Haiti’s Fort Jacques, once a great attraction to visitors, is now abandoned as gang-fueled insecurity keeps tourists away

PORT-AU-PRINCE—Fort Jacques, also known as Fort Jean-Jacques Dessalines, perched on its serene hilltop—4,934 feet above Port-au-Prince hills east here, has long been a place of entertainment, escape to peaceful green spaces and reflection for locals and tourists alike. Its panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and the distant echoes of history drew visitors who marveled at its ancient stone walls and cannons and the stories they held. But as gang-fueled insecurity spread like a plague in the Haitian capital and its surroundings, even this bastion of heritage is not spared.

“Before the insecurity, forcing people to flee the area or stay away from it, activities were a little better at the fort,” Stinvil Paul, a resident in the area, told The Haitian Times. “What we are asking of the Haitian government is the security and restoration of Fort Jacques,” added Paul, who is a corn-producing farmer, also economically dependent on guiding the fort’s visitors.

Fort Jacques stands alone, waiting for the day when peace returns

When the Haitian Times visited the place on July 9, we noted that the Fort was in a state of complete abandonment. As we took one last look at the fort from the base of the hill, the fort’s empty windows seemed to stare back at us, reflecting the void that now filled the community.

The once meticulously maintained grounds grew wild and untamed. Vines crept up the stone walls, and the fort’s cannons, which had long been silent, rusted under the weight of neglect. The stories that Paul used to so lovingly recount to visitors while guiding them were now trapped within the walls, unheard and uncelebrated.

Not a single guard watches over the fortress, which is covered with grass. A few volunteers in the region sometimes clean the facility. As a form of claimed compensation, these residents exploit certain portions of fertile land within the public park and are paid a few dollars to accompany the few rare visitors to the different areas of the fort.

From the small entrance road leading to the courtyard of the fort, a football (soccer) field is set up for fans of the game. It is a green space with several trees and a constant fresh breeze. However, daily visiting activities are at a standstill, and the space has lost its reputation as a place that provides economic livelihood for residents accustomed to offering their goods to visitors traveling to the mountaintops, in the vicinity of the fort.

Residents like Paul are nostalgic about what the area used to offer, particularly in summertime, not this state of abandonment.  The place used to be a popular destination among local young adults and teenagers, including locals and foreign tourists. 

Behind the fort, the forest is decked with picnic tables shaded by tall trees. It’s an open space for the public, with seating available out in the middle of nature. During the summer and winter breaks, it’s common to find young adults sitting at the tables, listening to music together, watching videos and enjoying a good time. Filmmakers used to make Fort Jacques their secluded location for various shooting scenarios.

Usually, before sitting at a picnic table in the middle of the mountain wilderness, people go hiking early in the morning. If they forget to bring their necessities for music, the forest is still waking up. They will be surrounded by the songs of exotic birds—many endemic to the area—as well as the rustling and conversation or music of merchants setting up shop. 

A landmark and symbol of resistance 

The 19th-century fort was built under the orders of Jean-Jacques Dessalines—Emperor Jacques I—-to protect the new nation, Haiti, from the invasion of French troops after the proclamation of independence in 1804. The construction project was overseen by then-General Alexandre Pétion, commander of the West Department. To fortify the Selle Massif, Pétion chose to place the fort on the heights of Fermathe in the commune of Kenscoff. It provided control over Port-au-Prince seaport and the southern side of the country, including Jacmel, according to the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage (ISPAN, its French acronym).

Named after Pétion, like Fort Jacques was after Dessalines, Fort Alexandre was built next to Fort Jacques. General Pétion wanted to address the vulnerability of Fort Jacques’ eastern flank to potential attacks. The fort, standing tall at about 4,265 feet high, allowed the Haitian army in the west to have a commanding view over the entire Cul-de-Sac plain, the Croix-des-Bouquets commune, the town of Fond Parisien, and the Coupe-Charbonnière plateau, as documented by ISPAN in 2009.

Additionally, the army could have a line of sight extending from the island of La Gonâve to the plain of Arcahaie. Under these conditions, the military could maintain contact by light signals with Fort Drouet, built on the Matheux mountain ranges in Arcahaie.

After the assassination of Emperor-General-in-Chief Dessalines, General Pétion, who became president in 1807, abandoned Forts Jacques and Alexandre. Unlike Dessalines, Pétion opted for negotiation with France,  the former colonial power, to recognize Haiti’s independence.

With ISPAN’s involvement, several restoration works on Fort Jacques have been undertaken, making it easier for local and international tourists to visit this historic monument. During national holidays and festivals, Fort Jacques can receive up to ten thousand young people who gather there to have fun.

Things to keep in mind while awaiting safety to visit Forts Jacques and Alexandre

Inside the fortress, there are, among other things, the ruins of a room where the Haitian army used to store munitions, always ready for battle. There is also room for strategic meetings, which is used today by Vodou practitioners for ceremonies.  Next to the meeting room is an escape tunnel designed to provide a secretive and secure means of exit from the fort in times of siege or imminent danger.  

In the fort’s central courtyard, there is a water tank and a small bread oven under the stairs leading to the area where the cannons were placed during the 19th and 20th centuries. 

It took Haiti at least two years to complete the construction of Fort Jacques.

In 1995, a presidential decree classified Forts Jacques and Alexandre as national heritage sites. In 2004, the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH), on the occasion of the bicentenary of independence, chose Fort Jacques to illustrate the back of the 500 Gourdes paper currency, with the effigy of General Pétion on the front. The 2010 violent 7.0-magnitude earthquake severely damaged the fort.

These historical monuments present real opportunities for Kenscoff and its surroundings. These two national heritage sites enhance the tourist appeal of the commune, along with other attractions such as Wynne Farm, an ecological reserve, the Mountain Village in Fermathe, the historical Baptist mission led by the late American Pastor Wallace Turnbull for almost 80 years, a meeting place for painters, and Ranch Le Montcel in Belot.

Kenscoff’s mayor, Jean Massillon, did not respond to The Haitian Times’ request for an interview regarding the municipality’s potential plan to reclaim its glorious past and reputation for the delight of locals and international visitors.

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Haiti’s Fort Jacques, once a great attraction to visitors, is now abandoned as gang-fueled insecurity keeps tourists away was first posted on July 14, 2024 at 8:57 am.