About Abaco

A bit of Abaco history

The first inhabitants of Abaco were the Lucayan Indians. They were unfortunately captured as slaves by the Spanish after Columbus discovered the Bahamas, and they were exterminated by 1520. It took 130 years before the next known permanent settlements. The pirates might have had temporary settlements in order to do their pirating on English and Spanish ships. 

In 1593 a Spanish fleet of 17 ships was wrecked off Abaco. English and French pirates and freebooters had begun preying on Spanish vessels north of Cuba. Ownership of the Bahamas passed back and forth between Spain and Great Britain for 150 years, until British ownership was established by treaty in 1783, when Great Britain ceded East Florida to Spain, receiving the Bahamas in return.

In August of 1783, about 1500 Loyalists left New York and moved to Abaco. They settled on a small, sandy harbor near Treasure Cay. They planned and built the town of Carleton. Disputes over food distribution and having been misled about the resources available, separated this group in two, and the second part founded a rival town near Marsh Harbour called Maxwell. Other settlements on the islands were Green Turtle Cay, Man-o-War Cay, and Sandy Point. In the 1790s, a group of Loyalists from the Carolinas arrived on the islands via Florida, founding the isolated settlement of Cherokee Sound.

Abaco Today

Calm waters, warm breezes, panoramic beauty and a relaxed pace and life style make this 120-mile long chain of islands a boating and sailing paradise. But it's not just the sea that attracts travelers from around the world. Those who prefer to explore by land will find championship golf courses on Treasure Cay, charming colonial towns on Green Turtle Cay and Elbow Cay, and countless hotels, restaurants and bars are spread throughout The Abacos.

The Abaco Islands boast important coral reef areas, barrier-island terrestrial habitats and notable species of birds.

Abacos as hit by hurricane Dorian in 2019, and there are still a lot of rebuilding remaining. The Abacos are a group of islands stretching over 650 square miles. The coastlines have beach, rocks, bays, coves and protected harbors that feature full-service marinas and resorts. Great Abaco Island with Marsh Harbour, the "Capitol" of Abaco, serves as the "mainland." The international airport is only an 8 minute drive from town. Marsh Harbour has its own government building, a small hospital (clinic really) restaurants, liquor stores and a few shops. The harbor area used to be especially attractive, with several marinas and protected docking for boats lying for anchor. Bars and restaurants are being rebuilt there, but it will still take some time.