# History A large group of Afro-Caribbean people arrived by boat in Stann Creek on November 19, 1823. These new arrivals were the descendants of exiled residents of St. Vincent Island who had been transported as slaves from Africa. Dubbed the Garifuna, they had been exiled after trying to revolt against their British captors.https://unchartedjewelbelize.com/history-of-dangriga/ ## The Sinking of the Weathergage The Weathergage was owned by Messrs. B. Cramer & Co. On December 28, 1881 she departed from the port of Omoa, Honduras, where she had taken 20 mules for Mr. Stapleton. Headed off by a north-wind which overtook her shortly after leaving port, and against which she was unable to make any progress, she was compelled to return to Omoa, where she remained for 2 days. She again started on the night of Saturday, the 31st, though the same unfavourable wind was blowing, she was able to reach the Sapodilla Cays at 8 o'clock the next morning. She was compelled by the stormy weather to spend the whole day there. That night she set sail again, and after passing by [[settlement:79(1882)]], she was struck by a whirlwind off Colson's Point at about 11 o'clock at night, and went down instantly. It is supposed that the mules, which had become loose, by rushing leeward whilst the schooner was heeling over caused the dreadful catastrophe. Three passengers, Mr. John Lecruit, Don Macedonio Enriquez, and another Spaniard, who were awake and on deck at the time, along with the crew managed to save themselves. The unfortunate passengers who, being below at the time, went down with the schooner, are, Mr. Stapleton, a wood-cutter and cattle-dealer in Honduras, Mr. Havden, the late contractor of the Puerto Cortez Railway, Rebecca Belisle and her infant daughter, and three Spaniards whose names we do not know. The men who saved themselves, managed to do so by clinging to the mast-head for a couple hours, until the schooner's boat, which had become entangled with the rails beneath, floating up within reach of them, enabled them to get in. With such appliances as they could fashion at the moment, they rigged up a rude sail, and after a good deal of trouble reached Colson's Point, and thence walked to Stann Creek. The Colonial Guardian 1882-01-07 The Weathergage was successfully raised, and on January 12, 1882 the schooner Juanita towed her into the harbour. She suffered no material damage; and all the specie, as well as 5 bodies were recovered. The bodies were buried at Mullins River.The Colonial Guardian 1882-01-14 ## Boundaries SI 16 of 1972 updated the boundaries.https://elections.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Chapter-87S-Town-Councils-Act-Subsidiary-Act.pdf SI 24 of 1973 amended the boundaries.https://elections.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Chapter-87S-Town-Councils-Act-Subsidiary-Act.pdf The boundaries of Dangriga were updated on May 9, 1983.https://elections.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Chapter-87S-Town-Councils-Act-Subsidiary-Act.pdf On April 1, 2025 all towns in Belize had their boundaries updated.https://www.greaterbelize.com/new-municipal-boundaries-declared-for-seven-towns-in-belize/ ## Disasters The Town of Stann Creek was completely blown away on the 31st of October, 1961 by Hurricane Hattie after it had destroyed [[settlement:176(1960)]] and [[settlement:12(1960)]].https://ia601502.us.archive.org/27/items/british-honduras-gregg/BritishHondurasGregg.pdf On November 20, 1971, Hurricane Laura's eye passed over Stann Creek Town, destroying half of the nearby plantation crops and also destroyed the longest pier in town.https://dn710605.ca.archive.org/0/items/biostor-118429/biostor-118429.pdf ## Etymology Dangriga was declared a town on February 15, 1895 as **Stann Creek Town**.https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/348871468210274213/txt/IPP4320v20P1111BLIC10LCR1SA1P111928.txt In 1975 Stann Creek Town was renamed to **Dangriga**, meaning 'Sweet Water'.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangriga ## Police In 1949 the police force consisted of 9 officers, with transportation consisting of 1 motorcycle.https://ia801001.us.archive.org/20/items/colonial-report-brit-honduras-1948/ColonialReportBritHonduras1948.pdf # Infrastructure Improved mail and passenger services by motor vessels were established in 1924, the routes being [[settlement:12(1924)]]-[[settlement:64(1924)]]-[[settlement:186(1924)]] and [[settlement:12(1924)]]-[[settlement:79(1924)]]-[[settlement:387(1924)]]-[[settlement:172(1924)]]-[[settlement:202(1924)]]. These services were subsidized by the government and mail was carried under contract.https://www.jacar.archives.go.jp/acv/contents/pub/pdf/B02/B02032223100.ba0141a.a-0980.00000198.pdf # Religious Institutions In 1867 the first Catholic church and a handsome residence for the Fathers was erected under the direction of Father Biffi and Father Peter Brindisi who was a Greek and came from the Sicilian Province.https://ia800600.us.archive.org/17/items/ThePilgrimOfOurLadyOfMartyrsVolXIX1903/ThePilgrimOfOurLadyOfMartyrsVolXIX1903.pdf ## Vicariate Apostolic of British Honduras **Church of the Sacred Heart** Reverends - 1917 Rev. Bernard F. Abeling, S.J. - 1917-1925 Rev. Edmund J. Coony, S.J. - 1918 Rev. Daniel Coady, S.J. - 1925 Joseph P. Fenoughty, S.J.https://dn710208.ca.archive.org/0/items/the-official-catholic-diectory-1925/The%20Official%20Catholic%20Diectory%201925.pdf **Missions** - [[settlement:294(1925)]] (1917-1925) - [[settlement:288(1925)]] (1917-1925) - [[settlement:176(1925)]] (1917-1925) - [[settlement:170(1925)]] (1917-1925)

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