Montego Bay and Fort Montego
in the 18th Century

Montego Bay is the capital of the Parish of St. James and the second city in Jamaica.
When Columbus sailed into the area in May 1494 he was the first European visitor.
He made friends with some of the local Tainos, and called the Bay " El Golfo the Buen Tiempo".
The Spanish began to settle in Montego Bay after 1510 in the area of the Fort
and theycalled the Bay "Bahia de Mantega" because of the large quantities of
pigs' lard they exported to their colonies in South America and the WestIndies.
With the British occupation of Jamaica in 1655, St. James
was among the second group of Parishes founded in1671.
Montego Bay was a small town for the first part of the 18th century,
and up until 1788 was exempt of taxes,but this soon changed.
Some time after 1720 a Captain Jonathan Barnett sub-divided a portion of
his sugar cane fields and created Charles Town, with Charles Square now
called Sam Sharpe Square, and Barnett Town.
This resulted in the rapid expansion of the town and its commercial waterfront,
as during this time most trade and communication was by sea.

Fort Montego, which is about half a mile from Montego Bay,
was built on a small bluff overlooking what was then Meager Bay,
and River Bay (both these bays have now been filled in for highway
and town expansion). The Fort was one of many built along the coast
to protect the (major shipping ports of Jamaica from invasion by French and Spanish forces and pirates that roamed
around the Caribbean Sea.In 1752 the Fort was reported to be in very poor condition, and historian Edward Long reported
that in 1760 one of the guns exploded killing the gunner while the Fort was celebrating the British capture
of Havana. In 1779 the Fort underwent extensive renovations and the platform, paving, parapet wall
and the powder magazine with its buttresses were built.

Montego Bay was never invaded, and pirates were not a great threat. Most of the time the cannons were fired
at the Fort to celebrate the King's birthday or the visit of the Governor to the town.

Fort Montego is on Fort Street in close proximity
to the Gloucester Avenue (The Hip Strip)
Within and near the fort are:
* The Old Fort Crafts Market
* Aqua Sol Beach Theme Park.
* Ambiente Art Gallery
* Klass Kraft ( a Leather shop )
* Fort House.

All information on this page has been supplied by the St. James Heritage Foundation