Freeport
Prohibition was West End's biggest heyday. Warehouses and bars sprang up almost overnight, and you can still see them along the waterfront road. West End was mainly a transfer base, a place where liquor from Canada, England and Nassau was stored before being ferried over to the States. If you happen to come across any old timers as you wander around, ask them about those days. You just might hear names like Al Capone and Augustus Hepburn.
A stop at The Star Hotel,
Grand Bahama Island's oldest hotel, is a must. West End's
most famous historical landmark, it seems like a holdover
from the days of Prohibition, but actually dates back
to1946, just before Freeport
was born. Austin H. Grant, Sr., who came from Eight Mile Rock, built the
hotel, and it is still owned by the Grants today. In its
early days, boaters from the U.S. mainland would make a
point to stop over for a meal in the saloon or spend the
night in its quaint surroundings. One such guest,
the owners proudly recall, was Congressman Adam Clayton
Powell, Jr., a frequent visitor to West End. Other
visitors included retirees from the rum-running days, who
would sit at the bar and regale patrons with their
escapades.
Ten years ago, The Star's light dimmed when the town fell on hard times after the closing of Jack Tar Village. Though, it stopped operating as a hotel, it has gained new life as a native bar and restaurant that manages to retain much of the flavor of the past. In fact, its enterprising owners have recycled the Jack Tar's old bar into a showpiece that's worth visiting simply for its artistic qualities.
