Misplaced Pages

#528471

25-476: Bancroft Tower stands northwest of downtown Worcester, in Salisbury Park, a public park west of Park Avenue and south of Drury Lane. It is a two-story stone structure, built of boulders and cobbles, with a rock-faced granite exterior. It is asymmetrical in plan, with crenelated square towers at the corners and a taller, off-center circular tower in between. To one side of that tower is an arched gate. This tower

50-643: A very small portion of the structure. Since the 1970s, along with nearby Cancún , there has been substantial tourist development in Isla Mujeres. Like much of the rest of the tourism industry, Isla Mujeres was economically devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic , although case numbers remained relatively low on the island itself. Transportation on the island of Isla Mujeres consists primarily of taxis or golf carts and moped scooters . As of 2005 there were 121 taxis, 500 golf carts, and 1500 moped scooters. There

75-770: A wealthy landowner, Salisbury helped manage the family's extensive properties and businesses in Worcester County, Massachusetts . Like his father, Salisbury served in the State Senate , was president of the Worcester National Bank, and directed the Worcester & Nashua Railroad . He was a trustee of the Worcester City Hospital and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute . Stephen Salisbury III

100-551: Is also a bus service that runs from the downtown to the different neighborhoods, called colonias in Spanish (where most locals live). The island was formerly served by Isla Mujeres National Airport , but the airport and landing strip have since closed. Nowadays, locals, military personnel, and tourists can be seen jogging up and down the runway at various times throughout the day. There are three main ferry boat and Catamaran companies (UltraMar, Cancun Sailing, and Jetway) that run to

125-481: Is approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long and 650 metres (2,130 ft) wide. To the east is the Caribbean Sea with a strong surf and rocky coast, and to the west the skyline of Cancún can be seen across the waters. In the 2010 census, the namesake town on the island had a population of 12,642 inhabitants. The town is the seat of Isla Mujeres Municipality . Very little violent crime has been reported on

150-491: The Island. Isla Mujeres has been a popular location for destination weddings for several decades, with larger hotels on the island sometimes being used to house wedding parties. These weddings are performed throughout the island, primarily at beachside venues on the west or north side of the island, with ceremonies generally taking place on the beach. The island of Isla Mujeres is located close to one of many coral reefs such as

175-649: The Mayan History . [REDACTED] Media related to Stephen Salisbury III at Wikimedia Commons Isla Mujeres Isla Mujeres ( Spanish pronunciation: ['isla mu'xeɾes] , Spanish for "Women Island", formally “ Isla de Mujeres ”) is an island where the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea meet, about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) off the Yucatán Peninsula coast in the State of Quintana Roo , Mexico . It

200-737: The Worcester Parks Department in 1912. The Bancroft tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1980. A plaque set in the ground in front of it explains its purpose: BANCROFT TOWER THIS TOWER WAS BUILT IN 1900 TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF GEORGE BANCROFT 1800–1891 BORN AT THE FOOT OF THIS HILL HE ROSE TO THE POSTS OF SECRETARY OF THE NAVY FOUNDER OF THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND U.S. MINISTER TO GREAT BRITAIN AND GERMANY THIS MEMORIAL WAS BUILT BY HIS FRIEND AND ADMIRER STEPHEN SALISBURY III Two half-compasses are set in

225-471: The ground before and behind the tower. They are marked as if they pointed to the other six of the Seven Hills of Worcester (Bancroft Hill being one of the seven); but it doesn't appear, from the top of the hill, that they really do. Stephen Salisbury III Stephen Salisbury III (1835–1905), also referred to as Stephen Salisbury Jr. , was an American businessman, lawyer, and politician. The son of

250-400: The island (particularly in the colonias ) was humble for many years, with the island slow to widely adopt innovations in entertainment beyond the standard television . By the early '00s, technologies such as cable television , the arcade cabinet (most commonly an original or repurposed Neo Geo ) and cellular phones were beginning to become commonplace with local households. Isla Mujeres

275-484: The island for quite some time, building a large hacienda with which he hoped to entice a local beauty, Martiniana (Prisca) Gómez Pantoja, into marriage. She married someone else to his regret. A bit of the Hacienda remains, and once served as a zoo. A small Maya temple was once located on the southern tip of the island. However, in 1988, Hurricane Gilbert caused extensive damage, leaving most of its foundations but only

SECTION 10

#1732851272529

300-668: The island from Puerto Juárez , Cancun, or Gran Puerto on the mainland. There are also many party boats that make day trips to Isla Mujeres. The island is popular with day trippers , but activity quiets down in the evening after the tour groups leave. Isla Mujeres has fostered a strong restaurant industry and culture, with many restaurants located throughout the island. There are numerous places to eat fresh seafood cooked with local and traditional recipes, and other restaurants offer Mexican, Yucatecan , Italian, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Israeli, French, Thai, Cuban, and Maya cuisine, among others. Hotel prices vary from cheap to very expensive at

