Saint Paul
Saint Paul exhibits ecosystem engineering: Nelson's Dockyard UNESCO site and twin harbours converted naval infrastructure into heritage yacht tourism.
Saint Paul transformed naval infrastructure into heritage tourism—a rare example of ecosystem engineering where military assets become attractions. Nelson's Dockyard in English Harbour, where Admiral Horatio Nelson commanded from 1784-1787, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and working marina. The horseshoe-shaped bay of Falmouth Harbour, flanked by Monks Hill and Shirley Heights, creates natural protection that served British warships and now shelters yachts.
The parish controls critical infrastructure beyond tourism: one of Antigua's few official ports of entry, multiple marinas, and an Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard station. The 9,004 residents (2018 estimate) service an economy built on high-value visitors—sailing enthusiasts, history tourists, marina customers—rather than cruise ship volume. This represents niche differentiation from Saint John's mass tourism.
Falmouth's 1632 settlement makes it the first British foothold on Antigua, yet the parish capital exists because of harbor geography rather than historical accident. The twin harbours of English and Falmouth create the longest stretch of protected anchorage on the island. What the British Navy saw as strategic—deep water, wind protection, hurricane shelter—yacht owners now value for the same reasons. The infrastructure persists; only the vessels changed.