| As any Bahamas vacation guide will tell | | | | Dillet, a native of Haiti who came to |
| you, there are a wide variety of Bahamas | | | | the Bahamas with his mother, Hester |
| attractions to choose from, should you | | | | Argo, and his two brothers. The son of |
| get tired of splashing around at the | | | | reputed French Army officer, Ettienne |
| beach. Among the most popular Bahamas | | | | Dillet, Stephen made a great impact on |
| attractions are the following: | | | | Bahamian History. In 1833, Stephen |
| Casinos | | | | Dillet became the first coloured person |
| Isle of Capri, Royal Palm Way, Lucaya, | | | | in the history of The Bahamas to win an |
| Grand Bahama | | | | election as the representative for the |
| A full range of slot machines and table | | | | Town of Nassau, winning seven |
| games, together with eleven restaurants. | | | | consecutive elections. |
| BahamasRoyal Oasis, Sunrise Highway & | | | | 1851 |
| East Mall Drive, Freeport, Grand Bahama | | | | In 1851, Mr. Dillet was appointed to the |
| Plenty of slot machines, table games and | | | | post of Post Master General, as well as |
| restos to while the day or night away. | | | | Inspector of the Police Force, at that |
| Atlantis, Casino Drive, Paradise Island | | | | time the highest ranking position in the |
| Open 24 hours. Slots and tables. | | | | Force. Mr. Stephen Dillet was also a |
| Breezes, West Bay Street, Cable Beach, | | | | leading figure in free masonry, heading |
| New Providence Island | | | | what is now known as the Royal Victoria |
| Slots only, restaurants, disco. | | | | Lodge. He was also a vestryman in Christ |
| Museums | | | | Church Cathedral, a community leader and |
| Pompey Museum, Bay Street, Nassau, New | | | | successful businessman. At one point, |
| Providence Island | | | | Mr. Dillet also served as the Coroner of |
| Artefacts from the slavery era on the | | | | the Bahamas. |
| first floor with an art gallery | | | | 1880 |
| featuring Bahamian artists on the second | | | | Mr. Stephen Dillet died in 1880 at |
| floor. | | | | Balcony House. He bequeathed the |
| Balcony House is about 220 years old and | | | | property to his wife, Charlotte, and his |
| is the oldest existing wooden | | | | daughter, Charlotte Augusta. |
| residential building in The Bahamas. The | | | | 1899 |
| balcony, from which the House derives | | | | In 1899, Stephen Dillet’s widow |
| its name, overlooks Market St. (formerly | | | | Charlotte died, leaving their daughter, |
| Prison Lane), supported by wooden knee | | | | Charlotte Augusta, as the sole owner of |
| braces--a signature architectural | | | | the property. |
| feature of the 18th century loyalists. | | | | 1913 |
| The Central Bank of The Bahamas acquired | | | | Charlotte Augusta Dillet died in 1913. |
| the House in 1985, and later commenced | | | | The house was willed to Mr. Alexander |
| its restoration. In conjunction with the | | | | Martin Cunningham, friend and |
| Department of National Archives, the | | | | nephew-in-law, of Mrs. Charlotte Dillet. |
| property was opened as the Balcony House | | | | 1943 |
| Museum in 1994. | | | | Mr. Cunningham died in 1943, and the |
| The structure retains most of its | | | | property sold as was his wish with the |
| original construction with the | | | | proceeds repatriated to his sister in |
| foundation made of concrete. The | | | | London. |
| building itself was built from American | | | | 1944 |
| cedar weather boarding and the interior | | | | On 31st January 1944, the property was |
| sealed with Abaco pine, generally known | | | | conveyed to the Victory Hall |
| as Tongue and Groove or T and G. The | | | | Corporation. In the same year it was |
| concrete foundation raises the building | | | | mortgaged for the sum of L1,000 to |
| off of the ground, done purposefully to | | | | Bahamas Investments Ltd. |
| allow for better ventilation. | | | | 1947 |
| Additionally the House’s open-joist | | | | Soon after the mortgage settlement in |
| ceiling was designed especially to keep | | | | 1947, the property was leased to the |
| the wood construction dry. | | | | Hon. William Maxwell Aitken, Baron of |
| The structure boasts a mahogany | | | | Beaverbrook & Cherkley. The property was |
| staircase, reportedly salvaged from a | | | | later sold to Mrs. Marie Josephine |
| wrecked ship. A number of the original | | | | Bryce, a wealthy American woman and |
