Nevis Historical and Conservation Society
Encyclopedia
The Nevis Historical and Conservation Society (NHCS) is a nonprofit non-governmental organization based in the Caribbean
island of Nevis
, which is part of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, in the Leeward Islands
, West Indies.
The NHCS was founded in 1980, and is charged with protecting the cultural and natural heritage of Nevis. The mission of the society is "to conserve the natural, cultural and historic fabric of the Island of Nevis and her surrounding sea for all its people." http://www.nevis-nhcs.org/
The organization is funded through local and international memberships, donations, museum admissions and sales, annual fundraising events, and an endowment fund.
In the years since it was founded, the NHCS has become one of the most respected organizations of its kind in the Caribbean. It has instituted projects and policies designed not only to preserve the island's unique history and environment, but also to make that heritage accessible and intelligible to locals and visitors alike.
The NHCS maintains two museums on the island.
This museum is located in the Hamilton House, on the waterfront near the center of Charlestown
, the capital of Nevis. Hamilton House is a restored Georgian
building. The American statesman Alexander Hamilton
is believed to have been born in this house and lived there during his childhood. The museum features a presentation about his life and times.
The upper floor of Hamilton House hosts the current Nevis Island Government's Legislative Offices, The Nevis Island Assembly
.
When Nelson was a young sea captain, he was stationed on Nevis during the mid 1780s. In 1787 he married Frances (Fanny) Nesbit, a young widow who was a Nevis plantation owner's daughter-in-law.
The Biodiversity and Oral History Projects are jointly funded by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO
; the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CIDA
); the British High Commission (Barbados
); and The Strabon Project (French Embassy, Saint Lucia
).
One of the unique aspects of these two projects is that local high school students perform most of the work. During the process they learn technical and scientific skills from NHCS staff and other experts in a wide variety of disciplines, including but not limited to, archaeology, marine and terrestrial biology, botany, GPS/GIS mapping and surveying techniques, still and video photography, website design and maintenance, video editing and production, and desktop publishing.
In 2000, the society published a 69-page book entitled The Natural History of the Island of Nevis. http://www.biology.uco.edu/PersonalPages/Bassweb/Vitae.html
In 1989, the NHCS published a 56-page booklet The Birds of Nevis written by Paul Hilder. The list of species included in that publication has now been considerably expanded and updated, see the relevant NHCS website pages: http://www.bio-diversity-nevis.org/new_page_2.htm, and the PDF list at http://www.bio-diversity-nevis.org/images/Nevis%20Birds/Birds%20of%20Nevis%20Check%20List.pdf.
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
island of Nevis
Nevis
Nevis is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 350 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The 93 km² island is part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies...
, which is part of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, in the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
, West Indies.
The NHCS was founded in 1980, and is charged with protecting the cultural and natural heritage of Nevis. The mission of the society is "to conserve the natural, cultural and historic fabric of the Island of Nevis and her surrounding sea for all its people." http://www.nevis-nhcs.org/
The organization is funded through local and international memberships, donations, museum admissions and sales, annual fundraising events, and an endowment fund.
In the years since it was founded, the NHCS has become one of the most respected organizations of its kind in the Caribbean. It has instituted projects and policies designed not only to preserve the island's unique history and environment, but also to make that heritage accessible and intelligible to locals and visitors alike.
The NHCS maintains two museums on the island.
The Alexander Hamilton Museum
Charlestown, Saint Kitts and Nevis
Charlestown is the capital of the island of Nevis, in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Leeward Islands, West Indies. Charlestown is situated on the leeward side of the island of Nevis, near the southern end of Pinneys Beach....
, the capital of Nevis. Hamilton House is a restored Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
building. The American statesman Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
is believed to have been born in this house and lived there during his childhood. The museum features a presentation about his life and times.
The upper floor of Hamilton House hosts the current Nevis Island Government's Legislative Offices, The Nevis Island Assembly
Nevis Island Assembly
The Nevis Island Assembly is the local legislative body for the island of Nevis.The Assembly has a total of eight members. Five are directly elected in single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system. Three are appointed...
.
The Nelson Museum
The NHCS also maintains another museum, located just to the southeast of Charlestown at Bellevue. This facility houses the Nevis Island Archives of historical records. It also features an extensive collection of Admiral Horatio Nelson memorabilia.When Nelson was a young sea captain, he was stationed on Nevis during the mid 1780s. In 1787 he married Frances (Fanny) Nesbit, a young widow who was a Nevis plantation owner's daughter-in-law.
Joan Robinson Biodiversity and Oral History Resource Centre
The Bellevue facility also houses the Joan Robinson Biodiversity and Oral History Resource Centre, which was opened on April 22nd, 2009, and which currently consists of two laboratories. One is dedicated to recording and preserving the flora and fauna of Nevis and the other is a video editing suite, which is designed to preserve the oral history of the island by digitally recording the oldest people on the island, to preserve their memories of life on Nevis during the early parts of the 20th century.The Biodiversity and Oral History Projects are jointly funded by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
; the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CIDA
CIDA
Things known by the initialism CIDA include:* Canadian International Development Agency* Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomia, Venezuelan institute of astronomical investigation* CIDA City Campus* Council for Interior Design Accreditation...
); the British High Commission (Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
); and The Strabon Project (French Embassy, Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
).
One of the unique aspects of these two projects is that local high school students perform most of the work. During the process they learn technical and scientific skills from NHCS staff and other experts in a wide variety of disciplines, including but not limited to, archaeology, marine and terrestrial biology, botany, GPS/GIS mapping and surveying techniques, still and video photography, website design and maintenance, video editing and production, and desktop publishing.
NHCS publications
The society puts out a quarterly newsletter, "The Gathering", which details its current and ongoing projects.In 2000, the society published a 69-page book entitled The Natural History of the Island of Nevis. http://www.biology.uco.edu/PersonalPages/Bassweb/Vitae.html
In 1989, the NHCS published a 56-page booklet The Birds of Nevis written by Paul Hilder. The list of species included in that publication has now been considerably expanded and updated, see the relevant NHCS website pages: http://www.bio-diversity-nevis.org/new_page_2.htm, and the PDF list at http://www.bio-diversity-nevis.org/images/Nevis%20Birds/Birds%20of%20Nevis%20Check%20List.pdf.
External links
- NHCS website: http://www.nevis-nhcs.org/
- The NHCS biodiversity project website: http://www.bio-diversity-nevis.org/
- The NHCS Nevis Oral History & Verbal Patrimony Project website: http://www.nevisoralhistory.org/
- The Nevis Strabon Project: http://www.saint-kitts-nevis.strabon-caraibes.org/
- The St. Kitts & Nevis Observer, NHCS Holds GPS/GIS Training: http://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/apr0309/news10a.htm
- The Leeward Times, NHCS Opens New Resource Centre: http://www.leewardstimes.net/jla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=434:nhcs-launches-nevis-biodiversity-a-oral-history-resource-centre&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50