HistorySaint Elizabeth originally included most of the south-west part of the island, but in 1703 Westmoreland was taen from it and in 1!1" a part of #anchester$ %he resulting areas were named after the wife of Sir %homas #odyford, the first English &o'erner of (amaica$%here are also traces of %a)no*+rawas e,istence in the parish, as well as Spanish settlements$ +fter1-.., when the English settled on the island, they concentrated on planting sugar cane$ %oday, buildings with /Spanish wall/ 0masonry of limestone sand and stone between wooden frames1 can still be seen in some areas$St Elizabeth became a prosperous parish and 2lac 3i'er an important seaport$ 4n addition to shipping sugar and molasses, 2lac 3i'er became the centre of the logging trade$ 5arge 6uantities of logwood were e,ported to Europe to mae a 7russian-blue dye which was 'ery popular in the 1!th and 18th centuries$Electric power was first introduced in (amaica in a house called Waterloo in 2lac 3i'er in 1!83$TourismSince the 1880s, the parish has become a significant tourist destination, with most 'isitors going to the %reasure 2each area$ %he +ppleton rum distillery, near 9ocpit 9ountry in the north of the parish, is also a tourist destination$ Ecological tourism along the 2lac and :S ;alls , and in the &reat #orass has been de'eloped in recent years$Beaches ;ont Santa 9ruz Southfield Springfield St$ 7auls %ry +ll ?ineyard ;lagaman 2righton, (amaica #iddle6uarters, (amaica %here is a lighthouse here too$ :$S$ ;alls is a famous falls in (amaica, similar to Cunn/s 3i'er ;alls in Dcho 3ios, St$ +nn$ 2amboo +'enue - was de'eloped in the 17th century when local landowners planted bamboo on both sides of the road to pro'ide shade during their tra'els$St. Elizabeth-HistorySt. Elizabeth was once the largest parish in Jamaica.It was split to form parts of Westmoreland and Manchester, and named in honor of Lady Elizabeth Modyford,wife of Sir Thomas Modyford, o!ernor of Jamaica between "##$ and "#%".Today St. &ess is the third largest parish in Jamaica.Early settlement in St. Elizabeth began in the 'edro 'lains where the Tainos, the (rst )nown inhabitants of Jamaica, occ*pied the coastline and lead a simple life. Tho*gh the original Tainos died by the "%th cent*ry, persons of Taino descent from S*rinam came to settle in the parish in the "+th cent*ry and their descendants are there to this day.,ol*mb*s arri!ed in Jamaica in "$-$ and the Spanish colonized the area. The Spanish were interested in cattle rearing and soon the thri!ing cattle ranches were the foc*s of the parish.The Spanish were greatly helped in their battle against the English in "#.., by the sla!es who they had bro*ght here d*ring their o!er "./ years in Jamaica. When the Spanish were defeated, the sla!es who did not manage to 0ee to ,*ba, retreated to the impenetrable ,oc)pit ,o*ntry, which incl*ded parts of St.Elizabeth. These 0eeing sla!es became )nown the Maroons and, today, St. Elizabeth remains home to the Maroons of 1ccompong, one of the most famo*s Maroon towns in Jamaica.St. Elizabethans played an instr*mental role in the Sam Sharpe 2ebellion of "+3". It is doc*mented that abo*t 4/ to $/ percent of the sla!e pop*lation fo*ght in that *prising.The comm*nication pattern of the rebels followed the !alleys of the &lac) and reat 2i!ers and they relied in the networ) of the religio*s meetings that had been fo*nded by the dissenting ,hristians. In the wa)e of the *prising, armament caches were fo*nd at se!eral locations and there was s*bstantial property loss amo*nting to 44,"$# sterling po*nds in !al*e.&lac) 2i!er, among the oldest towns in the island, is reportedly the (rst to ha!e recei!ed electricity. The Leydens brothers were among the earliest settlers in the parish, and they are said to ha!e imported Jamaica5s (rst motorcar.The brothers are also said to ha!e introd*ced racehorses to the island, thereby aiding in the establishment of the once famo*s &lac) 2i!er racetrac).2acing fans from all o!er the island came to this trac), ma)ing it one of &lac) 2i!er5s biggest money6ma)ing !ent*res.This little town of &lac) 2i!er, now the parish capital, can boast its pop*larity in the "-th and early 4/th cent*ries as a (shing spot, colo*rf*l balls and ban7*ets 8 often held at 9,o*rt6ho*se5 and its ann*al circ*s that attracted !isitors from far and wide.:nfort*nately, the o*tbrea) cholera in "+./ bro*ght most of these acti!ities to ahalt. Since then &lac) 2i!er, and indeed the entire parish of St. Elizabeth, has ne!er 7*ite ret*rned to the former le!el of social !ibrancy that made it a pop*larentertainment and recreational centre for Jamaicans from all across the island.Tho*gh the social scene has changed signi(cantly, the parish has forged ahead in agric*lt*ral prod*ction, pro!iding the b*l) of Jamaica5s !egetable and fr*it pro!isions. The &lac) 2i!er s*pports an important shrimp and freshwater (shery.1nd best of all, St. Elizabeth5s di!erse geographical patterns ma)e for a landscape as rich and !aried as the heritage of its people. ;S =:T T@IS LIA>