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Front view of greathouse and gazebo.

Back view of greathouse and gazebo.

Orange Grove Great House - an echo from the past

Orange Grove Great House remains an echo from the past with its pristinely preserved house, high on the hill overlooking the breathtaking seascape of western Jamaica and the arresting landmark Starfish Resort. The stolid stone remnants of a sugar mill - still majestic in its imposing position at the entrance to the property - an adjoining well and a few unmarked graves from the plantation era, complete the historic echoes from the past.

These are the echoes that find resonance in and form the perfect backdrop today to the exciting attraction, Outameni Experience, which was opened to the public on October 1, 2007. The greathouse icon of our plantation and colonial era was the catalyst that inspired the concept of the attraction, which looks at life from the era of the Taino to the Rasta.

Today, the property welcomes visitors to the Outameni Experience attraction erected on a part of the Orange Grove property, while the greathouse itself - refurbished and upgraded - hosts special guests from all over the island.

steady flow

Orange Grove has attracted a steady flow of 'group business' from entities like the Sandals Group and Sunset Jamaica Resorts which have used the greathouse to stage events to show appreciation for repeat guests at their hotels.

The host and crew of Grace Kitchens found the greathouse a perfect location for two episodes of its popular television cooking show. In addition, the manicured lawns, gingerbread gazebo and pool have lent themselves to anniversary and milestone celebrations like a 50th birthday party, and corporate board retreats with catered banquets.

The Orange Grove Greathouse, from its hilltop vantage point, overlooked a sugar-cane farm, the cultivation of oranges and indigenous herbs of every nature used for medicinal purposes. The original owners were two doctors - Dr Thomas Steel and Dr William Wright - who were hired in 1764 to work on the nearby Hampden Estate. From their substantive positions and a thriving private practice supported by the nearby free population, they managed to save enough money to purchase the property and build the greathouse in 1770. However, by 1785, when one of the partners died, the estate was abandoned by the survivor and fell into ruin until the 1960s when a group of American and Jamaican conservationists discovered and worked to restore this sterling example of Jamaica's rich heritage.

Today, Orange Grove Greathouse - this echo from the past - is alive and well at Outameni Experience.