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There was little development in Kingston until 1692, when
thousands of Jamaicans fled a violent earthquake that
devastated Port Royal. Kingston's population was further
expanded in 1703, when more Port Royalists fled to the other
side of the harbor after a devastating fire.
In 1872, when Kingston replaced Spanish Town as Jamaica's
capital, many wealthy families were already moving beyond
the original town boundaries to the more genteel areas that
today comprise uptown Kingston. Meanwhile the less
affluent, including a growing tide of former slaves, huddled
downtown and in the shanty towns that began to spring
up on the outskirts of old Kingston, particularly west of
the city.
Jamaica's
turn-of-the-century boom, engineered by tourism and
agriculture, largely bypassed Kingston's poor. The
downtown area continued to deteriorate, neglected by
government and hit by a catastrophic earthquake in 1907.
Those who could afford to continued to move out, leaving
behind an increasingly destitute population that proved
fertile recruitment ground for the Rastafari movement
during the 1920s and 1930s.
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In the 1960s, efforts were made to give the old downtown
area a face-lift. Redevelopment of the waterfront resulted
in a much-needed expansion of the city's port facility
and a smartening up of the harbor area. A mini tourist
boom was sparked by the new-look Kingston (and by the
growing popularity of reggae music abroad). But the
redevelopment of downtown was only cosmetic. Crime soon
proliferated, and tourists headed for the new beach resorts
on the island's north coast as the city sank into a quagmire
of unemployment, poverty and crime. Today there are hints
that the capital's fortunes may be turning, with some
serious attempts to tackle crime and improve economic
fortunes; still, Kingston remains a divided city. |
Jamaica
Travel Guide
Montego Bay, Kingston, Ocho Rios, Negril, Blue Mountains, Portland
Caribbean Travel Guide
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