24 NEWS
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
March 2 - 8, 2013
Spotlight on Salt Cay
A Tribute to the ‘Brown House’ By Candy Herwin WHEN Spanish sea captain Juan de Bermudez first set foot on the shore of Bermuda so named after him, little did he know the repercussions of his discovery and how it would influence and set in motion the future economy and lifestyle of the Turks and Caicos Islands some 740 miles away. The early pioneers of Bermuda were excited to cultivate the land as tobacco plantations to meet the growing demand by British merchants for highly prized tobacco that was sold as a medicinal cure for almost every ailment. However, unable to compete with the North American that could cultivate tobacco more cheaply, the settlers and adventurers turned their attention to the Turks Islands where they saw a great opportunity to
harvest salt which formed naturally in the many shallow Salinas on the island of Grand Turk and the adjacent island of Salt Cay. And so it was that the pioneers along with their established boat building skills, excess slaves, will and determination settled in the Turks Islands, in their quest to capture the salt market and become rich by supplying the world with ‘white’ gold. On Salt Cay Bermudan style salt merchant homes begun to spring up in the early 1800s and one such important homewas the two story ‘Brown House’ which was built in 1820 by a Bermudian adventurer by the name of Captain Jones. Decades later and on the verge of collapse from many years of harsh storms, hurricanes and neglect, this monument to the salt raking erahas been expertly restored by Salt Cays
benefactors Ms. Helen Krieble and her brother Frederick Krieble who are known for their generous gift of the old Governors House to the National Trust. Today, the Brown House is a an elegant Guesthouse directly overlooking the ocean tastefully decorated in a classic style with high ceilings, three large en- suite bedrooms and a superb commercial kitchen within the old “buttery.” This fine example of a salt merchant home was built during the Georgian period and models the grand houses seen in the Carolinas except that on Salt Cay the builders
made use of ships timbers, trees and local stone found in the area or from nearby islands. The salt was stored in vast basements for protection from the rains and the merchants lived on the second floor with many windows that would catch the breeze from the constant trade winds, providing respite from the midday sun. From the wide East verandas the merchants would look out over the vast Salinas and watch the raker’s gather salt, shovel it on the mule and cart and move the heavy load along the ‘pickle’ packed roads to the salt houses and wharfs.
This cycle of life continued until the mid 1900s when heavy competition from other countries closed the salt raking industry down and forced the men to find work on the large cargo ships carrying iron ore and other commodities round the world. Salt Cay today relies solely on tourism and is without a doubt a superb vacation spot for the intrepid traveler who enjoys a peaceful natural environment away from city life. Come for the weekend, step back in time and experience the history. Check www. saltcayaccommodations.com for more information.