The National Museum on Front Street, Grand Turk.
Grand Turk is the historical and political center of the Turks and
Caicos, and is the second most populated island in the country after
Providenciales. Originally founded by settlers from Bermuda as a site
for salt production in 1681, Cockburn Town on Grand Turk has been the
official capital of the country since 1766. Many of the country's main
government offices, such as the Supreme Court and Governor's Residence
can be found here.
Several important historic events have taken place around this small
island including being the likely spot of Columbus's first landfall in
the New World, and the landing spot of American astronaut John Glenn
after orbiting Earth in 1962.
Many of the older buildings on Grand Turk reflect the colonial and
British-Bermudian heritage. This is best seen on Front Street and Duke
Street in Cockburn Town. Donkeys, and horses, first introduced in the
salt industry days as a means of transportation, can still be seen
roaming freely.
The Turks and Caicos National Museum on Front Street houses many
fascinating displays. Notable amongst its exhibits are thousand year-old
Lucayan artifacts and the extensive Molasses Reef Wreck collection,
where remains from the oldest European shipwreck excavated in the
Western Hemisphere can be seen.
Another famous landmark on Grand Turk is the country's only lighthouse,
finished in 1852. This structure was prefabricated in England and was
set up to burn whale oil for light. It was eventually converted to
kerosene, and finally, electricity in 1971. The lighthouse is no longer
operational, although tours of the surrounding grounds are offered.
Grand Turk is also known for having some of the best diving in the
world. What sets Grand Turk apart from other destinations is the
exceptional coral wall diving. In places, it drops from thirty feet down
to depths of more than seven thousand feet, usually only a few hundred
feet from the beach. Many of the ship wrecks around Grand Turk are also
popular dive sites.
A relatively recent addition to Grand Turk is the cruise ship center on
the southern end of the island. This facility was opened in 2006 by
Carnival Cruise Lines as a mooring site for ocean liners and as a base
of operations for cruise ship visitors. Many small jewelry and gift
shops, restaurants, bars and attractions are located here, along with
swimming pools for cruise ship guests.
Also on Grand Turk is the Waterloo Golf Course. Built by a former
governor, this 9-hole, par 54 course is open to the public.
Grand Turk is a great place to experience the traditional sprit of the
Turks and Caicos, either for one day, or your whole vacation.
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