Historical sites

We are learning to:

•identify and describe historical sites and landmarks in the community

•investigate the origins and significance of historical sites and landmarks.

Historical sites and landmarks

Historical sites and landmarks are places where aspects of our political, military, cultural or social history are preserved. There are laws to protect historical sites andlandmarks, because of their special heritage value. They may be buildings, landscapes or places with interesting structures or relics. Some countries have buildings that have been standing for thousands of years, such as the Pyramids of ancient Egypt or the ruins from ancient Rome or Greece. Examples of the different types of historical sites and landmarks in Trinidad and Tobago include:

•Buildings – the Red House, seat of Parliament in Trinidad and Tobago. The building was built in the late 1800s, damaged by fire in 1903 and rebuilt in 1907.

•Monuments – the Courland Monument in Tobago, built in 1976 to honour the early settlers who came from Courland (now called Latvia).

•Churches – Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Port of Spain, a Roman Catholic cathedral built between 1816 and 1851.

• Schools – the Queens Royal College, one of the oldest secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago, established in 1859.

•Parks – the Matura National Park, a protected tropical forest in Trinidad.

• Landscapes – the Tobago Main Ridge Forest, the oldest forest reserve in the world. It has been protected since 1776.

•Houses – for example, Roomor and Stollmeyer’s Castle.

•Cemeteries.

Some places in Trinidad and Tobago with interesting structures or relics include:

•Fort George, built in 1804. The fort provided protection for Port of Spain.

Exercise

1. In your own words define what a historical site is.

2. Why does Trinidad and Tobago not have historical buildings from thousands of years ago?

• Fort King George, built by the British in 1777 in Tobago. It was later occupied by French troops. It was initially known as Fort King George, and later called Fort Castries. Visitors can still see the ruins of the fort, including the officers’ mess, the lighthouse and the bell tower.

•Galera Point Lighthouse, next to the village of Toco, was built in 1897. It is such a popular landmark that a family park has been developed around the base.

Case study

Stollmeyer’s Castle

Stollmeyer’s Castle in Trinidad and Tobago was originally called Killarney, and was built by Charles Fourier Stollmeyer between 1902 and 1904. During World War II, it was occupied by American troops, and became known as The Castle. In 1979, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago bought the castle.

Research

Stollmeyer’s Castle is known as one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’. Do your own research using primary and secondary sources and find the other six buildings in the ‘Magnificent Seven’. Find out:

•the names of the buildings

•when and where they were built

•the name of the original owners

•who owns them now

•what they are used for

•any interesting historical facts about the buildings. Produce a brochure to highlight the origins and significance of the six other buildings. Include any interesting stories or historical details about them, along with detailed pictures or drawings.

Exercise

3. Create a timeline of the historical sites and landmarks discussed.

4. In groups, brainstorm the location of a historic site or landmark in your area, then write: a) what it was originally used for and what it is used for now b) why you think it forms an important part of our heritage.

Project

You are going to prepare a presentation about a historical site in Trinidad and Tobago to present to your class. Each group will research and create a presentation about one of these sites: Red House, Courland Monument, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Matura National Park, Fort George, Galera Point Lighthouse or Stollmeyer’s Castle. Research where it is, when it was established, what it was used for and six facts about its history. Collect photographs, draw pictures or create a poster. Then, as a group, create your presentation on your computer and present it to the class.