The History of St Elizabeth Parish
Introduction
St Elizabeth, one of Jamaica’s oldest parishes, was established in 1671 as part of the second group of parishes created after English colonization. Initially vast, the parish included much of western Jamaica, but boundary adjustments over the years reduced it to its current size of 1,212.4 square kilometers. Today, it is Jamaica’s second-largest parish and is situated in the southwest, bordered by Westmoreland, Manchester, St James, Trelawny, and the Caribbean Sea.
Known for its rich history, St Elizabeth boasts 37 recorded Taino sites, reflecting the legacy of Jamaica’s first inhabitants. The parish’s diverse geography, including mountain ranges like the Santa Cruz Mountains, fertile plains, and the Black River, shaped its development as Jamaica’s “breadbasket parish.”
