Heritage sites of Guyana…
The National Trust of Guyana is a government enterprise whose mandate propels its commitment to the preservation and conservation of historic buildings and sites in Guyana. Therefore, we aim to enlighten the public about various aspects, symbols, landmarks and structures of our rich and diverse heritage.  Our focus in this week’s article is the Christianburg Waterwheel in Linden one of Guyana’s magnificent industrial monuments. TOWARDS the end of the 18th Century, the Dutch settled at what was renamed Christianburg. Originally a sugar estate known as Stabroek, Governor Christian Finette renamed the area partly in his namesake and his wife’s family, the Burgs. He administered the affairs of this area during the early years of the 19th Century.

In 1803, after the English invasion, John Dagleish Patterson, a Scottish engineer, was chosen to set up a quarters for government officials. Subsequently, Patterson acquired a small number of vessels from the indigenous peoples and commenced the production of logs.

At the outset, this initiative proved to be somewhat difficult, as the mode by which it was conducted was dangerous and time consuming. Due to the lack of technology, the logs had to be tied together, strung alongside a punt and floated downstream. This mode of transportation also greatly influenced the cost of production, which, to say the least, was high.

Patterson, however, was not overcome by these hurdles, but forged ahead courageously. Instead, he found a solution: He surveyed Christianburg and identified the Katabuli Creek as the ideal point of operation for the production of timber. The force of water flowing through that creek from the savannahs into the Demerara River was strong enough to permit the construction of a hydro-powered sawmill. In 1855, the large iron waterwheel was installed with the necessary equipment to allow Patterson to improve the output of his sawmill. Its lifespan, however, was short-lived, since, by the 1950s, it was observed that while this waterwheel was initially a very important aspect of our industrial heritage, it had been reduced and was now merely a white elephant. The sawmill, too, had been dismantled.  

This monument, like many others, is a remarkable reminder of our nation’s history, and as such, it is imperative that we ensure their continuity. To this end, the National Trust of Guyana, which undertakes to promote and safeguard the nation’s heritage, invites the members of the community to take an active role in ensuring the long-term survival of Guyana’s patrimony by exercising care and respect at all times when visiting monuments and heritage sites. (Text and photo courtesy of the National Trust of Guyana)