The area around San Fernando’s waterfront was originally an Amerindian settlement. The hill against which the village   developed was considered a holy mountain, the resting place of the spirits of the dead and an important point of the triangle of sites sacred to the Amerindians. For centuries it remained a fishing village.

In the late eighteenth century, San Fernando’s trade entered and left the city. The ferries between Port of Spain and San Fernando from as early as governor Sir Ralph Woodford’s time docked at King’s Wharf. In 1813 the first ferry was introduced, followed by the Paria in 1837 and the Lady Mcleod in 1839. The Lady Mcleod was on the first postage stamp issued in the British Colonies. Her wreck lies off the coast of San Fernando City Hall. In 1853 Lord Harris inaugurated the La Brea and Cedros route.

San Fernando became even more accessible when Trinidad Government Railways opened its line in 1892 to the station built on the waterfront. The station is an important part of San Fernando’s architectural heritage, with its Victorian cast iron structure. Many of the other buildings date from the early eighteenth century and many attempts have been made to preserve what remains.

Recently there have been attempts to introduce a ferry service San Fernando, known as Trinidad and Tobago’s Industrial Capital, and Venezuela. A regular ferry service was re-introduced between Port of Spain and San Fernando in 2009.

Address: King Street

Town/City: San Fernando

Region: San Fernando

Site Type: Cultural Heritage

Ownership: Public

Public Accessibility: Limited Access

Cultural Community:

Site Features: Other Landmarks