Lighthouses

Clocktower Sites A lighthouse is defined as a structure erected to carry lights for warning or guidance of ships or aircraft. Lighthouses are usually located in or adjacent to navigable waters. They are designed to serve as visual guides by day and to provide a light during the night to warn mariners of danger and to help them chart a safe course. 

Identification by day is by the physical description of the structure of the lighthouse (example shape and colour). At nights, identification is by the characteristic flashes of the light. Many lighthouses are operated in conjunction with other navigational aids for example light buoys and beacons.

Although the earliest lighthouse was built in 1841, it was not until 1886, that a law was passed authorizing the construction of lighthouses for the purpose of supplying lights at various points on the coast of the island, for the benefit of seagoing and coastal vessels.



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FORTS

Ever since the capture of Jamaica by the English from the Spanish in 1655, the need for fortification became immediate because of the...

 

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COURTHOUSES

The Morant Bay Courthouse, which was destroyed by fire on Monday, February 19, 2007, is an important part of St. Thomas's history.

 

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HISTORIC SCHOOLS

Built in 1885 of masonry and timber, the Simms building exhibits a combination of Gothic and Georgian features; the projecting...