This city of nearly 5,000 souls is one of the oldest cities on the island. It owes its name to the river on whose banks it was built. Nestled at the bottom of a large cove, Black River, the capital of the parish of Saint Elizabeth, has always been a very prosperous and even avant-garde town.The town can boast of having been the first town on the island to have an electrical network, installed by the Leyden brothers in 1893. The production unit, consisting of a huge furnace and a kettle, was located on what is now School Street. Tons of wood were burned to provide the steam needed to run the engine.The city also had the privilege of seeing the country's first automobile, imported in 1903 by a wealthy planter. Rumor has it that he was also one of the first users of the public hospital opened at the same time!Today, there are few traces left of the rich history of the town. With the fall in the prices of the main export commodities, the port of Black River has gradually lost its importance and is now only a modest fishing port. The large plantations have disappeared, no bauxite has been discovered here, and the jagged coastline with its grey sandy beaches and turbulent waters attracts few tourists. Half destroyed by a fire in 1938, the city now enjoys peaceful days. Here a real art of living has developed, a warmth and a sense of conviviality that are not common.The waterfront is very pretty and typical of the Caribbean, lined with old colonial style houses festooned with gingerbread, a carved wooden ornament. Some of the country's most beautiful Victorian mansions sleep under the hot sun. The harbor, located at the mouth of the river, is only home to a few fishing boats, the big ships having long since deserted the docks.Towards the east, in the direction of Mandeville, the road spans the Black River. Originally, a simple barge was used to cross the river. To give way to modernity, it was replaced by a wooden bridge, itself replaced by the current metal bridge. It dates from 1938 and bears the name of the first white family of Black River, who came from Old England. From there, we reach the agencies on the left bank that offer trips on the river (see below). We will also take a look at the police station, rebuilt and renovated in 1908, which dates back to the time of slavery without being able to date its exact origin. It served as a jail for convicts from all over the region. Black River is an excellent backwater for exploring the southern Cockpit Country. A 30 to 40 minute minibus ride will take you from downtown to the first stunning natural arenas of this sparsely populated and nearly impenetrable area in the center of the island, halfway between Black River and Montego Bay to the north.

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Black River. Konstik
Black River. Chloé OBARA
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