| accessory components are still in place | | | | major shareholder in the chain of A & P |
| today. Among them, are the original | | | | foodstores in the U.S.A. |
| windows, special ‘L’ shaped door | | | | Mrs. Bryce hired Grace Richards Inc., a |
| hinges--designed to prevent doors from | | | | New York interior design firm, to |
| leaning or ‘one-sidedness’, | | | | redesign the interior of the House. By |
| doorknobs, locks and keys. Even the | | | | the mid 1970s, Mrs. Bryce had stopped |
| actual hooks, which hoisted the hammock | | | | visiting The Bahamas, leaving the House |
| that once adorned the celebrated | | | | in care of her maid, Mrs. Rosalie |
| balcony, still remain. On the grounds an | | | | Armbrister. |
| old slave kitchen stands, with its | | | | 1985 |
| original fire hearth still in tact. The | | | | In 1985, the Central Bank of The Bahamas |
| horse’s stable was remodelled into | | | | acquired Balcony House and its property. |
| what is now the Museum’s reception | | | | 1992 |
| area. | | | | The Ministry of Public Works began |
| Pink in colour with white trimming, | | | | restoration of the property, with the |
| there is about 200 years of paint on the | | | | costs fully underwritten by the Central |
| House, which was originally green. The | | | | Bank of The Bahamas. |
| building’s colonial style wooden | | | | 1994 |
| shutters match the 6-over-6 and | | | | The Central Bank of the Bahamas |
| 9-over-9-sash windows, including the | | | | partnered with the Department of |
| Georgian style windows of the master | | | | National Archives, opened Balcony House |
| bedroom. The main door, with its open | | | | as a The Balcony House Museum in 1994. |
| French style, features transient glass | | | | Bimini Museum, King’s Highway, Bimini |
| panes--designed especially to capture | | | | Find out how the phrase “the real |
| the sunlight. | | | | McCoy” was born. Features artefacts |
| Since the late eighteenth century, when | | | | from Prohibition at the time when Bimini |
| it is believed that Balcony House was | | | | was a major smuggling centre. |
| first built, the property changed | | | | Balcony House, Market Street, Nassau, |
| ownership a number of times. A brief | | | | New Providence Island |
| history is chronicled below: | | | | Perfectly restored by the Central Bank |
| 1775-1783 | | | | of the Bahamas, the house was built in |
| The years 1775 - 1783 saw the coming of | | | | the eighteenth century and was inhabited |
| a new immigrant group to the Bahamas, | | | | by the Bahamas’ first black government |
| the loyalists. It was also about this | | | | official in the nineteenth century. |
| time, we believe, that this structure, | | | | Paradise Island, Tunnel Under |
| which today we refer to as Balcony | | | | AquariumOpen Mic Night |
| House, was constructed. | | | | Club Caribe, Churchill Beach in Mather |
| 1788 | | | | Town, Freeport, Grand Bahama |
| The 1788 plan of Nassau identifies lot | | | | On the last Saturday of every month, |
| numbers 14 & 15, with a structure on it; | | | | drop by to enjoy music and poetry. |
| the property, at that time, was owned by | | | | Natural wonders |
| a Mrs. Mary Hardy who lived there with | | | | Underwater Canyons, Chub Cay, Berry |
| her husband, Dr. William Hardy, and | | | | Island |
| their three daughters, Sarah, Cicely and | | | | Spectacular natural phenomena. |
| Ann. | | | | Eel garden, Chub Cay, Berry Island |
| 1795 | | | | Dive through underwater caverns and |
| A copy of Mrs. Hardy's will, dated 1795, | | | | tunnels in the Canyons, or check out the |
| shows that she left the property to her | | | | eels, parrot fish and stingrays in the |
| three daughters who were all married at | | | | Eel Garden. |
| the time. | | | | Lost City of Atlantis underwater stone |
| 1816 | | | | formation, Bimini |
| In 1816, the property was sold by | | | | Bahamas attractions lend themselves to |
| auction, by Provost Marshall, Mr. | | | | mythology of all kinds. This one may be |
| William Baliss, to Mrs. Isabella Deane | | | | the namesake of the massive resort on |
| and Mr. Roger Moore who later married | | | | Paradise Island. |
| and took up residence. | | | | Flamingo Sanctuary, Wilson Lake, Great |
| 1841 | | | | Inagua |
| In 1841, however, Mrs. Isabella | | | | See one of the largest flocks of |
| Deane-Moore and her husband, Roger | | | | flamingos in the Caribbean on a |
| Moore, sold the house to Mr. Stephen | | | | beautiful nature reserve. |