Belize City, Belize ~ January 30, 2005
This was our first evening in Belize. We had just landed, found our hotel, and wanted to see the area. As we turned away from the Caribbean to wander the streets, I imagined we would find some local neighborhood color. I didn't imagine until I saw the sign that we would stumble on the U.S. Embassy, so unassuming and unannounced.
When I looked it up online for this post, I learned that the historic building was demolished in 2011. The Colonial-style edifice was originally constructed in New England in 1866, dismantled, and sent to Belize as ballast in the hold of a ship. It began as a private home before the U.S. government bought it in the mid 1930s, and before it was demolished it was the last U.S. Embassy building made of wood still standing in the world. Who knew as we sauntered past it in 2005?
I wish I had a better photo to post, but I took only one. We were at the beginning of a trip where I knew I'd be taking a lot of photos. Remember how conserving we had to be of expensive SD card storage space?
9 comments:
That is really a shame, it looks like it was a nice building. We were just in Belize over the holidays! :)
I live so close to Belize and have still never been! Hope I have the money to go this or next year... and hope you are able to come too!
It's a nice looking building, but wood doesn't last well in the tropics. Yes, it's amazing how fast bigger memory has become available... it's about the only thing I can think of that has really become cheaper over the past half decade, along with computer products generally.
All I know of Belize City is the airport where I arrived from Guatemala and took flights to Placencia, Chan Chich and then Houston. I had no time to visit the city.
Hi Lee! I can't understand why this fine-looking structure would be demolished. Unless, of course, some private contractor with an "in" got the job as a payoff for helping one of our Congress people get elected...
Read more about the repairs, hurricanes and termite damage and the move to another city, and you will understand why this beautiful old home is being demolished. It is (was) the last wooden structure used as an Embassy in the world, if I remember correctly.
I meant the beautiful old house WAS demolished.
Too bad! Belize is one of a very few countries where my surname exists.
Too bad! Belize is one of a very few countries where my surname exists.
Post a Comment