History
In the second half of the 18th century, Vieux Fort was the center of St Lucia's sugar industry; today it is more industrial.
Part of Vieux Fort is called Black Bay. It got its name because legend has it that the infamous pirate Blackbeard used this part of the country to stash his ill-gotten gains.
During the Second World War, Vieux Fort became a base for American troops. Some of the evidence can still be seen around town, such as the underground tunnel that runs from Clark Street all the way to St. Judes Hospital in Augier. This tunnel was used for storage of supplies and also a quick route to the hospital. Many people who reside in Vieux-Fort today have no idea about such a tunnel.
In recent years a new modern part of Vieux Fort has been erected to reflect the modern world, yet if you walk along Clark Street and its surrounding roads, you will still see what is known as The Old Town. Here you will see historic colonial houses that give Vieux Fort a touch of Old England and France (albeit they do need a bit of renovation now). In recent times Black Bay has become a haven for expatriates.
Read more about this topic: Vieux Fort Quarter
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“No cause is left but the most ancient of all, the one, in fact, that from the beginning of our history has determined the very existence of politics, the cause of freedom versus tyranny.”
—Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)
“The basic idea which runs right through modern history and modern liberalism is that the public has got to be marginalized. The general public are viewed as no more than ignorant and meddlesome outsiders, a bewildered herd.”
—Noam Chomsky (b. 1928)
“We know only a single science, the science of history. One can look at history from two sides and divide it into the history of nature and the history of men. However, the two sides are not to be divided off; as long as men exist the history of nature and the history of men are mutually conditioned.”
—Karl Marx (1818–1883)