Salt Cay Today

A stroll through Balfour Town is a stroll through history, showcasing 19th-century industry, with dilapidated windmills, salt sheds and abandoned salinas. History buffs will busy themselves chatting to Salt Cay’s friendly locals about the island’s history and exploring old buildings and sites dating back to the 1600’s. Salt Cay has been recommended several times as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Cannon on Little Bluff Lookout

British cannon from the late 18th century found buried at the top of the hill some years ago, was restored by local efforts and place atop the lookout. It is said the Bermudan Militia was stationed on the bluff to protect Salt Cay from the French who would periodically raid the island for salt.

: 1997 – Cannon placed by Salt Cay residents

: Fort Pleasant

: 1997

Mt Pleasant Guest House

: Mt Pleasant house. Built in 1832 formerly owned by the Morgan family.

: The dormers of Mt. Pleasant Guest House.

The Marina

: Very nice catch of the day

: “The Brittany Leigh” ferry to Grand Turk

Old Salt Shed

Salt Shed , Salt Cay, Turks & Caicos Islands © 2007 Don Wiss donwiss.com. All rights reserved.

This was an old salt storage shed, now used as a Government storage shed.

Reverse Osmosis Plant

July 2015 the Reverse Osmosis Plant, next to the storage shed, was put into service.

Old Gas Tank

: wzrdsgng@gmail

Sluice Gates, Windmills and Salt Pans

Candy Herwin, July 3 at 2:21am

FROM THE FILE: Ms MELVINA SIMMONS(RIP) told me a story …. “Roddys son George who was called “Bow” use to raise the doors of the sluice gates up to Eastwards by the Bay….This would control the water levels…..when the pond was dry you could get scales, it was all a question of how much water was in the ponds! When there was no rain you had to open the gate and let the water run down into the salinas. This was a full time job…day and night you had to work with the tides and control water flow for the scale,pickle and salt. You had to know the weather and seasons. The men know that…men like Trav Bassett, Albert Smith and Joseph Been….
Below the sluice gates on Salt Cay and Uncle Lionel netting for bait…

: Salt pond sluice gates

: What remains of the Windmill and sluices on Salt Cay 2012

: Salt irrigation ditches

: 1999 – Windmill restored

: Close up of the windmill

: View of the Salt Pans of Salt Cay

Salt Cay Clinic

Newly re-opened in July 2014, the clinic is modern and well furnished with a maternity room,dispensary, doctors and nurses treatment room and small kitchen.

: Salt Cay Clinic 2013

: Salt Cay Clinic 2015

St Johns Anglican Church

St. John’s is a beautiful old Anglican church, built in the early 1800s. The church’s graveyard stretches to her old sea wall. The doors open to the graveyard, which you are welcomed to explore, and allow the sea breezes to flow through to the altar.

: St John’s Anglican Church

Bermuda Kitchen

In a style inherited from Bermuda Architecture, kitchens were built in detached structures away from the house. Typically there was an open fireplace with a chimney. This was to keep the heat and fire away from the house. There may have also been a ‘buttery’, a structure well ventilated for storing perishable food in hot weather in days before refrigeration.

bermudakitchen850

Sunny Side – aka the “Brown House”

The ‘Brown House” salt Merchants home built in 1820 by Captain Jones from Bemuda. Sunnyside is possibly the most important of the historic salt plantation homes on Salt Cay. The lore has it that the red columns supporting the upper veranda are made from trees planted to grow into place. The main support beams in the foundation are from a ships beam. The under area of the house is where the salt was stored.

: Sunnyside from the street – 2012

: Sunnyside house sits atop the salt storage area

: Archive of Sunnyside from old newspapaer

The Benevolent Brotherhood Lodge

The Benevolent Brotherhood Lodge was formed before the advent of Turks & Caicos Islands National Insurance as a means for islanders to pool funds for funeral expenses, emergency loans, etc. There is a bass drum, tattered flag, a young Queen’s picture and signs of concord, peace and fraternity. And, then, there are the two coffins awaiting occupants in a back room – small, wooden coffins made for the Islander of slight build and for a small hole dug in hard, salt-packed earth. The Lodge was reorganized in March 1915. The roster was still on the head table April, 2013. Read more here

: Benevolent Union Association, first opened in the mid 1800s.

Balfour Town Public Library

Late in 2003 the dream of a Balfour Town Public Library on Salt Cay was realized. With the encouragement and active support of the Salt Cay District Commissioner, a group of Salt Cay natives and residents came together to affirm the desire for a library accessible to both residents and visitors.

: Balfour Town Salt Cay Public Library

Mary Robinson Primary School

: The original section of the Salt Cay school

: Mary Robinson lived in this house

: Old chest belonging to Ms Robinson

Dunscomb Point

Originally where salt lighters unloaded, now residents have reclaimed the area, built entrance stairs and enjoy bathing in calm shallow waters in a protected pool. A fabulous way to get into the ocean on the west side for snorkeling.

: The swimming pool

The White House

The Harriott family has splendidly preserved the White House, a Salt Cay landmark since the early 1800’s. A stately salt proprietor’s manor built in 1835 with ballast stone and from the ship’s timbers that brought the family to Salt Cay. The salt house is an example of classic Bermudan architecture with the living quarters on the upper level and the salt storage underneath. The roof is of limestone and concrete.

: The White House from the beach, boat house still standing

: White House salt merchant central offices and docks in the background

: White House 2014

: Front entrance to White House

: A bedroom window at The White House, looking north up island.

: Hurricane Frances 2004

: Paymaster’s Office – on the North side of White House. Hit by Hurricane Frances 2004.

: No, this is not where salt-workers once collected their pay;

: Photo shows the boat house (left center front) by the loading docks before it fell apart in a hurricane.

: D.H. Harriott 1844 O.L.P. Taylor 1844Carving from Sapodilla Hill on Providenciales record these 2 Salt Cay residents on their travels in 1844.

: Carving of ship near the initials

: 1940 Paramount Pictures in preparation for filming Bahama Passage. This is Rosalie Harriot between her parents on the dock at the White House. That is the mill at Dunscomb Point behind them. Copyright Fresno Chile Pepper Co 2005

: Boo’s Garage, next to the White House, originally where the wheels for the donkey carts were built

: old boat house next to the salt merchant abode of The White House along Victoria Street on Salt Cay

District Commissioners Office

: District Commissioners Office on Salt Cay, Two story building still in use. Housing the old jail.

: Old safe outside of DC Office

Mt Zion Church

: Mt Zion Baptist Church 2013

: Mt Zion Baptist Church 2008

Morgan Salt House

: Remains Morgan’s salt house, now part of a waterfront home

Power Plant

: The new power plant 2014

Typical Architecture of Salt Cay

The Government House

This was once the home of the customs officers and government officials on Salt Cay. Its gabled tin roof, motley stone, brick and slate walkways, and large stone Bermudan kitchen are signatures of the island’s architectural heritage. More photos of government house on this website.