Lucea
Encyclopedia
Lucea is a coastal town in Jamaica
and the capital of the parish
of Hanover
.
From the middle of the 18th century, the people of Lucea provided the rest of Jamaica with most of its produce but mainly exported bananas until the 1960s.
Lucea is the home of the Lucea yam
, which was exported to feed Jamaicans working abroad.
Fort Charlotte in Lucea was built in 1761. Alongside the fort is an impressive Georgian brick structure known as The Barracks, which was built in 1843 to provide shelter to the soldiers stationed there. In the early 20th century it became the educational center for the town and has now been transformed to become part of the Rusea High School complex. In 1982 Rusea High School was merged with the Hanover Secondary School and is still known as the Rusea High School (Fort Charlotte).
The still fully functional Lucea clock tower was built in 1817 and stands in the town center near the Old Lucea courthouse.
Other notable tourist attractions are Lucea’s many historical sites that date back as far as the 18th century. Lucea Parish Church (the Parish Church of Hanover) is one of the oldest churches in Jamaica. Although no record of when it was first built exists the first baptism record dates back to 1725, the first burial was in 1727, and the first marriage in 1749. It is said that there is a tunnel that leads from the church to nearby Fort Charlotte, which was a safe haven in time of war. The Hanover Museum sits on the site of a prison dating back to 1776, and houses many historical artifacts significant to Hanover’s history.
make up approximately 92% of population, the others being approximately 1% white
, 4% Asian
, 2% Latino
, and all others 2%.
, cocoa, coffee
, banana
s, and rum
are important exports of Jamaica. In Lucea, there is a need for domestic cultivators and rural farmers to feed the island’s people and visitors. Fruits, vegetables, and flowers are also grown for local consumption. One of the staples of Lucea is the breadfruit
.
A Rural Agricultural Development Authority farming project along with resident farmers have been "supplying the hotel sector on a consistent basis" and "bring vegetables to the tables of its sophisticated guests", according to The Jamaican Observer
. This linkage between the tourism demands and the up and coming agricultural communities provides an economic opportunity for Lucea. Therefore, the local farmers mostly produce vegetables, roots and tubers (sweet potato
es and yams), some fruits and flowers (hibiscus
and Bauhinia or Poor Man’s Orchid). As a result, this leaves the larger crop of sugar, cocoa and coffee to the industrial plantations of Jamaica. These major agricultural industries can bring in revenues in the millions meanwhile, leaving the smaller cultivators to provide exotic vegetables for the resort chain restaurants and tourism industries.
Lucea lies between two of Jamaica's most prominent resort cities, Negril
and Montego Bay
, but has yet to capitalize on the thousands of tourists that pass through. Jamaica Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has said he will announce plans for designating Lucea as a resort destination. Bartlett said:
Since that statement Grand Palladium, part of a Spanish hotel firm, has erected a new 1600 unit luxury double resort called the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort and Spa / Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton. And other smaller businesses such as Pedro's Point Villa run by Bavarian Princess Kirsten Krause have opened in the area as well. The "real" Jamaica is available at a modest price to world travelers.
Point Travel Guide- Complete Guide to Negril Jamaica, Lucea Hanover and Montego Bay including Hotels and Vacation Rentals, Real Estate, Tours and Activities, Shopping and Dining Guides, and More! www.Pointlucea.com
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and the capital of the parish
Parishes of Jamaica
Administratively, Jamaica is divided into fourteen parishes. They are grouped into three historic counties, which have no administrative relevance :...
of Hanover
Hanover Parish, Jamaica
Hanover , is a parish located on the northwestern tip of the island of Jamaica. It is a part of the county of Cornwall, bordered by St. James in the east, and Westmoreland in the south. With the exception of Kingston, it is the smallest parish on the island...
.
History
Hanover, Jamaica's smallest parish, was founded in 1723. Lucea is its capital and main town.From the middle of the 18th century, the people of Lucea provided the rest of Jamaica with most of its produce but mainly exported bananas until the 1960s.
Lucea is the home of the Lucea yam
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
, which was exported to feed Jamaicans working abroad.
Fort Charlotte in Lucea was built in 1761. Alongside the fort is an impressive Georgian brick structure known as The Barracks, which was built in 1843 to provide shelter to the soldiers stationed there. In the early 20th century it became the educational center for the town and has now been transformed to become part of the Rusea High School complex. In 1982 Rusea High School was merged with the Hanover Secondary School and is still known as the Rusea High School (Fort Charlotte).
The still fully functional Lucea clock tower was built in 1817 and stands in the town center near the Old Lucea courthouse.
Other notable tourist attractions are Lucea’s many historical sites that date back as far as the 18th century. Lucea Parish Church (the Parish Church of Hanover) is one of the oldest churches in Jamaica. Although no record of when it was first built exists the first baptism record dates back to 1725, the first burial was in 1727, and the first marriage in 1749. It is said that there is a tunnel that leads from the church to nearby Fort Charlotte, which was a safe haven in time of war. The Hanover Museum sits on the site of a prison dating back to 1776, and houses many historical artifacts significant to Hanover’s history.
