Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the Americas landed at the site of what is now Môle-Saint-Nicolas on December 6, 1492. The town received its present name after France gained control of the western part of Hispaniola in 1697. Vestiges of colonial forts can be found in several locations: Batteries de Vallières, Fort Georges, Saint-Charles, La Poudrière, Le Fort Allemand, Les Ramparts. Ruine Poudrière is an old magazine built sometime in the 1750s.
In 1764, after the Grand Dérangement had exiled thousands of Acadians from their northern homelands, there was an attempt by French authorities to settle them at Môle-Saint-Nicolas, to shore up France's most lucrative colony of Saint-Domingue and build a base that could be used by the French Navy. It was a disaster, thanks to disease and shortages of food; a visiting French official reported: "The greatest criminal would have preferred the Galleys to a torture session in this plague-stricken place."[1] Within a year, a reported 420 of the 700 Acadian settlers were dead, and most of the survivors fled to Louisiana shortly thereafter.[2]
In the summer of 1889 Frederick Douglass was appointed minister to Haiti by the Harrison administration. Instructions to Douglass included the encouragement of the acquisition of Môle-Saint-Nicolas for use as a U.S. naval coaling station for the American fleet. Douglass attempted to secure access to the site through a lease, presenting arguments emphasizing the mutual benefits to trade and the legitimization of Haitian sovereignty to the American public and administration. Any negotiations were scuttled by the intervention of the U.S. Navy (Secretary Blaine) and New York businessmen William P,. Clyde, who wished to establish monopoly steamship access to Haitian ports. Admiral Bancroft Gheradi was sent to "assist" in the negotiations and arrived in an American battleship in the harbor at Port-au-Prince, followed by additional warships arriving at other Haitian ports. Fiercely proud of their revolutionary heritage and national sovereignty, the Haitians were appalled by Gheradi's attitude and statements ("it was the destiny of the Môle to belong to the United States") and by Clyde's insistence that his company should have exclusive control of all Haitian commercial shipping.As a result the Haitians refused any control of the Môle or ports to the Americans. Douglass was attacked for his "failure" to secure the Môle, and finally resigned his position as a result of the military threats.The U.S. backed down from the confrontation, and seven years later secured Guantanomo Bay as a Naval base in the region.[3]
Demographicsedit
Môle-Saint-Nicolas has a population of about 4,000 people, with another 20,000 spread throughout the rural areas nearby. The town has running water from a run-of-river channel constructed in the 1970s, which feeds a reservoir above the town and is distributed via PVC pipes to spigots throughout the town.
Economyedit
People fishing with nets
Local fishing is a major industry in this part of the country. The production and distribution of wood charcoal is another major industry of the local people. There is a port for transporting charcoal to larger cities that utilizes wooden sailing vessels to transport the major fuel for cooking in Haiti. Charcoal production has devastated the original forest that once covered this area. The landscape surrounding Mole looks more like the high desert of Arizona than a lush tropical island that was first described to Europeans by Christopher Columbus. Tourism is still a growing sector with its natural beauty of fine white sandy beaches, caves, and wide bay sheltered from the winds, also a clear and bluish sea with corals where multitudes of multicolored fish live and an exotic and luxuriant panorama. Its streets are traced to cordeau and its colonial vestiges and fine gastronomy are also important.
Transportationedit
The road network of Haiti is in general decrepit, with roads in Nord-Ouest being no exception. However, in Môle-Saint-Nicolas itself, the roads are passable in a sturdy vehicle. There is a dirt airstrip, Môle-Saint-Nicolas Airport, to the north of the town which is serviced by two airlines: Mission Aviation Fellowship and Sunrise Airways.
Healthedit
A medical clinic in the town has been staffed by Slovakian volunteer doctors from a private university, since the end of 2006.
^Christopher Hodson (Spring 2007). ""A bondage so harsh": Acadian labor in the French Caribbean, 1763-1766". Early American Studies. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
^"Boston, March 4, 1765". The New-York Gazette. March 11, 1765. Retrieved 8 October 2021. By a Letter from Hispaniola, received since 4 last, dated January 10, we have further Advice of the Mortality among the Acadians, and that at that Time there were but 280 living out of 700.
^Blight, David W. (2018). Frederick Douglass: prophet of freedom. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN978-1-4165-9031-6. OCLC 1022622448.
