Page 52 - Liberia Exhibit Magazine Issue1
P. 52
HistoricalSites
Providence Island
– AN ECONOMIC TIME BOMB
WAITING TO EXPLODE
Nicknamed the Door of Return, Providence Island located in
the heart of Monrovia and about 500 meters away from the
bay mouth of the Atlantic Ocean, is the landing site for freed
emancipated slaves that settled in what would become Africa’s
first republic - Liberia. The historicity of the island makes it an
economic time bomb waiting to explode.
Providence Island, formerly known as side. When viewed from the air, this historical site
Dozoa, has hydrological and geophysi- would present a geophysical shape of a guitar
cal distinctiveness that define the west- stretched across 11.22 acres of land enclosed by
ern fling of the Mesurado River with sparingly the Mesurado River and Stockton Creek.
divided mangrove swamps at it southeastern
This site, covered by a cement pillar and con-
crete floor believed to be the first
concrete work in Liberia’s history,
is home to the oldest cotton tree of
250 years.
In milieu of contemporary history, a
metal tree exists at the site symbol-
izing the need for peace after many
years of strife with the Island on
its south over flung by the Gabriel
Tucker Bridge that grants easy ac-
cess to the site as well as few newly
built brick huts and a palaver hut in
reminiscent of the structures built
during the freed slaves era.
Undoubtedly, this Island exudes
historical and cultural significance
in the history of West Africa as the
land was one of the first places freed
slaves landed on January 1, 1822. It
also bears testimony to the reversal
of the no point of return when slaves
were forcibly taken to the Americas
with no hope of coming back.
Originally Dozoa which mean Land
in the middle of water in the Gola
52 LIBERIA EXHIBIT | JANUARY - JUNE
Providence Island
– AN ECONOMIC TIME BOMB
WAITING TO EXPLODE
Nicknamed the Door of Return, Providence Island located in
the heart of Monrovia and about 500 meters away from the
bay mouth of the Atlantic Ocean, is the landing site for freed
emancipated slaves that settled in what would become Africa’s
first republic - Liberia. The historicity of the island makes it an
economic time bomb waiting to explode.
Providence Island, formerly known as side. When viewed from the air, this historical site
Dozoa, has hydrological and geophysi- would present a geophysical shape of a guitar
cal distinctiveness that define the west- stretched across 11.22 acres of land enclosed by
ern fling of the Mesurado River with sparingly the Mesurado River and Stockton Creek.
divided mangrove swamps at it southeastern
This site, covered by a cement pillar and con-
crete floor believed to be the first
concrete work in Liberia’s history,
is home to the oldest cotton tree of
250 years.
In milieu of contemporary history, a
metal tree exists at the site symbol-
izing the need for peace after many
years of strife with the Island on
its south over flung by the Gabriel
Tucker Bridge that grants easy ac-
cess to the site as well as few newly
built brick huts and a palaver hut in
reminiscent of the structures built
during the freed slaves era.
Undoubtedly, this Island exudes
historical and cultural significance
in the history of West Africa as the
land was one of the first places freed
slaves landed on January 1, 1822. It
also bears testimony to the reversal
of the no point of return when slaves
were forcibly taken to the Americas
with no hope of coming back.
Originally Dozoa which mean Land
in the middle of water in the Gola
52 LIBERIA EXHIBIT | JANUARY - JUNE
