Rum Cay

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Rum Cay, first known as Mamana by the Lucayan Indians and also named Santa Maria de la Conception Island, is a small, sparsely populated island, located 20 miles southwest of San Salvador, and 185 miles southeast of Nassau. It is appr. 30 square miles in size, 9.5 miles long by 5 miles wide, and mainly flat, but has a few rolling hills rising to about 130 feet.

It was visited by Europeans (Cristoforo Colombo, from Genoa) on 14 October 1492 then later settled by Moses & Andrew Deveaux, Loyalist planters during the 18th century, Rum Cay was once famous for salt and pineapples. The mid to late 1800’s brought prosperity. The population grew to over 5,000 citizens. Natural disasters, such as the 1926 hurricane, have all taken their toll and today tourism and second home ownership is the main source of employment. In the early 1900s the numerous settlements were serviced by five roads around the island. On the north coast, Port Boyd, with it's church and cemetery was a farming community. West, on the hills facing north, is Gin Hill. Several prominent ruins are still visible from the ground and air. Carmichael, on the west end, was known for the pineapple plantations. Times Cove, Black Rock, Monroe, and Nicholas Village, are now only distant memories. The few remains of Cotton Field Point will soon succumb to the new developments.

Only about 60 people live in the one remaining settlement, Port Nelson, on the south coast, and the virtual wilderness of the remainder of the island provides excellent opportunities for nature exploration. The Deveaux family currently owns the majority of land assets on the island and has donated and sold land to the Bahamas government for the establishment of the island first international airport.