Sharing the History of Belize, Central America

Google Maps contribution stories
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206 year old Historic Government House where the seat of Belize's Colonial Administration reigned for 167 years.
206 year old Historic Government House where the seat of Belize's Colonial Administration reigned for 167 years.2656×1494 1.81 MB
Government House where some 44 British Governors lived is now a museum that will be open to the public in 2020.
Government House where some 44 British Governors lived is now a museum that will be open to the public in 2020.2656×1494 1.51 MB
Modern day Belize City, formerly Bristish Honduras
Modern day Belize City, formerly Bristish Honduras2656×1494 1.32 MB
The Historic Swing Bridge that spans the North and South Sides of Belize City is the oldest and only hand-cranked Swing Bridge in the Western Hemisphere. It is 93 yrs old.
The Historic Swing Bridge that spans the North and South Sides of Belize City is the oldest and only hand-cranked Swing Bridge in the Western Hemisphere. It is 93 yrs old.2000×1350 767 KB

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Thanks for the brief history on Belize and the interesting presentation @RegentAlbert

When was the name changed from British Honduras to Belize City and is there a meaning behind the name?

The city streets look very wide. Is this how they are or is it just how it appears in your photo?

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Hello Adam,

The name was changed in 1973. Believe it or not, we are still debating locally how and where the name came from. We are to celebrate our quadricentennial in 18 years and still no decision. There are many theories. One is that one of the first pirates that landed was named Peter Wallace. It is believed that the name was derived from a derivative of his last name Wallace. Since the area had lots if Spaniards they would have pronounced his name as Ballace and that eventually became Belize over time. However, it is my belief that our local historians don’t like this theory because Wallace was a pirate and there is no glory in being founded by a pirate so we keep looking. There is another theory that it was derived from a Maya word Belikin which means muddy water since the City was originally a Mays village at the mouth of a river. There are some other theories but these are the more popular ones. The streets in Belize City are not wide. The area where the photo was taken was an area where the sea was reclaimed. This area used to be a part of the Caribbean Sea, but was reclaimed to extend the city. The street in the photo has a boulevard that is why it looks wide, but mist streets are very narrow since the early mode of transportation were mule and carts. Some streets are literally 10 to 15 feet wide.