West Grand Bahama
Encyclopedia
West Grand Bahama is one of 31 districts
of The Bahamas
. The district covers the entire western portion of Grand Bahama
island, excluding the city of Freeport
, which forms its own district. Communities within West Grand Bahama include the settlements of Mack Town
, Hunters
, Lewis Yard, Pinder's Point, Eight Mile Rock, Hepburn Town, Bartlett Hill, Hanna Hill, Pine Dale, Martin Town, Russell Town, Jones Town, Sea Grape
, Holmes Rock
, Bootle Bay and the westernmost settlement of West End
. West End's development has been dominated by a hotel and marina located at the western tip of Grand Bahama Island and now known as Old Bahama Bay. Old Bahama Bay has since been bought out by the Ginn Company who is in the process of developing a new tourism sector in that area. In 2009 the Ginn Company defaulted on a $650 million Credit Suisse which a major portion of the loan was used to fund Ginn Sur Mer. The project once pegged at $5 billion would have included thousands of home sites, 4 star resort hotel, two golf courses, airport and mega yacht marina has now come to a complete halt. Bogged down with numerous United States lawsuits filed by disgruntled buyers who alleged that Robert (Bobby) Ginn sold land that appears to have been owned by several Bahamian families who have resided for generations in the historic settlement. The lawsuits filed in the U.S. and Bahamas courts are still ongoing.
As for the name of each settlement, they basically got their name from the families that settled there. For example, Pinder's Point was inhabited by the Pinders. Russell town by the Russells and so on. At one point, there was even a town called Cooper's town but over time, the Pinders became the dominating surname and absorbed Cooper's town, creating one settlement called Pinder's Point.
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
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
. The district covers the entire western portion of Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama is one of the northernmost of the islands of the Bahamas, and the closest major island to the United States, lying off the state of Florida. Grand Bahama is the fifth largest island in the Bahamas island chain of approximately 700 islands and 2,400 cays...
island, excluding the city of Freeport
Freeport, Bahamas
Freeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of Grand Bahama of the North-west Bahamas. In 1955, Wallace Groves, a Virginian financier with lumber interests in Grand Bahama, was granted 50,000 acres Freeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of...
, which forms its own district. Communities within West Grand Bahama include the settlements of Mack Town
Mack Town
- References :*...
, Hunters
Hunter, Grand Bahama
Hunter is a town in West Grand Bahama in The Bahamas. It is southwest of the islands' largest city, Freeport City.- References :*...
, Lewis Yard, Pinder's Point, Eight Mile Rock, Hepburn Town, Bartlett Hill, Hanna Hill, Pine Dale, Martin Town, Russell Town, Jones Town, Sea Grape
Sea grape
The name sea grape or seagrape can refer to the tunicates, as well as several different groups of plants:* Coccoloba uvifera, a flowering plant native to North, East, and West America* Seaweeds in the genus Caulerpa, especially:...
, Holmes Rock
Holmes Rock
Holmes Rock is rising to north of Greenwich Island and west of Aitcho group in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers....
, Bootle Bay and the westernmost settlement of West End
West End, Grand Bahama
West End is the oldest town and westernmost settlement on the Bahamian island of Grand Bahama. It is the current capital of Grand Bahama, contrary to the belief that Freeport City is the capital of the island. It is also the third largest settlement in the Bahamas...
. West End's development has been dominated by a hotel and marina located at the western tip of Grand Bahama Island and now known as Old Bahama Bay. Old Bahama Bay has since been bought out by the Ginn Company who is in the process of developing a new tourism sector in that area. In 2009 the Ginn Company defaulted on a $650 million Credit Suisse which a major portion of the loan was used to fund Ginn Sur Mer. The project once pegged at $5 billion would have included thousands of home sites, 4 star resort hotel, two golf courses, airport and mega yacht marina has now come to a complete halt. Bogged down with numerous United States lawsuits filed by disgruntled buyers who alleged that Robert (Bobby) Ginn sold land that appears to have been owned by several Bahamian families who have resided for generations in the historic settlement. The lawsuits filed in the U.S. and Bahamas courts are still ongoing.
As for the name of each settlement, they basically got their name from the families that settled there. For example, Pinder's Point was inhabited by the Pinders. Russell town by the Russells and so on. At one point, there was even a town called Cooper's town but over time, the Pinders became the dominating surname and absorbed Cooper's town, creating one settlement called Pinder's Point.
Subdivisions
West Grand Bahama is divided into four town areas or townships (for administrative purposes). Each township has its own chairperson. They are:- Township of West End
- Township of Eight Mile Rock West
- Township of Eightmile Rock East
- Township of Pinder's Point