Acklins
Encyclopedia
Acklins is an island and district
of the Bahamas.
It is one of a group of islands arranged along a large, shallow lagoon
called the Bight of Acklins, of which the largest are Crooked Island (76 sq mi) in the north and Acklins (120 sq mi) in the southeast, and the smaller are Long Cay [(once known as Fortune Island) 8sq mi] in the northwest, and Castle Island in the south.
The islands were settled by American Loyalists
in the late 1780s who set cotton
plantation
s employing over 1,000 slaves
. After the abolition of slavery in the British Empire
these became uneconomical, and the replacement income from sponge diving has now dwindled as well with the rest of the natural sponge industry after the advent of synthetics. The inhabitants now live by fishing and small-scale farming.
The main town in the group is Colonel Hill
on Crooked Island. Albert Town, on Long Cay
, now sparsely populated, was once a prosperous little town. It was engaged in the sponge and salt
industries and also served as a transfer port for stevedore
s seeking work on passing ships.
Acklins Island has relatively few historical landmarks, however there are sights that very noteworthy. Acklins is home to numerous Lucayan Indian sites. An ancient Lucayan Indian site, thought to be one of the largest Lucayan Indian settlements in The Bahamas, sits along Pompey Bay Beach, just south of Spring Point. Ten ancient Lucayan sites have been unearthed by National Geographic Society
Archeologists in Samana Cay
alone, which is northeast of Spring Point in Acklins.
Plana Cays
, also northeast of Spring Point, is a protected reserve for endangered great iguanas and the very rare estimated hutias
(guinea pig like rodents), the only native mammal of The Bahamas.
Another land based sight of interest is the remote Castle Island Lighthouse at the southernmost point of Acklins Island.
The population of Acklins was 428, and Crooked Island 350, at the 2000 census.
It is believed that first Post Office
in the Bahamas was at Pitt's Town on Crooked Island.
Districts of the Bahamas
Local government in the Bahamas exists in two forms, namely second-schedule and third-schedule district councils. There are a total of 32 local government districts: 13 second-schedule districts, which are further sub-divided into town areas, and 19 third-schedule districts, which are all unitary...
of the Bahamas.
It is one of a group of islands arranged along a large, shallow lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
called the Bight of Acklins, of which the largest are Crooked Island (76 sq mi) in the north and Acklins (120 sq mi) in the southeast, and the smaller are Long Cay [(once known as Fortune Island) 8sq mi] in the northwest, and Castle Island in the south.
The islands were settled by American Loyalists
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
in the late 1780s who set cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s employing over 1,000 slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. After the abolition of slavery in the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
these became uneconomical, and the replacement income from sponge diving has now dwindled as well with the rest of the natural sponge industry after the advent of synthetics. The inhabitants now live by fishing and small-scale farming.
Colonel Hill
Colonel Hill is a town in the Bahamas, located on Crooked Island....
on Crooked Island. Albert Town, on Long Cay
Long Cay
Long Cay is an island in the Bahamas in an atoll that includes Acklins Island and Crooked Island. It is 8 square miles and is in the Acklins and Crooked Islands District...
, now sparsely populated, was once a prosperous little town. It was engaged in the sponge and salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
industries and also served as a transfer port for stevedore
Stevedore
Stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock labourer, wharfie and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country....
s seeking work on passing ships.
Acklins Island has relatively few historical landmarks, however there are sights that very noteworthy. Acklins is home to numerous Lucayan Indian sites. An ancient Lucayan Indian site, thought to be one of the largest Lucayan Indian settlements in The Bahamas, sits along Pompey Bay Beach, just south of Spring Point. Ten ancient Lucayan sites have been unearthed by National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
Archeologists in Samana Cay
Samana Cay
Samana Cay is the largest now uninhabited island in the Bahamas, believed by some researchers to have been the location of Columbus's first landfall in the Americas, on October 12, 1492....
alone, which is northeast of Spring Point in Acklins.
Plana Cays
Plana Cays
The Plana Cays are a group of two small islands in the southern Bahama Islands located east of Acklins Island and west of Mayaguana Island. The islands are today uninhabited....
, also northeast of Spring Point, is a protected reserve for endangered great iguanas and the very rare estimated hutias
Bahamian Hutia
The Bahamian Hutia or Ingraham's Hutia is a species of rodent in the Capromyidae family.Geocapromys ingrahami is endemic to the Bahamas.-Habitat:...
(guinea pig like rodents), the only native mammal of The Bahamas.
Another land based sight of interest is the remote Castle Island Lighthouse at the southernmost point of Acklins Island.
The population of Acklins was 428, and Crooked Island 350, at the 2000 census.
It is believed that first Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
in the Bahamas was at Pitt's Town on Crooked Island.