 1856 and 1887 as one of eleven, manned light stations commissioned by the British Imperial Lighthouse Service to be built throughout The Bahamas. The lighthouse is constructed of steel (on the interior) and two feet of concrete (on the exterior). It was built on a plantation owned by John Dixon. Dixon and his wife are both buried only feet from the lighthouse.

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Fortune Hill Plantation Ruins

Fortune Hill is one of three plantation sites on the island. A former cotton plantation owned by Loyalist, Mr. Burton Williams, Fortune Hill is believed to be the first and the largest on the island. The plantation was constructed from cut limestone in the Georgian architectural style popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Remnants of the great house, slave quarters, and agricultural buildings remain today. Fortune Hill is located along the east coast of San Salvador.

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St. Augustine Anglican Church

The Anglican Diocese is the oldest in the country. The Anglican Church has been present in The Bahamas since 1670. The first English settlement in the country was established in 1647 by the Eleutheran Adventurers. In 1670, the English Crown awarded The Bahamas to the Lord Proprietors of Carolina. A condition of the grant of the islands was the establishment of churches. The original structure of the Christ Church Cathedral in Nassau was built in 1670 making it the oldest church in The Bahamas. St. Augustine Parish is located in Cockburn Town.

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St. John Native Baptist Church

Located in United Estates on Joshua Storr Hill, this Baptist Church is one of the oldest on the island. United Estates is the largest settlement on the island. It was established be freed slaves who were given land by the loyalists when slavery was abolished.

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Gerace Research Center (GRC)

GRC was founded in 1971 on the site of a former US Navy Base. The base was established in 1961 as a submarine tracking station (SOSUS - Sound Surveillance System). The base was returned to the Bahamian government (then a self-governing colony of Britain). Formerly known as the Bahamas Field State, Gerace Research Center is located on the north coast of San Sal across from Graham’s Harbour.

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San Salvador Central High School

The site of the high school was a U.S. Naval base for two decades. Initially, a mobile LORAN (long range navigation) base, WALDO I, was commissioned and established on the island in 1955. Construction on a permanent station began in 1958 and was completed in 1959. The base was operated by the US Coast Guard before being decommissioned in January 1981. The Administration Office is located in the Chief Officer’s quarters. Reminders of the site’s former function can be seen throughout the campus.

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Landfall Park

Landfall Park on the west coast has been confirmed by researchers and scholars as the first landfall of Christopher Columbus in the new world on October 12, 1492. A monument at sea is said to mark the spot where his boat, the Pinta, set anchor. The iconic white cross is said to mark the spot where Columbus came ashore. The cross, the most photographed landmark on the island, was installed in 1956 by Ruth Wolper (a Columbian historian) and the people of San Salvador. There are also monuments donated by Mexico and Spain.

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US Navy Gentlemen’s Club

Now a private residence, this beachfront estate, located in Polaris Bay, is the former site of the US Navy’s Gentlemen’s Club. It is actually for sale, and you can see more info HERE.

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