New Providence has its fair share of beautiful residential area to boast of, but some neighborhoods have an extra special history that set them apart from the more newly established exclusive communities.
Long before there was Lyford Cay, Paradise Island, Old Fort Bay and Albany, there was the eastern foreshore (made up of East Bay Street and Eastern Road), where the country's wealthy and influential built their homes.
In 1786, Governor James Murray, the royal governor of The Bahamas form 1787-1796, was among the first to build his summer home there overlooking the eastern harbour entrance. He named the house "The Hermitage," which is now owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Nassau and serves as the official residence of the Catholic Archbishiop of Nassau.
There's no doubt that Murray, and those who came after him, chose the eastern foreshore for the cool breeze. Prevailing winds blow across New Providence from the east, and was the only cooling effect available at that time, according to the Bahamas Handbook.
Today, the foreshore is lined with majestic homes built and owned by some of Nassau's most well-known individuals and families. The People's Republic of China has an Ambassador's residence on the Eastern Road, and so does Brazil.
One stretch of road just east of the Nassau Sailing Club features a row of stately mansions - Villa Capulet (once owned by Swedish industrialist Axel Wenner-Gren), Montagu Sunrise, La Argentina, Ryswick, Wind Crest and Cigatoo Bethell.
Farther east there's "The Columns," a classic two-story home with formal pillars at the front, and "Solomon's Lighthouse" - a private residence that was recently restored - that towers above its neighbours.
Back in the day you could pick up a 1.5 acre oceanfront lot for around $700. This was in the 1940's, when parts of the Eastern Road were still unpaved. Today, there are lots of options to choose from. Click on Listings in the top menu of this site to explore.
Posted by Rachel Pinder on
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