Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House

By Tom Clifford

The taxi driver almost passed it. She’d been there before but the modest entrance continues to catch her out, she exclaimed after a quick application of the brakes. It had been raining. The muddy path leading to our destination, set back from the busy road, was slippery. It seemed strangely fitting. As if keeping with tradition. I was stepping back in time to be a guest of heritage. The Old House in the French Quarter gives the visitor a precious insight into the story and culture of the island. It is basic. No fancy entrance, as the taxi driver will confirm, no multi-media presentation. It is authentic and all the more appealing for it.

The outdoor Amuseum Naturalis is situated beside The Old House. On its rudimentary shelves are exhibits of local flora, fauna, and the island’s diverse ecosystems. My eye was drawn to a small leafy exhibit. It seemed like a large weed with attitude. It was, to give it its proper name, lignum vitae. It is the hardest wood in the world.

Found only in the Caribbean, it derives its name, wood of life, from its many medicinal uses. Its resin can treat a variety of medical conditions from skin ailments to arthritis.

The 250-year history of The Old House reflects the history and culture of the island itself and since 2000 it has been a museum.

Building techniques that give local homes their unique appeal are on show. At the back of the house, where a miniature woodland invitingly beckons, visitors can view a salt pond from a hilltop and see how native trees and plants have adapted. A fascinating combination of African and Amerindian heritage comes together in Caribbean farming and bush medicine traditions.

The Old House encapsulates the island’s changing economy. Tobacco was grown there, then sugarcane, and salt was harvested from the pond just behind it.

The property was built, maintained, and farmed by dozens of enslaved persons during its first 100 years. Their names are unknown but descendants of these ancestors live here on the island today.

Mark Yokoyama is a volunteer at the site. That description seems to suggest that his work is a hobby. It is not. It is a commitment not just to preserve the past but to educate the future.

Thousands of school children have visited The Old House and museum to better understand their heritage and the island’s natural wonders, he says. “We have distributed 50,000 nature books to school children over the last five years,’’ he adds. The site shows nature’s importance to history. Giving young people a sense of the past helps shape their future.

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Previous columns by Tom Clifford:
Rain coming
Boat trip
Cruise Ships In But No Tourist Spending
Marigot Walk
The Biting Truth About Paradise: Mosquitos!
A Tale of Two Cities: Marigot and Philipsburg
A northern side apple tart
Taxis & Buses