325-408: The island over its history, leading the island gaining a reputation for its relaxed nature, as the safety of both residents and tourists being unusually high. The biggest danger to the residents of the island has historically been the threat of tropical storms and hurricanes , some of which have caused devastating damage, such as Hurricane Carmen and Hurricane Wilma . In Pre-Columbian times,

350-574: The island was sacred to the Maya goddess of childbirth and medicine, Ixchel . When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century they named it " Isla Mujeres " after the many images of goddesses. The first information available about Isla Mujeres is from between 564–1516 AD, when it was part of the Maya province called Ekab . There were four Maya provinces in the area of the modern state of Quintana Roo . The Maya exploited

375-434: The island, including the homes of those who have lived on the island for generations, affluent condos or houses for seasonal use, snowbirds , fishermen, and those working in the island's tourism and restaurant industry. The island has also enjoyed a dedicated yacht and boating presence through the years, with many docks on the west coast, including some designated for seasonal use. In general, the island's population declines in

400-575: The many minisupers (locally run convenience stores) or the downtown supermercado (supermarket) located in the city square. As the tourism industry increased in the later part of the 2000s, businesses such as Chedraui began to establish a presence, providing residents with less need for repeated trips to Cancún. There are a multitude of stadiums throughout the island, including a full scale baseball park and organized football venue along with makeshift dirt or sand fields which can commonly be seen played on by local children or organized teams. Technology on

425-681: The museum. He also bequeathed $ 3 million to the museum. Salisbury dedicated part of his time and economic resources to the research and popularization of the Mayan culture in the Yucatan Peninsula . He wrote a number of articles in the Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society about the subject, such as: The Mayas, the sources of their culture , The statue of Chac Mool , Terracota figures from Isla Mujeres , The K'atun of

450-463: The one located in Garrafon Park, which is an attraction popular for its snorkeling and scuba diving . The Cancún Underwater Museum , created by English sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, is located off the western coast of Isla Mujeres. Isla Mujeres is also home to a population of sea turtles . Because of the recent endangerment of sea turtles in the area, a facility named Tortugranja was set up on

475-417: The resorts on the southwest end such as Hotel Villa Rolandi, and Playa Norte. In the north is El Centro (downtown), whose central axis, Hidalgo Street, is the main dining and entertainment area. Also located on the north end is a famous beach called Playa Norte, which has recovered quickly since Hurricane Wilma hit the area in 2005. Besides these attractions, swimming with dolphins can also be experienced at

500-565: The salt the island produced in the salinas (small, interior lagoons ), using it in food preservation, medicine, and a generally accepted currency in the whole Maya world. A temple to Ixchel stood in what is now Hacienda Mundaca (Mundaca Plantation). The island was also a favorite stopping place for pirates in the early 1800s. The shallow lagoon on the mainland side was a good place for sailors to sit out major storms, careen their hulls and trade for salt. Pirates Henry Morgan , Jean Lafitte and Hernán Mundaca spent time there. Mundaca lived on

525-502: The southern end of the island for their rehabilitation and breeding. This facility is open to the public. The island's relative proximity to Cuba has made it a popular stepping stone for Cubans trying to reach the United States in recent years. Isla Mujeres is considered to be one of the best places in the world to catch sailfish . In addition to the Isla Mujeres' use as a popular day trip spot, many homes have been built on

SECTION 20

#1732851272529

550-427: The winter due to the decline of tourism during that season . Some of the residents on the island ferry to and from Cancún daily in order to attend school or work. Shopping on the island for residents was limited for many decades, leading day trips to Cancún (sometimes on a specialized ferry for automobiles and shipping trucks) to be a common necessity to purchase items such as a television or foods not stocked at one of

575-860: Was also an active member of the Worcester County Horticultural Society , servings as president from 1879 to 1881. A Republican , he was a member of the Massachusetts Senate from 1893 to 1895. In 1896, along with a group of prominent citizens of Worcester, he founded the Worcester Art Museum . In 1900, he erected the Bancroft Tower , in honor of George Bancroft , a friend of Salisbury's father. Salisbury died from pneumonia at his home in Worcester on November 16, 1905, leaving his extensive collection of mostly American art to

600-601: Was born in Worcester on March 31, 1835. He graduated from Harvard College in 1856, and studied abroad for two years at Friedrich Wilhelm University . He received a degree from Harvard Law School in 1861, and was admitted to the bar that October. Like his father, he maintained a long association with the American Antiquarian Society . He was elected a member in 1863, served on its board of councilors from 1847 to 1884, as vice-president from 1884 to 1887, and as president from 1887 until his death in 1905. He

625-458: Was erected by Stephen Salisbury III in honor of George Bancroft, a prominent historian and statesman, who had been a childhood friend of Salisbury's father. It was one of three towers built on high points of the city, and is the only one to survive. The park and tower remained in Salisbury's ownership until his death in 1907. The tower was bequeathed to the Worcester Art Museum , which gave it to

#528471