The same discussion carried on on TTOL, http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=802331&page=0&fpart=all&vc=1 and I participate actively in both giving some specifics information since I am really familiar with that particular bridge. He was (still is...) located across from our little cottage on Billy Folley Road, which was once upon the time a water front property.
Here below is a very valuable picture of the bridge in 1945. Everybody can see clearly the channel I was talking about, and also the fact that the lagoon was later one filled up to "improve development" and "gain land".. NO COMMENT!!!!!
Regarding the picture below, our little cottage was situated on the right of the picture (and of course is not visible) alongside the dirt road which was the original road from Philipsburg to Simpson Bay Village and became latter on "The Corner Road".
This is a picture taken from the back of our cottage in 2000... The red arrow indicate the location of the bridge which is about 100 feet only from the (late...) cottage just at the bottom of the Atrium's parking lot.
In this picture, below, taken also from the back of the cottage, you can see the "damages" made by development in comparison with the original picture of the Bridge... Also on this picture, it is interesting to see how people lived many years ago... The little building extension on the right of is the original bathroom. On the roof there is a reservoir which was conceived to retain water fro the shower. On the left of the picture, the flat concrete surface is the top of the cistern.
This is a picture from the front of the Cottage, when we bought it, and before we started renovation and before it became...
The Village Baker, on July 24th 2000... The first and only one French Bakery on the Dutch side.
Then I started a garden...
which grew... and William planted some Banana trees...
which grew too.... A lot!
here below are some view of the inside....
Then later one, The Village Baker had lived, since many "original" french people attracted by the idea decided to open some Bakeries all around us, we decided to open SPLASH, Fun Bar and Restaurant until we sold few years ago, to someone who resold immediately to a developer who leveled down the 1882's Caribbean cottage. In contrary to our belief, it wasn't one the list of patrimony and wasn't protected...
But, lets go back to the original topic of Heritage... Here below are few more interesting picture of "already" forgotten period of time....
The old Philipsburg Wharf in 1920 :
The Belvedere Plantation House in 1940 :
The Administration Building in Front street in 1960
Princess Juliana Airport in 1950 :
The Old Simpson Bay Church/School in 1940
The Old Hospital in Back street in 1915:
Princess Juliana Airport in 1950 :
The Old Simpson Bay Church/School in 1940
The Old Hospital in Back street in 1915:
I sincerely hope you enjoyed those pictures! They are treasure who help us to know and remember what St Martin was all about many years ago, before the destructive explosion of development.
7 comments:
Philippe,
Thank you so much for posting these photos. I am a newcomer to the Island, my first trip was in 2004. Its sad to see such destruction, but I guess until there are regulations in place, the government will allow this to continue. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to meeting you in several weeks at Capt. Olivers.
Be well,
Eileen
William, Thank you for the wonderful pictures !!! I really enjoyed them ! It would have been great to have 'known' this beautiful island way back then. Nancy
Hi Philippe
I am finally back in civilization with a decent internet connection and got a chance to check your blog.
what great old pictures.
where did you get them?
I need copies! LOL
thanks for posting them all.
we are almost home..
talk to you soon. B&D
I knew that small SXM style cottage before it was a bakery. A friend lived there and later on in the late 80's it was a playschool.
Great old pictures of my island that has changed dramatically over the past 40 years.I believe in change but not when we have to sacrifice nature and important heritage spots.
The garden was just beautiful when the French bakery was there.... these type of changes makes me sad, mad and take offend to many developers, real estage agents and our incompetent government.
Jadira
Hi Jadira,
I am glad you found my blog and you commented on it. I beleive we never in real, but we did had few contact regarding some sensitive environement issues, I try to fight for ( like when thye started to built this seawall on cupecoy, to name one of them...).
This really a shame of whats happening here... It is greed! nothing else... And the worse is that people of the island are not profiting ONE penny of the wealth which result from those developpement... When I say people from this island, there are of course few exceptions who are profiting, but we all know who they are, don't we?
Someday, I am thinking " we should never sell that cottage".. But we did for very particular reasons, (reasons that Barbara knows because I beleive we share with her why), and William is telling me "don't look back, don't hurt yourself..."
We put a lot of pride in restauring it, I put a lot of pride and love in that garden I planted... You are right it was beautiful (so beautiful in fact, that Andrea from La Vista, asked me at that time to design and do the landscaping of her newlly build La Vista Beach, which I gracioulsy did for her)
Kind regards, maybe one day we will meet
Philippe
Hi Philippe, I know it is too late and you should not beat yourself up but I am wondering if others can sell with conditions attached, such as a condition that the new owner has to keep the old cottage, may use it as a facade, or build around it.
I hate to pass there now and see some real esate sign with a picture of a grinning $$$$ real estate asshole offering to sell the land for a high rise.
These people have no heart and then they wonder why they are not liked by the locals.
Hoping to meet you one day too. By the way, I went to school with Andrea right here on SXM.
Jadira,
In fact I beleive that Andrea also knows why we sold... I trully beleived that the cottage was leved down for "nothing" because I don't think anybody will manage to built a highrise on that land... At least until most of the neighbours are alive. The actual owner is Sam (who owns Travel Inn) and I beleive he is in court, or going through a juridico showdown regarding the building.
We sold because during close to 4 years we were in court, defending ourselves and our property right against the most nasty neighbours we ever had... We won everysingle case, but it didn't stop them, and when they had exhausted all their juridical possibilities, they attempt to make thier own judgement... Death Threats, intimidation, attempt of poison our pets, attempt to trap our pets, property destruction, threat to burn us down, etc... after a while we were exhausted, drained, and decided it wasn't worth it. We took the decision to sell, we sold in four days with an offer, somehow we couldn't refuse. But, in my case, I still have a bitter taste in my mouth. I beleive the new owner is going through the same senario, it is why the lot is for sale again, but who eevr will own that lot, will have the same problem... except if the owner give up for free part of the land to one of the back neighbour for it's landscaping and illegal road. Another nasty bastard (excuse my French...) who came here from Boston many years ago and beleive he and his sons, owns the island... ( at least he is not totally wrong on that since his corrupted money bought and still buy many of the politicians..)
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