External linksedit
Media related to Môle-Saint-Nicolas at Wikimedia Commons
January 01, 1970
môle, saint, nicolas, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, febru. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Mole Saint Nicolas news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message Mole Saint Nicolas French pronunciation mol sɛ nikɔla Haitian Creole Molsennikola or Omol is a commune in the north western coast of Haiti It is the chief town of the Mole Saint Nicolas Arrondissement in the department of Nord Ouest Mole Saint Nicolas Molsennikola or OmolCommuneThe town as seen from Presque IleMole Saint NicolasLocation in HaitiCoordinates 19 48 N 73 23 W 19 800 N 73 383 W 19 800 73 383CountryHaitiDepartmentNord OuestArrondissementMole Saint Nicolas Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Economy 4 Transportation 5 Health 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory edit nbsp Mole Saint Nicolas in 1780 Christopher Columbus first voyage to the Americas landed at the site of what is now Mole Saint Nicolas on December 6 1492 The town received its present name after France gained control of the western part of Hispaniola in 1697 Vestiges of colonial forts can be found in several locations Batteries de Vallieres Fort Georges Saint Charles La Poudriere Le Fort Allemand Les Ramparts Ruine Poudriere is an old magazine built sometime in the 1750s In 1764 after the Grand Derangement had exiled thousands of Acadians from their northern homelands there was an attempt by French authorities to settle them at Mole Saint Nicolas to shore up France s most lucrative colony of Saint Domingue and build a base that could be used by the French Navy It was a disaster thanks to disease and shortages of food a visiting French official reported The greatest criminal would have preferred the Galleys to a torture session in this plague stricken place 1 Within a year a reported 420 of the 700 Acadian settlers were dead and most of the survivors fled to Louisiana shortly thereafter 2 In the summer of 1889 Frederick Douglass was appointed minister to Haiti by the Harrison administration Instructions to Douglass included the encouragement of the acquisition of Mole Saint Nicolas for use as a U S naval coaling station for the American fleet Douglass attempted to secure access to the site through a lease presenting arguments emphasizing the mutual benefits to trade and the legitimization of Haitian sovereignty to the American public and administration Any negotiations were scuttled by the intervention of the U S Navy Secretary Blaine and New York businessmen William P Clyde who wished to establish monopoly steamship access to Haitian ports Admiral Bancroft Gheradi was sent to assist in the negotiations and arrived in an American battleship in the harbor at Port au Prince followed by additional warships arriving at other Haitian ports Fiercely proud of their revolutionary heritage and national sovereignty the Haitians were appalled by Gheradi s attitude and statements it was the destiny of the Mole to belong to the United States and by Clyde s insistence that his company should have exclusive control of all Haitian commercial shipping As a result the Haitians refused any control of the Mole or ports to the Americans Douglass was attacked for his failure to secure the Mole and finally resigned his position as a result of the military threats The U S backed down from the confrontation and seven years later secured Guantanomo Bay as a Naval base in the region 3 Demographics editMole Saint Nicolas has a population of about 4 000 people with another 20 000 spread throughout the rural areas nearby The town has running water from a run of river channel constructed in the 1970s which feeds a reservoir above the town and is distributed via PVC pipes to spigots throughout the town Economy edit nbsp People fishing with nets Local fishing is a major industry in this part of the country The production and distribution of wood charcoal is another major industry of the local people There is a port for transporting charcoal to larger cities that utilizes wooden sailing vessels to transport the major fuel for cooking in Haiti Charcoal production has devastated the original forest that once covered this area The landscape surrounding Mole looks more like the high desert of Arizona than a lush tropical island that was first described to Europeans by Christopher Columbus Tourism is still a growing sector with its natural beauty of fine white sandy beaches caves and wide bay sheltered from the winds also a clear and bluish sea with corals where multitudes of multicolored fish live and an exotic and luxuriant panorama Its streets are traced to cordeau and its colonial vestiges and fine gastronomy are also important Transportation editThe road network of Haiti is in general decrepit with roads in Nord Ouest being no exception However in Mole Saint Nicolas itself the roads are passable in a sturdy vehicle There is a dirt airstrip Mole Saint Nicolas Airport to the north of the town which is serviced by two airlines Mission Aviation Fellowship and Sunrise Airways Health editA medical clinic in the town has been staffed by Slovakian volunteer doctors from a private university since the end of 2006 nbsp Ruine Poudriere an 18th century French magazine nbsp Fishermen off of Mole Saint NicolasSee also editMole Saint Nicolas affairReferences edit Christopher Hodson Spring 2007 A bondage so harsh Acadian labor in the French Caribbean 1763 1766 Early American Studies Retrieved 8 October 2021 Boston March 4 1765 The New York Gazette March 11 1765 Retrieved 8 October 2021 By a Letter from Hispaniola received since 4 last dated January 10 we have further Advice of the Mortality among the Acadians and that at that Time there were but 280 living out of 700 Blight David W 2018 Frederick Douglass prophet of freedom New York Simon amp Schuster ISBN 978 1 4165 9031 6 OCLC 1022622448 External links edit nbsp Media related to Mole Saint Nicolas at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mole Saint Nicolas amp oldid 1184836312, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
