Preserving the Built Cultural Heritage of Falmouth Jamaica

Preserving the Built Cultural Heritage of Falmouth, Jamaica – a case study in heritage tourism development James Parrent, Ph. D. 1

Falmouth 2

Map of Historic District 3

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. 4

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 5

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. 6

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. 7

Historic Falmouth from a 1844 photograph by Adolphe Duperly 8

Cornwall Street from a 1844 photograph by Adolphe Duperly 9

Persian Waterwheel, ca. 1798, – Provided Fresh Water to Falmouth Through a Pipe to Water Square 10

Water Square from a 1844 photograph by Adolphe Duperly 11

Water Square Today 12

Market Street from a 1844 photograph by Adolphe Duperly 13

Market Street Today 14

Court House (built in 1816) 15

Police Station Administration Building (1814) 16

Trelawny Parish Church of St. Peter the Apostle (built in 1796) 17

Preservation Work Accomplished • The next series of slides show before and after photos of houses restored in Falmouth through an EFJ Grant. 18

7 Lower Harbour Street 19

7 Queen Street 20

36 A Cornwall Street 21

15 Cornwall Street 22

16 Cornwall Street 23

25 Newton Street 24

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. 25

Port Sea House (built c. 1800’s) 26

Duke Street 27

4 Lower Harbour St. (Before Restoration) 28

4 Lower Harbour St. (After Restoration) 29

King Street (Before Restoration) 30

King Street (After Restoration) 31

Cornwall Street (Before Restoration) 32

Cornwall Street (After Restoration) 33

Vocational Training Centre Students and Instructors Assisting Project 34

VTC Trainees 2002 35

Trainee Learning Rough Mortar Casting 36

Trainee Learning to Make Mortise & Tenon Joints 37

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. 38

Price & Students in Class 39

Price Teaching Re-pointing Techniques 40

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. 41

Kiln at Good Hope Estate 42

Packing Stones in Kiln (view from top) 43

Stoking Kiln Fire 44

Removing Stones After Burn 45

Building a Traditional Kiln 46

Placing Lime Stone on Kiln 47

Traditional Kiln Burn 48

Traditional Kiln – Burn Finished 49

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 50

Baptist Manse (Before Restoration) 51

Baptist Manse (After Restoration) 52

D. Carpentier & B. Mc. Millen Teaching Molding Construction 53

D. Carpentier & D. Vickers Teaching Jointing Techniques 54

Rebuilding Manse Staircase 55

Working on Staircase 56

Manse Staircase Before 57

Manse Staircase After Restoration 58

In March 2003 Prof. Nelson, University of Virginia & Ed Chappell, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and students documented a two storey building at 20 Duke Street. 59

Post Office Before Restoration (work funded by Friends of Georgian Society-London) 60

Falmouth Post Office (windows and north façade repaired) 61

Planting Royal Palm Tree – two hundred planted to date 62

Royal Palm After 8 Months Growth 63

Picket Fence on Rodney Street – Maintained by Ms Duncan 64

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 65

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 Revitalization Plan • Restoration of Buildings Continuing 66

Thank You! 67

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 Projects Ohrstrom 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 68

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 69

American Express Preservation Award Caribbean 1996 70

Organization Of American States • Pre-feasibility Study $125, 000 • Craft Training Course $55, 000 71

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 72

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 73

Institutional Support • Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia • Savanna College of Art & Design, Georgia • Eastfield Village, New York 74