A small group of persons gathered at Fort George on Thu 6^th February between 4pm and 6pm for the Re-opening Ceremony of the Historic Fort George, next to the Royal Watler Terminal.

History of Fort George By Cayman Islands Government

The origins and early history of the Fort are uncertain. It is known that in 1662, the new Governor   of Jamaica, Lord Windsor, received royal instructions to take charge   of the  “Caimanes   Islands   …  by planting and raising Fortifications upon them.” Although   there was some settlement, however, the task of fortifying    the small outpost was not undertaken until sometime around 1790.

Caymanians using local coral rock and limestone built Fort George. Its design was based very much on the typical military battery being built by the English at around   that time.   The oval base of the Fort measured approximate 57 feet by 38 feet.  There were eight embrasures for cannon around the sides and a mahogany   gate on the landward side.

The purpose of the Fort was to defend Grand Cayman from attacks by Spanish   militiamen from Cuba.  The heyday of piracy on the high seas was over by this time, but there   was still plenty   of lawless activity around.  Caymanians were not very comfortable with the knowledge that they were so close to the Spanish   colony of Cuba and the possibility of an attack.

During World War II, the tall silk cotton tree was used as a lookout post.  The Home Guard, whose barracks were next to the Fort at Dobson Hall, would climb up into its branches   to watch for German submarines.  There were many of these patrolling Caribbean waters, hunting   for merchant   ships setting   out to cross the Atlantic   with supplies bound for English ports.

In  1972, there   really was a battle  over Fort George. The Cayman Islands Planning Authority and a *local developer disagreed over its future.

The developer took matters   into his own hands and began to demolish the structure.  Caymanians    who saw what was happening objected so strongly that he was forced to stop.  The ruins were donated to the Trust in 1987 and were declared inalienable, to be held in trust forever.  The structure was then stabilized and officially dedicated in August 1992.

*PUBLISHER’s NOTE: The “local developer” referred to in the Cayman Islands Governments history of Fort George and deliberately left out of our ‘official history’ was none other than our National Hero, Jim James (Jim) Manoah Bodden. This in no way diminishes the great work he did for our Cayman Islands. However as a history of Fort George let us PLEASE have the whole history. I was one of the persons standing in front of his bulldozer!

The re-opening was executed after the Fort had been given a ‘make-over’ that included refurbishment work and a new mural from local artist John Broad.

After a welcome and opening remarks from Peter Davey- National Trust Vice – Chairman and the Cayman National Song there was an eloquent speech from Mark Lewis, the Senior Partner and Member of the sponsors Walker’s Charitable Foundation saying said they (Walkers) had decided to sponsor the renovation because it was well conceived and well researched.  He also was expert in using the extra large scissors at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony that immediately followed.

Councillor, Alva Suckoo, from the Ministry of Health, Sports. Youth and Culture said he hoped the redevelopment of Fort George would encourage locals and tourists to learn more about the island’s history.

National Trust Executive Director Christina Pineda gave the final address in recognising volunteers and thanking Walkers.

“People have not even realised that this is an actual historic site and so today with the refurbishments that we were able to do thanks to Walkers Foundation, we were able to actually make it a proper landmark. The landmark it deserves to be,” she said.