BRIDGETOWN

capital and only port of entry of the island-state of Barbados, in the West Indies. It is on the southwestern end of the island, on the wide curve of Carlisle Bay. A built-up coastal strip stretches for several miles on each side of the town. The town, which was founded in 1628 and originally called Indian Bridge, provoked considerable criticism from early visitors because of its situation by a noxious swamp and its unplanned development. The name St. Michael's Town came into favour about 1660 and remained in use into the 19th century. Much of the town was destroyed repeatedly by fires, and in 1854 a cholera epidemic killed some 20,000 people. Bridgetown is a crowded and picturesque mixture of the old and new. St. Michael's Anglican Cathedral was built of coral rock, largely from the proceeds of a lottery to replace a building destroyed in a hurricane of 1780. Across Trafalgar Square (with a statue of the English admiral Lord Nelson) lies the Careenage, a narrow basin of the sea (also called the Constitution River) that houses dry docks and wharves. The Constitution River and the remnants of the swamp were filled in during 1962 and replaced with a canal. A deepwater harbour for commercial shipping, lying 0.75 mile (1.2 km) to the northwest, became operational in 1961. Government House dates from the early 18th century, and large modern ministerial buildings are by the shores of Carlisle Bay. Other notable landmarks include the Savannah, once the garrison parade ground, now used for race meetings and other gatherings; and Queen's Park, with its tropical vegetation. Bridgetown is the seat of Codrington College (affiliated with the University of Durham in England). Sugar refining and rum distilling, together with the port activity and a growing tourist trade, constitute the town's economic mainstays. Pop. (1985 est.) 7,466.