A Short History of Portmore
By Kennedy Reid (2003) | Edited by Joneil J. Alcock (2011)
PART 1- Early Settlement and Transportation
The first settlers in the area we call Portmore were the Arawaks (Tainos). They exploited the fishing and hunting opportunities in Portmore. They came into the area around 900-1200 A.D. Evidence of their presence were found at Port Henderson Hill, Rodney's House, Wreck Point, and the Salt Ponds in Hellshire and at Naggo Head.
When the Spanish arrived, they did not use the area very much as it was relatively inhospitable. However, Passage Fort was the first real active part of the area as it was the trans-shipment point between Spanish Town and the main harbour (later known as Kingston Harbour).
In 1655, the English under Penn and Venables landed in Passage Fort and captured Jamaica from the Spanish. They apportioned the lands between themselves and by the 1700s, "Portmore" was covered in Pens (These are small estates devoted to supplying goods and services to larger sugar estates, towns and forts). Along the coast, they established fortifications (forts) for defense of the island (eg. Fort Augusta and Apostle's Battery). In Portmore, the Pens supplied a variety of grass (eg. guinea gras), fire wood (eg. cashow), brick, timbre, salt, speed and food for slaves. Passage Fort remained a trans-shipment port and a vital link between Spanish Town, Port Royal and Kingston.
During the era of sugar production, the population numbered about 400 full-time militia, 2,000 Europeans and 2,000 Africans in bondage. The area from Passage Fort to Naggo Head was one Pen called the Salt Pond Pen. On this property, where Independence City now stands, was a "Great House."
In the 1760s, Spanish Town was in need of a better port since Passage Fort became silted. John Henderson developed Port Henderson in response and successfully negotiated a grant from the Government to build the area. He started "tourism" by promoting a mineral bath at the Port. The introduction of trains in the 1840s saw the decline of Port Henderson and the emergence of Gregory Park as the more important transport point.
