Cockburn Town

Cockburn Town is located on the largest island in the Turks Islands archipelago, Grand Turk. Historic 18th and 19th century Bermudian architecture lines Duke and Front Streets in the town. The town is known for its long, narrow streets and old street lamps.

The closest anchorage to Cockburn Town is Hawk's Nest Anchorage, which, though sheltered, should only be entered in good light because of reefs near the entrance.

The seat of government ever since 1766, Cockburn Town was the first permanent settlement on any of the islands, founded in 1681 by salt collectors who arrived in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The city supposedly lies on the place where Juan Ponce de León first landed on the island. It is named for Francis Cockburn, former Governor of the Bahamas.

File:Turks & Caicos National Museum.jpg

Cockburn Town is home to the Turks & Caicos National Museum, which is housed in the colonial-era Guinep House, on Front Street. The house is believed to be over 180 years old and much of its structural material came from local shipwrecks, including a ship's mast, which is one of the building's main supports. The site was donated to the Museum in 1990.[http://www.tcmuseum.org/guinep_house/ "Guinep House".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728082451/http://www.tcmuseum.org/guinep_house/ |date=2011-07-28 }} [http://www.tcmuseum.org Turks & Caicos National Museum.] Retrieved January 29, 2010.

Among the National Museum's collections is an exhibit of shipwrecks, including the oldest known European shipwreck in the Americas, the Molasses Reef Wreck, dated 1505.[http://www.tcmuseum.org/molasses_reef_shipwreck/ "Molasses Reef Shipwreck".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123172540/http://www.tcmuseum.org/molasses_reef_shipwreck |date=2010-01-23 }} [http://www.tcmuseum.org Turks & Caicos National Museum.] Retrieved January 29, 2010.

Other exhibits detail the history of the Lucayans, the Space Race, Turks and Caicos postage stamps, slavery and the history of the slave trade, the sisal and salt industries, royal events, as well as a general history of the islands. The museum also maintains a garden, which is adjacent to the Guinep House.[http://www.tcmuseum.org Turks & Caicos National Museum.] Retrieved January 29, 2010.

Also of interest are the museum's research projects, including its Message in a Bottle Project, recording nearly 40 years' worth of messages to wash upon the shores of Grand Turk.[http://tcmuseum.org/collections/message-in-a-bottle/ "Message in a Bottle".] [http://www.tcmuseum.org Turks & Caicos National Museum.] Retrieved January 29, 2010.

"Her Majesty's Prison" on Pond Street was built in the 1830s and remained in operation until 1994. In addition to the main cell block and offices for prison officials, it hosts a bell tower and its own museum.{{Cite web|date=9 December 2015 |title=Her Majesty's Prison |publisher=Virtual Tourist |url=https://www.virtualtourist.com/1707838-2404893/Grand-Turk-Island-Tips/her-majestys-prison}}

Grand Turk has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh) with summer-like weather occurring all year round and a rainier season from September to December when the northeastern trade winds are strongest and hurricanes common.

{{Weather box|width = 70%

|location = Grand Turk

|single line = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|temperature colour = pastel

|Jan high F = 80

|Feb high F = 81

|Mar high F = 82

|Apr high F = 83

|May high F = 85

|Jun high F = 86

|Jul high F = 87

|Aug high F = 88

|Sep high F = 88

|Oct high F = 86

|Nov high F = 84

|Dec high F = 82

|year high F = 84

|Jan low F = 73

|Feb low F = 73

|Mar low F = 74

|Apr low F = 75

|May low F = 77

|Jun low F = 79

|Jul low F = 80

|Aug low F = 80

|Sep low F = 80

|Oct low F = 79

|Nov low F = 76

|Dec low F = 75

|year low F = 77

|Jan rain inch = 1.4

|Feb rain inch = 1.3

|Mar rain inch = 1.0

|Apr rain inch = 1.4

|May rain inch = 1.2

|Jun rain inch = 2.2

|Jul rain inch = 1.2

|Aug rain inch = 1.6

|Sep rain inch = 2.6

|Oct rain inch = 3.0

|Nov rain inch = 3.7

|Dec rain inch = 3.4

|rain colour = green

|source 1 = Weatherbase

{{cite web

|url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=91187&refer=wikipedia |title =Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

|publisher=Weatherbase

|year=2011

}}

Retrieved on November 24, 2011.

|date=November 2011

}}

The sole high school is HJ Robinson High School.{{cite web|author=Hamilton, Dandrea S|url=http://magneticmediatv.com/2016/01/pdm-deeply-saddened-by-tragic-fire-at-helena-j-robinson-high-school/|title=PDM deeply saddened by tragic fire at Helena J. Robinson High School|work=Magnetic Media|date=2016-01-29|access-date=2020-01-18}}

• Grand Turk Parade Ground

{{reflist}}

• {{commons category-inline|Cockburn Town}}

{{List of North American capitals}}

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Category:Populated places in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Category:Capitals in the Caribbean

Category:Populated places established in 1681

Category:Capitals of British Overseas Territories

Category:1681 establishments in the British Empire