Do you remember your favorite subject in school? Was it Math, Art, Geography, perhaps P.E? It might have been a while ago, but I'm sure those memories still linger. History was my least favorite subject—something about it did not click. Ironically enough, I've always loved listening to stories from 'whole' (aka old 😆) people, as my Granddad would say. Have you ever realized that they themselves are history?
At my age, I’m grateful to still have my Granddad around. During a past visit with him, I truly realized that he is a part of The Bahamas' history as he experienced life before and after independence. He shared stories of his childhood, one being as a young boy taking the mailboat from Andros to Nassau to sell goods to buyers. He would then purchase groceries before sailing back to Andros. I even got to see his Sterling Exchange conversion book. Another is how he met his wife of 60+ years and how they would walk hand in hand to go to the movie theater. When you saw him, you saw her and vice versa; they were inseparable.
You may be wondering how all of this ties together. Well, as mentioned in my previous blog (if you missed it, check it out here) I wanted to capture a piece of Abaco's history but I missed it. Funny enough, life has a way of bringing things full circle.
The other day, I drove past the old Wendy’s building (I always LOVED Wendy’s) and I am always saddened to see it; still intact but boarded up and empty, just a shell of memories. As a child, whenever I traveled to Freeport, my Aunt would take me there through the drive-thru to order my favorite, nuggets and fries. Though Wendys is still open just down the street, the memories I hold come back whenever I pass the old establishment. Do you have any memories of the old Wendy's?
This memory sparked the thought of finding older photos of Grand Bahama and recreating them to the present day. You guessed it, over 50, maybe 60 years of history! Thankfully, I came across a website (Vintage Bahamas) of antique photographs of Grand Bahama. Sadly, many of these buildings are either demolished or dilapidated; however, I truly believe that all is not lost. I see the glimmer—I still see 'The Magic City.'
I hope you enjoyed the glimpses into the past. Did you recognise any of the monumental buildings? Stay tuned for more photo recreations as I continue to rediscover the history of Grand Bahama through my lens.
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