Saint Ann Parish – where Columbus landed in 1494
Saint Ann holds a special place in Jamaica's history. When Christopher Columbus first came to the island in 1494, he landed at Discovery Bay, and on his fourth voyage he was marooned for a year at Saint Ann's Bay, which he called Santa Gloria, from June 1503 to June 1504. Nearby, Juan de Esquivel founded Sevilla la Nueva, the first Spanish settlement in Jamaica.
Long before that, Saint Ann was one of the earliest-populated areas of the island, with Taíno settlement dating back to around 600–650 AD. Today it is Jamaica's largest parish, known as the Garden Parish for its natural beauty and celebrated as the birthplace of reggae legends. Have a Saint Ann story? Share it with the community!