Road Town

Road Town
—  Town  —
Road Town, Tortola
Map showing Road Town within the BVI
Coordinates: 18°25′53″N 64°37′23″W / 18.43139°N 64.62306°W / 18.43139; -64.62306
Country	United Kingdom
British Overseas Territory	British Virgin Islands
Island	Tortola
Population (2004)[1]
- Total	9,400

Road Town, located on Tortola, is the capital of the British Virgin Islands. It is situated on the horseshoe-shaped Road Harbour in the center of the island's south coast. The town's population is about 9,400 (as of 2004).^[1]

The name is derived from the nautical term "the roads", a place less sheltered than a harbor but which ships can easily get to. A 67-acre (27 ha) area called Wickham's Cay was reclaimed from the sea and is the center of tourism. Here you will find the newest part of the city. This is the hub for the new commercial and administrative buildings of the BVI. The oldest building in Road Town, the HM Prison on Main Street, dates from the 1840s.

The town is one of the principal center for bareboating (self-hire yacht chartering) in the Caribbean. Road Town is the headquarters of Tortola Marine Management, located in the Road Reef Marina, and The Moorings, which are two of the main charter boat companies operating out of Road Town/Road Harbor. Cruise ships can be often seen docked here as well.

The Harbour is also a popular jumping off point for many of the ferries servicing the island. The ferry terminal is located at the southwest end of Road Town. The ferries run during the day every day of the week, but rarely at night: it is important to consult an up-to-date ferry timetable in advance.

History

Road Town has a rich history about it. In 1834 on August the first the Emancipation Proclamation was read at the Sunday Morning Well. This gave slaves their freedom, even though slavery had been officially abolished in 1807.

In 1853 a town-wide fire destroyed nearly every building in Road Town. The fire spread because of angry rioters protesting an increase on the cattle tax. Rioters eventually set fire to most of the plantations across the island.

Geographical limits

There is some ambiguity as to the precise geographical extent of Road Town. Approaching the town from the west, a sign at the bottom of Slaney Hill greets visitors to Road Town. But traditionalists assert that the town itself only starts from Road Reef and Fort Burt, and that Prospect Reef Hotel (which covers almost all the land in between) is not technically in Road Town.

Approaching Road Town from the east, there is similar ambiguity if Road Town begins at the Port Purcell roundabout below Fort George, or whether it also includes Baughers' Bay.

Fort Burt and Fort George were the historical markers of the western and eastern limits of the town which benefitted from the protection of the Crown.

Images

Main Street   Harney Westwood & Riegels   The old HM Prison   LegCo Building   The old Post Office   Conyers Dill & Pearman and Colombian Emeralds   bmobile's headquarters in the BVI

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} United Kingdom - British Virgin Islands Commonwealth Secretariat

External links

• Ferry Schedule
• Tortola Map & Guide
• Detailed map of Road Town
• Article from Encyclopedia Britannica

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