Demographics
Lucea has a population of approximately 5,739. Black peopleBlack people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
make up approximately 92% of population, the others being approximately 1% white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
, 4% Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
, 2% Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
, and all others 2%.
Agriculture
A wide variety of vegetables and fruits are grown in the area around Lucea, such as pulses, cereals, and root vegetables. SugarSugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, cocoa, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s, and rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
are important exports of Jamaica. In Lucea, there is a need for domestic cultivators and rural farmers to feed the island’s people and visitors. Fruits, vegetables, and flowers are also grown for local consumption. One of the staples of Lucea is the breadfruit
Breadfruit
Breadfruit is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry family, Moraceae, growing throughout Southeast Asia and most Pacific Ocean islands...
.
A Rural Agricultural Development Authority farming project along with resident farmers have been "supplying the hotel sector on a consistent basis" and "bring vegetables to the tables of its sophisticated guests", according to The Jamaican Observer
The Jamaica Observer
The Jamaica Observer is a daily newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica. The paper is owned by Butch Stewart, who chartered the paper in January 1993 as a competitor to Jamaica's oldest daily paper, The Gleaner. It's founding editor is Desmond Allen who is currently its executive editor -...
. This linkage between the tourism demands and the up and coming agricultural communities provides an economic opportunity for Lucea. Therefore, the local farmers mostly produce vegetables, roots and tubers (sweet potato
Sweet potato
The sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
es and yams), some fruits and flowers (hibiscus
Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world...
and Bauhinia or Poor Man’s Orchid). As a result, this leaves the larger crop of sugar, cocoa and coffee to the industrial plantations of Jamaica. These major agricultural industries can bring in revenues in the millions meanwhile, leaving the smaller cultivators to provide exotic vegetables for the resort chain restaurants and tourism industries.
Tourism
Lucea boasts many clubs and parks as well as the historical attractions, and museum. Lucea's most popular dance clubs that attract both tourists and local people are the 300 Club, founded in 1955, Green Dragon, and Border Line. The Tryall Golf, Tennis & Beach Club sits on a 2200 acres (8.9 km²) property outside Lucea, and is Hanover's most exclusive resort.Lucea lies between two of Jamaica's most prominent resort cities, Negril
Negril
Negril is a small but widely dispersed beach resort town located across parts of two Jamaican parishes of Westmoreland and Hanover. Westmoreland is the westernmost parish in Jamaica, located on the south side of the island...
and Montego Bay
Montego Bay
Montego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish and the second largest city in Jamaica by area and the fourth by population .It is a tourist destination with duty free shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches...
, but has yet to capitalize on the thousands of tourists that pass through. Jamaica Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has said he will announce plans for designating Lucea as a resort destination. Bartlett said:
The designation will give Lucea certain privileges and will also allow for us to look at the resort's planning development, which other resort towns are getting and so Lucea will be able to join Negril, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios as properly planned resort centers.
Since that statement Grand Palladium, part of a Spanish hotel firm, has erected a new 1600 unit luxury double resort called the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort and Spa / Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton. And other smaller businesses such as Pedro's Point Villa run by Bavarian Princess Kirsten Krause have opened in the area as well. The "real" Jamaica is available at a modest price to world travelers.
Point Travel Guide- Complete Guide to Negril Jamaica, Lucea Hanover and Montego Bay including Hotels and Vacation Rentals, Real Estate, Tours and Activities, Shopping and Dining Guides, and More! www.Pointlucea.com
Sources
- "Lucea powered by antonartnetwork." Luceatown.info. 10 December 2004. Accessed 9 November 2008 http://luceatown.info
- Cummings, Mark. "Can Lucea rise to the occasion?" The Jamaican Observer 21 February 2008. Accessed 9 November 2008 http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/westernnews/html/20080220T210000-0500_132734_OBS_CAN_LUCEA_RISE_TO_THE_OCCASION_asp.
- DuQuesnay, Fredrick. "Historic Lucea and the Brisett family." Jamaican Family Search. Accessed 9 November 2008 http://jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Sample2?fred04.htm
- "Fort Charlotte, Hanover". 1 January 2005. Jamaica National Heritage Trust. Accessed 1 November 2008 http://www.jnht.com/heritage_site.php?id=137
- Hanover Parish Information. Hanover Parish Library. Accessed 1 November 2008. http://www.jamlib.org.jm/hanover_history.htm
- Hanover Parish Information.” Hanover Parish Library. Jamaica Library Service. Accessed 9 November 2008 http://www.jamlib.org.jm/hanover_history.htm
- "Lucea Entertainment-Venues and Players." Lucea Online. 10 December 2004. Accessed 9 November 2008 http://luceaonline.com/entertainment.htm]
- Wilson, Judith. "Sandals Farming Project Impression Harvard Forum." Jamaica Observer. 3 December 2007. Accessed 26 October 2008 http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20071202t180000-0500_129991_obs_sandals_farming_project_impresses_harvard_forum.asp
- "The Capital Town Of Hanover, A Travel & Information Website Design for Lucea Hanover." Luceatown.com. 10 December 2004. Accessed 9 November 2008 http://luceatown.com