Old Fourah Bay College

Fourah Bay College, founded in 1827, was the first Western-style university in sub-Saharan Africa, and was at the center of an endeavor to create a new and just society. In the nineteenth century, the Sierra Leonean capital of Freetown was known as the “Athens of West Africa” for its vibrant environment of intellectual exchange, which was nurtured by excellent schools. Fourah Bay College, founded in 1827, was emblematic of this: the first Western-style university in sub-Saharan Africa, it stood at the center of an idealistic endeavor to create a new and just society out of the destruction wrought by the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans. But over a decade of civil war from 1991 to 2002 took a toll on the college’s historic building, which was used as a shelter by refugees until it was devastated by a fire. >

Location: Ross Road, Clinetown, Freetown.

Gateway to the Old King’s Yards

Location: Wallace Johnson Street, Freetown

The Gateway to the Old King’s Yard is situated at one of the entrances to the city of Freetown’s main government hospital. It was the entrance to  the compound where men and women freed from slavery were temporarily housed for documentation and minor medical attention before dispersal to settlements that came to constitute a British Colony. With the total suppression of the slave trade the Old King’s Yards ceased to be in use. In 1880, it was converted to the “Colonial Hospital”; which was further developed into today’s central government hospital. The Gateway to the Old King’s Yard now leading to a part of the central government hospital called Connaught Hospital records the purpose of the King’s Yard on a slab over the arch dated 1819.

St John’s Maroon Church

St. John’s Maroon Church ;is a Methodism Methodist church located in Maroon Town, Sierra Leone” Maroon Town, Sierra Leone Maroon Town, a district of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. It is one of the oldest churches in the country.

The Jamaican Maroons were men, women and children, originating from Jamaica who had surrendered at the end of the Second Maroon War. They had been deported to Nova Scotia by the colonial authorities in 1796. They were then transported to Freetown in 1800, where their opportune arrival and assistance enabled the authorities put down a rebellion by some of the Nova Scotian Settler, the founders of Freetown. They settled in an area that became known as Maroon Town.

 

Location: Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown.

St Charles’ Church

Location: Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown.

These are situated at Regent Village. St Charles Church is the oldest stone church in Sierra Leone and the third oldest in Africa. It was built by Rev. W.A.B. Johnson a few years after Sierra Leone became a Crown Colony. Governor Charles M’Carthy who played such a notable part in the settlement of the freed slaves in the Colony villages was very interested and gave material help to Rev. W.A.B. Johnson, in the building of the church. The church was built in the old Kings Yard in Regent, there being one in each village. This was the place where, immediately on arrival, the Liberated Africans were set free and maintained by the Liberated African Department until they could be settled. There is also a small portion of the King’s Yard wall still standing at Regent

 

Law Court Building

The Supreme Court building, known as Law Court, is located on Siaka Stevens Street in the Central business district” Central business district in downtown Freetown. The Law Court Building is a historical monument that has survived the test of times. The foundation Stone of this building was laid the by Duke of Connaught while on a royal visit.

 

Location: Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown.

Cotton Tree

Location: Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown.

The exact age of the Cotton Tree is unknown, but it is thought to have been about 400 years old. It was mature prior to the foundation of Freetown and there are records of its existence in 1787 when settlers from Britain came to the peninsula.

It is believed by some to have been the resting place for the Black Poor when the arrived in Sierra Leone in 1787. They apparently rested and prayed underneath.

The Cotton Tree was an important landmark in the West African country, which was founded by formerly enslaved Africans returning from the United .
 

St Charles’ Church

St. George’s Cathedral is a Church Mission Society Anglican church. Governor Maxwell realized the need for a church in the center of Freetown. The project to build St. George’s Cathedral was funded totally by the British government and construction started in 1817. The church was to help further the “civilizing mission” of converting the colony to Christianity. The church was frequented by the free blacks, Nova Scotians, from the Americas and was typically looked upon as a prestigious place to worship. Other blacks from the Americas, such as the Jamaican Maroons, felt uncomfortable worshipping at St. George’s among the Nova Scotian blacks so they would build their own church.
 
 

Location: George Street, Freetown.