Philatelic Photograph: Gregory Arch - Nassau, Bahamas

Gregory Arch

Nassau, Bahamas

N 25° 04.526 W 077° 20.621

Short Description: 

Gregory Arch is located on E. Hill Street as it crosses Market Street in Nassau.

Facing South

Long Description:

Gregory Arch is named in honor of John Gregory who was the Royal Governor from 1849 to 1854. This historic landmark was built in 1852 and separates downtown Nassau from the Over-the-Hill neighborhood of Grant's Town and Bain Town where most of Nassau's population lives.

The 20' high arch is carved out of the coral limestone that underlies much of the island. E. Hill Street is on top of the arch while Market Street passes underneath.

The stamp was issued by Bahamas in 1998 as part of a block of four stamps and a souvenir sheet, depicting various sights, issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of independence.

Philatelic Photograph: Christ Church Cathedral - Nassau, Bahamas

Christ Church Cathedral

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.642; W 077° 20.662

Short Description: 

Christ Church Cathedral is located at George Street between Bay and Duke Streets in downtown Nassau.

Long Description:

Christ Church Cathedral is the "Mother Church" of all of the Anglican churches in the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The first church building for the Parish of Christ Church was built near the present site between 1670 and 1684. In 1754 the wooden church was replaced by a church built in the Gothic style of locally quarried limestone blocks. The characteristic square tower was built in 1830 to replace a steeple that had become too dangerous.

Entrance

In 1834, the legislature passed an Act to enlarge the church and connected it to the square tower. Construction was completed in 1841. In 1861, the church building was extended eastward to include the present sanctuary and part of the choir. This represents the fifth version of the church. In the same year Nassau became a city and the Christ Church Parish Church became a Cathedral.

The east window which depict the Crucifixion in the center panel, the Empty Tomb and the Ascension in the two side panels was made in France by M. Fassi-Cadet of Nice and was a gift from Charles A. Munroe, an American who spent many years in the Bahamas. They were given in memory of his son, Lieutenant Logan Munroe, who died in active duty in the Second World War in the South Pacific on June 16th, 1945. The windows were unveiled and dedicated in March, 1949.

East Window

During the 1990's the pews were replaced with mahogany replicas of the original pews. The cement floor was covered with granite tiles imported from Italy. Hand crafted stained-glass windows were installed on the on the northern and southern sides of the Cathedral.

The stamp was issued by the Bahamas in 1962 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the City of Nassau (1861 - 1961).

Philatelic Photograph: Government House - Nassau, Bahamas

Government House

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.573; W077° 20.673

Short Description: 

Government House is the official residence of the Governor General of the Bahamas. It is located where Duke Street intersects George Street.

Long Description:

The Georgian Colonial style Government House was built in 1806, of pink painted stucco and coral rock, on the hill known as Mount Fitzwilliam. The cost of the building was about 20,000 pounds. It was built on the site of the former home of Governor Richard Fitzwilliam that was built in 1727 and a neoclassical structure that replaced the older home from 1803 to 1806.

In 1909 the east wing was added. The building require repair after the hurricane of 1929 and the façade's pedimented entrance and four Ionic columns was added during the 1930s. A statue of Christopher Columbus which stands at the north steps leading to the entrance.

From 1940 through 1941, Government House renovated at a cost of $21,000 by the Duchess of Windsor, whose husband, King Edward VIII was the Governor of the Bahamas from 1940 to 1945. The architect for the renovation was the American, Sidney Neil.

The stamp was issued, in 1978, as part of a miniature sheet of four stamps commemorating Bahamian architectural heritage.

Philatelic Photograph: Nassau Public Library - Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau Public Library

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.579; W077° 20.431

Short Description: 

The Nassau Public Library is located on the south side of Parliament Square near Shirley Street.

Front Entrance of Library

Long Description:

Nassau Public Library is housed in the only octagonal historic building in The Bahamas. The structure was built by Joseph Eve between 1798 and 1800. It originally served as a jail and correctional work house. The building is four stories high and constructed of locally quarried stone.

