Life at the Corner of Swan and Prince William Henry Streets: A Snapshot from Bridgetown, Barbados

• Published in: American Jewish history Vol. 101; no. 2; pp. 241 - 243
• Main Author: Stiefel, Barry L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press 01.04.2017
• Subjects: 17th century; 19th century; Archaeology; Architectural history; Architecture; Archives & records; Historic buildings & sites; Historic preservation; Jewish people; Libraries; Space; Bridgetown Barbados; Barbados
• ISSN: 0164-0178; 1086-3141; 1086-3141
• DOI: 10.1353/ajh.2017.0029

According to city maps of Bridgetown, Swan Street is an east-west thoroughfare that dead-ends at High Street, its eastern terminus shortly after the Prince William Henry Street intersection. A synagogue has stood at this location since the mid- or late-seventeenth century, but the current building dates from 1833, the former building having been lost to a hurricane two years earlier.1 From where the photographer is standing, if one were to make a right turn at the Prince William Henry Street intersection, one would arrive at the synagogue within one and a half city blocks-a relatively short distance. An archaeological survey (either through test pits or using the historic maps and images to pinpoint the location of former sites of interests, such as outhouses and refuse piles, which are a frequent source of materials and artifacts) might also reveal additional information about the inhabitants and how they evolved economically, socially, and materially (considering that this material is frequently in stratified layers). Barry L. Stiefel is Associate Professor at the College of Charleston, where he is a member of the Department of Art and Architectural History, the Historic Preservation & Community Planning Program, and the joint Graduate Program in Historic Preservation with...