Everything about Port Howard totally explained
Port Howard (
Spanish/Argentine name: Puerto Mitre; sometimes Puerto Howard in Spanish) is the largest settlement on
West Falkland (unless
Fox Bay is taken as one settlement, instead of two). it's in the east of the island, on an inlet of
Falkland Sound. It is on the lower slopes of
Mount Maria (part of the
Hornby Mountains range).
Port Howard is the centre of a 200,000 acre (800 km²)
sheep farm, with twenty permanent residents and over 42,000 sheep. Sometimes this population is doubled by transitory residents.
The settlement has two
airstrips which receive regular flights from
Stanley, and it's also destined to be the West Terminal of the new East-West Ferry. Over the past 15 years the Falkland Islands Government has built a network of all weather roads around
East and West Falkland, Port Howard is at the Northern end of the West Falkland network. Attractions in the settlement include a
golf course, a
ford, and large
sheep shearing sheds. There is also a dairy here. Many of the houses have attractive green roofs, and there are also a number of hedges about.
Every three years, Port Howard hosts the West Falklands Sports. This week-long celebration of the end of the shearing season combines serious horse-racing with other festivities.
The
Warrah River and
Chartres River are nearby fishing rivers.
History
Port Howard was founded by James Lovegrove Waldron, and his brother in 1866; the Waldron brothers later left for
Patagonia, but left the far under local management. In 1986, it was bought by Robin and Rodney Lee, who let the local population buy shares.
In 1956, J.L. Waldron Ltd built a school at Port Howard, possibly inspired by the "gift" of the FIC at Darwin, a few years earlier.
During the
Falklands War, the settlement was occupied by around 1,000 troops. A small museum has been set up, in a shed. It contains a number of items which Argentine troops left behind, including an ejector seat. Pinned to the wall, is a poem,
Ode to Tumbledown which was written by an anonymous
Scots Guard.
The British
SAS had a secret observation post above Port Howard, which was discovered on 10th June, by an Argentine Assault Section, part of
Comando 601 company. During
the ensuing fire fight, Captain John Hamilton was killed, and his
Goan signaller, Sergeant Fonseca captured. Hamilton's grave can still be seen up the hill from Port Howard. Unusually, the Argentines allowed for a
Union Jack to be placed on his coffin before burial, in recognition for his perceived bravery.
The garrison surrendered to
HMS Cardiff on
June 15 1982 (one day after the
main Argentine surrender).
Further Information
Get more info on 'Port Howard'.
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