The Fort George Area in 1967, including the old Customs Headquarters and the office of the United Fruit Company

May 21, 2022

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Almost the same proximity, give or take a few decade's, but same metal fence to the right. Photo by Rachel Smith.

Back of the customs house.

Fort Street Belize City, 1930s. That beautiful historic building is now the home of Ms. Martha Williams. The building belonged to the late Mike Williams. It was the office of United Fruit Company then United Brands, then it housed the Euro Caribe Shipping Agencies offices. Greta Martha Williams: It was built in 1913. It is our beloved home. I take very good care of it. The floors are beautiful. High ceilings. Large rooms. Truly one of the treasured historic buildings in Belize situated at such a beautiful location. It no longer houses Eurocaribe office. It's the William's residence. A treasure we don't take for granted.

1969 Fort George postcard.

Fort George, right after the hurricane in 1931.

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It is saddening to reflect that no great ancient races inhabited these lovely Isles, that no great man ever lived, and laboured, and worked, and fought, and died, and left a name for posterity to honour and to cherish as a ‘household word’; that no time-honoured tower or world-famed temple, or pilgrim haunted shrine ever stood on yonder cape—in short, that the past is all a blank.

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The Fort George Area in 1967, including the old Customs Headquarters and the office of the United Fruit Company

This is a photo of the Fort George Area, near the grave of Baron Bliss grave and the lighthouse. The building in the centre is the old Customs Headquarters. The building with the flag was the office of the United Fruit Company. It later housed the offices of United Brands then Euro Caribe Shipping Agencies, the home base of Chiquita Bananas. It used to be run by Mike Williams. It was owned by the late Michael Mike Williams. A portion of the Baron Bliss Park (Animal Park) can be seen.

Further down the street was where the Customs Department was. Also the warehouses for the various Shipping Agents. In front of the Customs Department was the Militia Hall where the Volunteer Guards Headquarters was.

Custom boat house wharf, Shed 2 in the background. Heron H and other boats parked here, In this photo are The Honduran, Heron H and Suyapa.

in the days when this photo was taken this was one of the most active hub of activities in Belize City. All cargo arriving by sea were stored in five sheds directly behind the Customs Headquarters (Today's Tourist Village). There was nothing in the park with the exception of two sets of swings. The iron fence in the right foreground is the park across from Baron Bliss' grave and lighthouse.

The United Fruit Company, later Eurocaribe Shipping Services had Mr and Mrs Williams as owners. Mr Kent Bradley, Mr Backe Usher, Lionel Eck, Marion Gabb, Joseito Sosa, Janitor Karl Bladen all worked there.

The cargo sheds at Fort George. Before the Port Of Belize came into existence cargo ships used to anchor in the Belize City Harbour. Their cargoes, which came in bulk, were then loaded onto deck barges then brought to the five cargo sheds which were located at Fort George (today's Tourist Village). There was also a sixth shed known as The Queen's Bonded Warehouse which was adjacent to Shed #5. Photo shows a Deck Barge in front of one of one of the sheds. In the background you have two of the Belize government boats, the "Lolett" and the "Lady Patricia." Tied to the "Lolett" is the tender launch "Curlu."

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