Woodford Square, Port of Spain

Woodford Square, Port of Spain, is not just another green space. It is on the Heritage Asset Inventory of Trinidad and Tobago. It tells the history of Port of Spain in all its stages, light and dark. It is bounded in the north by Knox Street, to the west by Abercromby Street, to the east by Frederick Street, and the south by Hart Street.

The area has been used as a burial site for the First Peoples and as a flogging and hanging place for slaves under British rule. It became the site of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church. In 1817, it was finally designed as a park by Governor Sir Ralph Woodford, a British colonial administrator who was the longest-serving governor of Trinidad. Woodford Square is the only Cabinet-approved Heritage District in the country.

It has been the arena for social and political activism concerning the issues of racism, inequality, labor, and taxes. The Water Riots of 1903, the People's National Movement of Doctor Eric Williams, the Labor struggles of the 1920s, the Black Power Movement, and the martyrdom of Basil Davis are all part of the story.

The Square has unique architectural aspects. The fountain in the center was donated in 1892. It shows a water goddess supported by mermen over a wide basin. Decorative features include the lily flower of French heraldry. Walking paths are laid out in the pattern of the Union Jack. The bandstand was installed in 1917.