Located in Cornwall Parish at a latitude of 18°31'N and a longitude of 77°59'W Saint James Parish covers an area of 595 square kilometers. The capital city is named Montego Bay. For American readers the name Montego was made famous by a song done by "The Beach Boys" way back in the nineteen-sixties. In 2001 the population was counted as roughly 178,000 people. The predominant industries are tourism of course, along with agriculture and manufacturing. Jamaica has seven officially named National Heroes. One of them, Samuel Sharpe, was born in this Parish. He passed away in eighteen-thirty-three.
During the Spanish occupation Montego Bay had a unique industry. They exported lard. In the forests were many wild hogs and they became the source of supply. An amusing part of the folklore of the area is that Montego was once known as "Bahia de Manteca" which sounds exotic to the reader of the English language, but the joke is on us. The name is interpreted to English as "Lard Bay." When the English began their rule of Jamaica, this was said to be one of the island's poorest parishes. As it prospered, so did the naming of places, towns, etc. after the British. King James II. was given respect by naming the St. James Parish after him. He was honored by Sir Thomas Modyford, first Governor. This entire area grew and flourished as it moved into the growing of sugar cane.
Along with the plantations came the advent of slavery, a dishonorable part of Jamaica's history. Fire destroyed parts of Montego Bay through the seventeen hundreds and the early eighteen hundreds. Then in eighteen thirty-one a rebellion against slavery was initiated by Samuel Sharpe. As you recall he is a National Hero of St. James. It was through his efforts and that of the English in general that slavery was ended. Many fought and died to achieve this. As is usually the case, the slave-holders protested them being freed. Samuel Sharpe was hanged for his achievements of planning the rebellion. He would be proud to know that Emancipation was achieved in eighteen thirty-four.
Covering 594.9 square kilometers with 1524 meters being above sea level. Two rivers run through it. One appropriately named the Montego River the other the Great River. There are smaller ones but these are the main ones. There is a lot of limestone in two-thirds of the parish. In Montego Bay are the commercial (industrial) section and the tourist section. It is divided in half. Can you guess which half is located along the shore.
The citizens of Montego Bay work mainly in the tourist industry. Jamaica is a popular honeymoon destination. Some people who are able to afford it will fly their entire wedding party and guests to the island for their ceremony. No wonder one in four people work in the tourist industry.
One major attraction is Rose Hall Great House. Built in seventeen-seventy, it has a total of over 100,000 visitors per year. There is a fascinating ghost story attached to this home. A woman named Annie had lived in the house with her then husband John Rose Palmer. The Legend (short version) is that Annie murdered all three of her husbands. Her slaves later killed her by strangulation. As in every chilling ghost story, her spirit is reputed to inhabit the house to this very day.
