Cayman Brac History

Legend has it that Christopher Columbus found the Cayman Islands on May 10th, 1503 after his ship was blown off-course by strong winds. While this is known to have happened to Columbus on many previous occasions, this serendipitous discovery put the Caymans, first known as Las Tortugas, on the map. In the years to come, these islands would know the rule of many foreign countries, host notable noblemen, change names, and evolve into the bustling vacation destination that they are today.

Early Life on the Caymans

By the late 1500s the islands' name had been changed to Caymanas. Both Sir Francis Drake and William Dampier visited the islands and recounted stories of the many marine and land crocodiles that inhabited it. Just as 'Las Tortugas' was derived from the oversized turtles that were spotted on the islands, 'Caymanas' is derived from the Caribbean word for 'crocodile'. These animals were not only important for providing the islands' name, but their presence also did much to shape the early evolution of the islands. The rich sea life attracted pirates, sailors, and soldiers looking to stock up on fresh meat before continuing their long journeys.

In 1655, the Caymans became British entities, and for the first time settlers attempted to live on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Many soldiers, veterans of Oliver Cromwell's army, stayed on the islands after having defeated the Spanish in battle, and it is thought that Isaac Bodden, the first person born on Grand Cayman, was the son of a soldier in Cromwell's army. Today, Bodden is a popular district on Grand Cayman.

Even though the islands were under British rule, both Spanish and British privateers freely attacked many of the first settlers. Because privateering was legal, pirates would raid the towns and enemy ships to take goods back to their countries, and there was little help from the governing bodies who saw it as a way of seizing back captured wealth. This all ended with the Treaty of Utrecht (1713-1714), and conflict between France, Spain, and Britain ceased shortly thereafter, leaving many out-of-work pirates seeking refuge on the islands.

There is a legend that in 1788, shortly before government was established, these pirates came together with ship-wrecked sailors, Spanish refugees, British settlers, and slaves in an effort to save ten stranded merchant ships that were traveling from Jamaica to Britain. After the ships were caught on the reef around the east end of the island near Gun Bay, locals went to great measures to be sure that no lives were lost (including the life of a member of royalty who happened to be on one of the ships). Because of this, the island was allegedly given freedom from conscription and taxation.

A Government is Formed

With 1832 came a representative government system, and in 1863 the island was annexed to Jamaica, thereby allowing the development of an appointed commissioner office and a functional mail system. This began the construction of a hospital, schools, banks, and paved roads. For the first time, the islands were functioning within an ordered society and becoming commercially reliable. During this period, many of the natives took jobs as sea fisherman, sailors, and even captains. Finally, enough structure was in place to actively be a means of rebuilding after the occurrence of natural disasters. In 1932 a hurricane took the lives of 69 people and created 32-foot waves on Cayman Brac, while also causing extensive damage on the neighboring islands. It was a few years before everything was completely rebuilt and functioning as it had before.

As the islands' popularity and prosperity grew, a constitution was inaugurated bringing in elected officials to govern and coordinate the islands' growth. This was a major stepping-stone for the islands in their path to becoming independent and self-sustaining.

A Thriving Tourist Destination

When Jamaica became independent in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain under British rule. A governor was installed on the island, along with an elected body under a constitution. Soon thereafter, an airfield was also constructed. While the government continues to evolve, the islands remain politically independent of Jamaica, but they are heavily influenced by their neighbor's culture. Almost half of the population comes from Jamaica, and Jamaican banks and churches operate on the islands, closely connecting the neighboring lands. In 2004 Hurricane Ivan struck, again demolishing many properties and top hotels. However, with a thriving tourist industry that has visitors from all of the world arriving on cruise ships daily, the industry quickly recovered, and has taken the opportunity to construct new and improved lodgings and entertainment.