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Founded by the French in 1698, the exact origins of Jacmel’s name remain a mystery. The Arawak settlement it replaced is believed to have been called Yaquimel, although other sources point to Jacques Melo, an alleged colonial founding father. Either way, Jacmel was a prosperous port by the close of the 18th century, when the town’s large mulatto population began demanding equality with the whites. Soon after, Jacmel became an important battleground in the swirl of the Haitian independence struggle, with the mulattoes under André Rigaud initially siding with the colonists against the slave armies. The black general Lamour Derance from Jacmel more successfully led the struggle from the other side, eventually uniting the two sides, although Jacmel again became a center of mulatto power when Haiti split into two following Dessaline’s death in 1806.

Jacmel also played a small role in the South American independence movement. Pétion hosted Simón Bolívar here in 1816 when the Venezuelan revolutionary leader was assembling his army, hospitality that Bolívar returned by abolishing slavery after liberating his country.

By the middle of the 19th century, Jacmel served as a major Caribbean loading point for steamships bound for Europe, and many European names can be found on the gravestones in the cemetery from this time. Jacmel was the first town in the Caribbean to have telephones and potable water, and when the cathedral was lit up on Christmas Eve 1895, Jacmel became the first town to have electric light. The town center was destroyed by a huge fire in 1896 and then rebuilt in the unique Creole architectural style that remains to this day. Port trade, however, began to dry up following WWII and the Duvalier era, leaving the annual Carnival the one time of year when Jacmel truly recreates its glory days.

People may now be aware of Haiti because of the recent earthquake that hit the country. But perhaps it would also be good to take note of the other towns in this country that happen to be amazing tourist attractions should one be in the area for a visit. And one such amazing town is Jacmel. Jacmel is one of the port cities of Haiti and is depicted as a laidback coastal town. It is a three hour drive from the city of Port-au-Prince and can also be reached via air.

The people are very charming as the town they live in. Majority of the people are coffee merchants whose mansions have greatly influenced the architectural style of the building of New Orleans. Nothing much has changed in Jacmel since the 1900s.

The town of Jacmel or Yaquimel, is famous for its handcrafted face masks and paper mache’ animals. The adventurous traveler will have a great time touring the different colonial and impressive structures of the town that dates back to the 1800s. You may also want to visit the beaches of Raymond Les Bains and Congo Black Sand Beach while you are in the town. There is also a tourist attraction somewhere in the mountains where a clear pool of waterfalls will invite you to take a dip. In order to get to this area however, you will need to take a guide with you as they are the only ones who can show you the route.