In 1873, a new prison was built and the present building was converted to the Nassau Public Library. The original jail cells are now alcoves lined with bookshelves. The lower floor holds the children's library, adult fiction, paperback novels, and public computers. The upper floor houses the non-fiction and reference book collections as well as a display of Bahamian artifacts. The third level is used to store old artifacts.

The Nassau Library is governed by a seven member Board of Trustees. The Nassau Public Library is headed by Mrs. Winifred Murphy and has a staff of four. It is the Bahamian and international resource center for primary, high school, and tertiary level students. It has more than 5,000 subscribers.

The stamp was issued, in 1978, as part of a miniature sheet of four stamps commemorating Bahamian architectural heritage.

Philatelic Photograph: Supreme Court Building - Nassau, Bahamas

Supreme Court Building

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.623; W077° 20.433

Short Description: 

The Bahamas Supreme Court Building is located behind the Senate Building in the center of Parliament Square.

South Side of Supreme Court Building

Long Description:

The Supreme Court of The Bahamas was established by the Supreme Court Act of 1896. The Supreme Court Building was completed in 1921 in the park-like area south of the older (1815) public building complex. The Neo-Georgian structure is similar in design to the Central Public Buildings. The building is painted pink with white trim and green shutters matching the older buildings. The most distinguishing feature is the portico entrance that has four doric columns and a circular window in the pediment.

The Supreme Court and the Magistrate's Court occupy the ground floor. The Registry, Jury Room, Chief Justice, Attorney General's Chambers, and the Law Library are on the second floor.

The stamp was issued by Bahamas in 1998 as part of a block of four stamps and a souvenir sheet, depicting various sights, issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of independence.

Philatelic Photograph: 200th Anniversary of the General Assembly Plaque - Nassau, Bahamas

200th Anniversary of the General Assembly Plaque

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.663; W077° 20.434

Short Description:

The plaque commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the General Assembly is located at the entrance to the House of Assembly in Nassau's Parliament Square.

Long Description:

Plaque is on the Left of the Entrance

House of Assembly

A shield shaped plaque on the left side of the entrance to the House of Assembly building commemorates the 200th anniversary of the creation of the General Assembly. The plaque has a bas relief image of a three masted sailing ship at the top. Above the ship is the fascinating Latin inscription:

EXPULSIS PIRATIS – RESTITUTA COMMERCIA

(Pirates Expelled – Commerce Restored)

Below is the commemoration:

1729-1929 

TO COMMEMORATE THE 

CREATION OF THE GENERAL

ASSEMBLY BY HIS MAJESTY

KING GEORGE THE SECOND AS THE RESULT OF THE EFFORTS OF

GOVERNOR WOODES ROGERS 

AND ALSO

THE FIRST MEETINGS OF

THAT ASSEMBLY ON THE

29TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER

1729

The stamp was issued on September 27, 1979 as part of a set of four stamps commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Parliament of the Bahamas.

Philatelic Photograph: House of Assembly - Nassau, Bahamas

House of Assembly

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.663; W077° 20.434

Short Description: 

The House of Assembly is located on Bay and Parliament Streets at the northwest corner of Parliament Square in downtown Nassau.

Long Description:

The General Assembly of the Bahamas was created by King George II at the behest of Governor Woodes Rogers. The first meetings of the general Assembly took place on September 29, 1729.

In the late eighteenth century thousands of American Loyalists and their slaves to the Bahamas emigrated to Nassau following the American Revolutionary War. These Loyalists soon became the majority population. They constructed the House of Assembly building at its present location in Parliament Square in 1815.

The two storey building exhibits colonial Neo-Georgian architecture. It is painted pink, has white trim and green shutters. It houses the 32 member members of parliament that are elected by the people of the country. On the left side of the stamp is a marble statue of Queen Victoria which was erected on her birthday May 24, 1905.

The stamp was issued in 2009 as the single stamp of a souvenir sheet commemorating the 60th anniversary of the commonwealth.