The history of these islands lies hidden in the mists of time; what's known for sure is that English loyalists from Virginia, fleeing the aftermath of the American Revolution, arrived here at the end of the 18th century, bringing with them hundreds of slaves. Soon, more than 40 plantations had been established, but they were short-lived. By 1825, most of them were in ruins, the result of one crop failure after another.
Columbus Was Here
Today, the islands are a quiet little backwater, visited by few, but loved by all that do set foot ashore. Separated from Crooked Island by the Crooked Island Passage, an important shipping route during the early days when sailing ships used it en route to and from the New World, the Acklins are at the center of the "Columbus-landed-here-first" controversy. These islands entered the debate when National Geographic ran an article in 1986, pinpointing Crooked Island as the place where the explorer first set foot in the Bahamas; and the debate will, no doubt, continue.
Crooked Island is the hub of activities, such as they are. The island's capital is Colonel Hill, a colorful settlement of gaily painted buildings where everyone has a friendly word, and time goes by very slowly. No one's in a hurry here and that, after all, is the essence of a great getaway.
