Providence Island

Providence Island sits at the mouth of the Mesurado river in Monrovia and is where the first party of freed and free-born Black Americans came ashore in 1822 to found what became Liberia, on ground that had been a slave-trading point before. A cotton tree, monuments and the remains of early buildings stand on it. The island has been neglected for long periods and restoration has come and gone.

History

After several failed attempts to settle on the Pepper Coast, the American Colonization Society sent the agents Robert F. Stockton and Eli Ayers to negotiate with local chiefs, and the Ducor Contract was agreed at Cape Mesurado. The first settlement was made on Dozoa Island, renamed Perseverance and later Providence, and in 2017 Liberia nominated the island for UNESCO listing (Wikipedia, Providence Island, Liberia).

What's there

• The landing site - the ground the 1822 settlers came ashore on.
• The old cotton tree - the tree the settlers are said to have gathered under.
• The monuments - the markers recording the foundation.
• The river mouth - the Mesurado meeting the sea beside the island.

When to go

November to April is the dry season. The heavy rains from May to October make the island difficult. Mornings are cooler.

What to expect

The island has been badly neglected and much of it is overgrown or built over. Restoration projects have started and stalled repeatedly. There is little interpretation.

Nearby

Monrovia's centre is across the bridge, and the waterfront runs alongside.

Key facts